Merging Authority Records

To merge bibliographic records together you will want to go to the Cataloging module and perform a search.

If you see duplicates on that search results screen you can check the boxes next to the duplicates and click the ‘Merge selected’ button at the top of the results.

Once you have selected the records you want to merge, click the ‘Merge selected’ button at the top of the list. You will be asked which of the records you would like to keep as your primary record and which will be deleted after the merge. If the records were created using different frameworks, Koha will also ask you what Framework you would like the newly merged record to use.

Choose Primary Record for Merge

You will be presented with the MARC for all of the records (each accessible by tabs labeled with the bib numbers for those records). By default the entire first record will be selected, uncheck the fields you don’t want in the final (destination) record and then move on to the second tab to choose which fields should be in the final (destination) record.

Merging Records

Should you try to add a field that is not repeatable two times (like choosing the 245 field from both record #1 and #2) you will be presented with an error

Non-repeatable Error

Below the records you are merging is an option to enter fields to report on. This will allow you to control what fields you see on the merge confirmation page:

Merge report fields

If you enter nothing you will be presented with a confirmation of biblionumbers only

Merge report

If you enter fields you will see those on the confirmation page (you can set defaults with the MergeReportFields preference)

Merge report

Once you have completed your selections click the ‘merge’ button. The primary record will now CONTAIN the data you chose for it as well as all of the items/holdings from both bib records, and the second record will be deleted.