Bib Object

Click the links below to view the Bib Object properties and examples.

id

string

(Always returned in the response.)

The unique bib record ID.

Example: 

"id": "1996365"

updatedDate

string (optional)

The date and time of the last update to the record, in ISO 8601 format. (YYYY-MM-DD'T'hh:mm:ssZZ). The system updates this field when the record is edited or involved in a transaction.

Example: 

"updatedDate": "2013-12-11T19:20:28Z"

createdDate

string (optional)

The date and time the record was created, in ISO 8601 format. (YYYY-MM-DD'T'hh:mm:ssZZ)

Example: 

"createdDate": "2013-12-11T19:04:44Z"

deletedDate

string (optional)

(Appears only if the record has been deleted.)

The date the record was deleted, in ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD).

Example: 

"deletedDate": "2014-01-11"

deleted

boolean

Specifies whether the record has been deleted.

Deleted Records

Deleted records return only their id, deletedDate, and deleted properties.

Example: 

"deleted": true

suppressed

boolean (optional)

Indicates whether the record is suppressed from public display.

Example: 

"suppressed": false

available

boolean (optional)

Indicates whether the record is available for checkout.

Example: 

"available": true

lang

object (optional)

(Provided when available.)

The lang property contains a Language object consisting of the language code and display name for the material. Standard language codes and strings are based on the MARC 21 Code List for Languages (also used by UNIMARC format). However, this data is customizable in Sierra, and each organization determines the codes and strings for the system.

Example: 

"lang": {
  "code": "eng",
  "name": "English"
}

code

string

The language code.

Example: 

"code": "eng"

name

string (optional)

The language display name.

Example: 

"name": "English"

title

string (optional)

(Provided when available.)

The most authoritative and available version of the title.

Example: 

"title": "Cross my heart"

author

string (optional)

(Provided when available.)

The most authoritative available representation of the author's name.

Example: 

"author": "Patterson, James, 1947-"

materialType

object (optional)

(Provided when available.)

The materialType property contains a MaterialType object, which identifies a material type, such as book, serial, map, and so forth, based on MARC 21 Leader/06 values, or UNIMARC Label/06 values. However, this data is customizable in Sierra and each organization determines the codes and strings for their system.

Example: 

"materialType": {
  "code": "a",
  "value": "PRINTED BK/JNL"
}

code

string

The material type code.

Example: 

"code": "a"

value

string (optional)

The material type display name.

Example: 

"value": "PRINTED BK/JNL"

bibLevel

object (optional)

(Provided when available.)

The bibLevel property contains a BibLevel object based on MARC 21 Leader/07 values or UNIMARC Label/07 values. However, this data is customizable in Sierra and each organization determines the codes and strings for their system.

Example: 

"bibLevel": {
  "code": "m",
  "value": "MONOGRAPH"
}

code

string

The biblevel code.

Example: 

"code": "m"

value

string (optional)

The biblevel display name.

Example: 

"value": "MONOGRAPH"

publishYear

integer (optional)

(Provided when available.)

The year of publication.

Example: 

"publishYear": 2013

catalogDate

string (optional)

(Provided when available.)

The date the record was added to the catalog, in ISO 8601 format. (YYYY-MM-DD)

Example: 

"catalogDate": "2013-12-11"

country

object (optional)

(Provided when available.)

The country property contains a Country object, which contains the code and display value representing the country of publication. Standard country codes are based on the MARC 21 Code List of Countries, or ISO 3166/MA standard for UNIMARC systems. However, this data is customizable in Sierra and each organization determines the codes and strings for their system.

Example: 

"country": {
  "code": "nyu",
  "name": "New York (State)"
}

code

string

The country code.

Example: 

"code": "nyu"

name

string

The country display name.

Example: 

"name": "New York (State)"

orders

array

(Returned only if requested; provided when available.)

The orders property contains a list of OrderInfo objects that provide information from the associated order record, including the order ID, location (shelving location or branch), number of copies ordered, and order date.

"orders": [
  {
    "orderId": "https://sandbox.iii.com/iii/sierra-api/v6/orders/1125671",
    "location": {
      "code": "a",
      "name": "SJSU"
    },
    "copies": 2,
    "date": "2012-09-16"
  }
]

orderId

string

(Returned only if requested; provided when available.)

A link to the original record ID.

Example: 

"orderId": "https://sandbox.iii.com/iii/sierra-api/v6/orders/1125671",

location

object

(Returned only if requested; provided when available.)

The location property contains a Location object that includes a location code and display name identifying the physical location for which the item was ordered.

Example: 

"location": {
  "code": "a",
  "name": "SJSU"
},

code

string

The location code.

Example: 

"code": "a"

name

string

The location display name.

Example: 

"name": "SJSU"

copies

integer

The number of copies ordered.

Example: 

"copies": 2

date

string (optional)

The date the order was placed, in ISO 8601 format (yyyy-MM-dd).

Example: 

"date": "2012-09-16"

normTitle

string (optional)

(Returned only if requested.)

The normalized form of the title.

Example: 

"normTitle": "cross my heart"

normAuthor

string (optional)

(Returned only if requested.)

The normalized form of the author's name.

Example: 

"normAuthor": "patterson james 1947"

locations

array

(Returned only if requested.)

The locations property contains a list of Location objects that contain the location codes and display names associated with the bib.

"locations": [
  {
    "code": "a",
    "name": "SJSU"
  },
  {
    "code": "7aj",
    "name": "SJSU Juvenile"
  }
]

code

string

The location code.

Example: 

"code": "a"

name

string

The location display name.

Example: 

"name": "SJSU"

holdCount

integer (optional)

(Returned only if requested.)

The number of holds associated with the bib.

Example: 

"holdCount": 1

copies

integer (optional)

(Returned only if requested.)

The number of items associated with the bib.

Example: 

"count": 210

fixedFields

object

(Returned only if requested.)

The fixedFields property contains a map of FixedField objects, which contain fixed-length data fields from the bib record.

Example:

See fixedFields Object.

varFields

array

(Returned only if requested.)

The varFields property contains a list of VarField objects, which contain variable-length data fields from the bib record.

Example:

See varFields Array.

The preceding list order reflects the sequence in which the data returns.

Default Response Contents

Default query responses do not include the normTitle and normAuthor properties, or the orders, locations, fixedFields, or varFields arrays for bibs. You must specify these properties and arrays using filter parameters. For example:

https://example-library.edu/iii/sierra-api/v6/bibs/1000002?fields=fixedFields

Returns the id property and fixedFields object for a single bibliographic record.

When you use the fields parameter, the API returns only the ID and specified properties. You can specify the value "default" to retrieve all default properties in addition to any explicitly specified properties, such as fixedFields. For example:

https://example-library.edu/iii/sierra-api/v6/bibs/1000002?fields=default,fixedFields

Returns the default properties plus the fixedFields object for a single bibliographic record.

The following example sends a call to GET /v6/bibs to request information related to a specified bibliographic record. The id property specifies the record. The fields property applies filters to the request.

Example response for:

https://example-library.edu:443/iii/sierra-api/v6/bibs/1000001?fields=default,available,orders,normTitle,normAuthor,locations,fixedFields,varFields
{
  "id": 1000001,
  "updatedDate": "2009-07-06T15:30:13Z",
  "createdDate": "2003-05-08T15:55:00Z",
  "deleted": false,
  "suppressed": false,
  "available": true,
  "lang": {
    "code": "eng",
    "name": "English"
  },
  "title": "Hey, what's wrong with this one?",
  "author": "Wojciechowska, Maia, 1927-",
  "materialType": {
    "code": "a",
    "value": "Book"
  },
  "bibLevel": {
    "code": "m",
    "value": "MONOGRAPH"
  },
  "publishYear": 1969,
  "catalogDate": "1990-10-10",
  "country": {
    "code": "nyu",
    "name": "New York (State)"
  },
  "orders": [
    {
      "location": {
          "code": "a",
          "name": "SJSU"
      },
      "copies": 2,
      "date": "2012-09-16"
    }
  ]
  "normTitle": "hey whats wrong with this one",
  "normAuthor": "wojciechowska maia 1927",
  "locations": [
    {
      "code": "a",
      "name": "SJSU"
    },
    {
      "code": "7aj",
      "name": "SJSU Juvenile"
    }
  ],
  "fixedFields": {
    "24": {
      "label": "LANG",
      "value": "eng"
    },
    "25": {
      "label": "SKIP",
      "value": "0"
    },
    "26": {
      "label": "LOCATION",
      "value": "multi"
    },
    "27": {
      "label": "COPIES",
      "value": "1"
    },
    "28": {
      "label": "CAT DATE",
      "value": "1990-10-10"
    },
    "29": {
      "label": "BIB LVL",
      "value": "m",
      "display": "MONOGRAPH"
    },
    "30": {
      "label": "MAT TYPE",
      "value": "a",
      "display": "Book"
    },
    "31": {
      "label": "BCODE3",
      "value": "-"
    },
    "80": {
      "label": "REC TYPE",
      "value": "b"
    },
    "81": {
      "label": "RECORD #",
      "value": "1000001"
    },
    "83": {
      "label": "CREATED",
      "value": "2003-05-08T15:55:00Z"
    },
    "84": {
      "label": "UPDATED",
      "value": "2009-07-06T15:30:13Z"
    },
    "85": {
      "label": "REVISIONS",
      "value": "16"
    },
    "86": {
      "label": "AGENCY",
      "value": "1",
      "display": "Academic"
    },
    "89": {
      "label": "COUNTRY",
      "value": "nyu",
      "display": "New York (State)"
    },
    "98": {
      "label": "PDATE",
      "value": "2008-01-14T17:24:49Z"
    },
    "107": {
      "label": "MARCTYPE",
      "value": " "
    }
  },
  "varFields": [
    {
      "fieldTag": "a",
      "marcTag": "100",
      "ind1": "1",
      "ind2": " ",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "Wojciechowska, Maia,"
        },
        {
          "tag": "d",
          "content": "1927-"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "b",
      "marcTag": "700",
      "ind1": "1",
      "ind2": " ",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "Sandin, Joan."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "d",
      "marcTag": "650",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": "0",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "Families"
        },
        {
          "tag": "v",
          "content": "Fiction."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "j",
      "marcTag": "010",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": " ",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "67014071 /AC/r72"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "n",
      "marcTag": "520",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": " ",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "Three brothers have everything they want except a mother
           and, after the latest housekeeper leaves in despair, they decide to
           help father find a new wife."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "n",
      "marcTag": "521",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": " ",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "Grade 3-6."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "o",
      "marcTag": "001",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": " ",
      "content": "170"
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "o",
      "marcTag": "967",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": " ",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "ib1000001x"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "p",
      "marcTag": "260",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": " ",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "New York,"
        },
        {
          "tag": "b",
          "content": "Harper & Row"
        },
        {
          "tag": "c",
          "content": "[1969]"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "r",
      "marcTag": "300",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": " ",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "72 p."
        },
        {
          "tag": "b",
          "content": "illus."
        },
        {
          "tag": "c",
          "content": "24 cm."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "t",
      "marcTag": "245",
      "ind1": "1",
      "ind2": "0",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "Hey, what's wrong with this one?"
        },
        {
          "tag": "c",
          "content": "Pictures by Joan Sandin."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "y",
      "marcTag": "008",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": " ",
      "content": "690505s1969    nyua   j      000 1 eng  cam   "
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "y",
      "marcTag": "040",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": " ",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "DLC"
        },
        {
          "tag": "c",
          "content": "DLC"
        },
        {
          "tag": "d",
          "content": "CSJ"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "y",
      "marcTag": "049",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": " ",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "CSJJ"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "y",
      "marcTag": "099",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": " ",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "W847h"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "y",
      "marcTag": "910",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": " ",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "eng"
        },
        {
          "tag": "b",
          "content": "901010"
        },
        {
          "tag": "c",
          "content": "m"
        },
        {
          "tag": "d",
          "content": "a"
        },
        {
          "tag": "e",
          "content": "nyu"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "y",
      "marcTag": "910",
      "ind1": " ",
      "ind2": " ",
      "subfields": [
        {
          "tag": "a",
          "content": "06NOV80/r cb 170"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "_",
      "content": "00000cam  2200000   4500"
    },
    {
      "fieldTag": "1",
      "content": "a:a    |1|7aj  |1"
    }
  ]
}

The following example sends a call to GET /v6/bibs to request a return that provides orders information related to a specified bibliographic record. The id property specifies the record. The fields property requests orders information. The orders information is highlighted in the return below.

Example response for:

https://example-library.edu:443/iii/sierra-api/v6/orders/?id=1000044&fields=default,orders
{
  "total": 1,
  "start": 0,
  "entries": [
    {
      "id": "1000044",
      "updatedDate": "2016-04-12T06:34:00Z",
      "createdDate": "2004-09-01T19:01:00Z",
      "deleted": false,
      "suppressed": false,
      "lang": {
        "code": "eng",
        "name": "English"
      },
      "title": "The New Yorker.",
      "author": "",
      "materialType": {
        "code": "b  ",
        "value": "MAGAZINE"
      },
      "bibLevel": {
        "code": "s",
        "value": "SERIAL"
      },
      "publishYear": 1925,
      "catalogDate": "2004-09-01",
      "country": {
        "code": "nyu",
        "name": "New York"
      },
      "orders": [
        {
          "orderId": "https://devops-9582-app.iii-lab.us/iii/sierra-api/v6/
           orders/1025123",
          "location": {
            "code": "none ",
            "name": "none "
          },
          "copies": 0,
          "date": "2011-12-02"
        }
      ],
      "callNumber": "PER NEW"
    }
  ]
}

The following example sends a call to GET /v6/bibs to request a return that provides the number of holds on a bibliographic record and to report the number of copies. The holdCount parameter requests the number of holds. The copies parameter requests number of copies. The holdCount and copies information are highlighted in the return below.

Example response for:

https://example-library.edu:443/iii/sierra-api/v6/bibs/?id=1000020&fields=default,holdCount,copies
{
  "total": 1,
  "start": 0,
  "entries": [
    {
      "id": "1000020",
      "updatedDate": "2019-11-11T09:25:05Z",
      "createdDate": "2004-09-01T19:01:00Z",
      "deleted": false,
      "suppressed": false,
      "lang": {
        "code": "eng",
        "name": "English"
      },
      "title": "The publishers weekly.",
      "author": "",
      "materialType": {
        "code": "b  ",
        "value": "MAGAZINE"
      },
      "bibLevel": {
        "code": "s",
        "value": "SERIAL"
      },
      "publishYear": 1873,
      "catalogDate": "2004-09-01",
      "country": {
        "code": "nju",
        "name": "New Jersey"
      },
      "holdCount": 1,
      "copies": 1598,
      "callNumber": "PER PUB"
    }
  ]
}

Example response for:

https://example-library.edu:443/iii/sierra-api/v6/bibs/1996365?fields=id,updatedDate,createdDate,title,author
{
   "id": "1996365",
   "updatedDate": "2013-12-11T19:20:28Z",
   "createdDate": "2013-12-11T19:04:44Z",
   "title": "Cross my heart",
   "author": "Patterson, James, 1947-"
}

Multi-record responses provide a paged set of results beginning with information specifying the total number of results, the starting position of the current page of results, and an "entries" label. The following is an example response for:

https://example-library.edu/iii/sierra-api/v6/bibs/?limit=2&offset=2&fields=updatedDate,createdDate,title,author&deleted=false

The API always returns the ID in the response, regardless of whether it appears in the list of requested fields. 

{
  "total": 1995056,
  "start": 2,
  "entries": [
    {
      "id": "1000003",
      "updatedDate": "2004-10-04T19:17:45Z",
      "createdDate": "2003-05-08T15:55:13Z",
      "title": "Monotheism and Moses,",
      "author": "Christen, Robert J."
    },
    {
      "id": "1000004",
      "updatedDate": "2006-07-17T16:34:10Z",
      "createdDate": "2003-05-08T15:55:13Z",
      "title": "Socialism in Cuba,",
      "author": "Huberman, Leo, 1903-1968."
    }
  ]
}