Chacham's Journal: Question: ISBN lookup?

We have a list of books that we'd like to retireve the ISBN information (not just the number). Basically, we have the titles in an Excel Spreadsheet.

The Z39.50 Protocol allows for search sites such as the Library of Congress.

This is somewhat tedious, looking for each book separately.

Is the a tool that could help of search for all the information, for a few hundred entries? Or, are there any other ideas?

More info

[turg]

Are you searching with the ISBN or searching for the ISBN?

If you're searching for the ISBN, what information do you have to search with?

BTW, just in case you don't realize, ISBN's are issued per product not per title (e.g. one for the hardcover, one for the paperback, one for the large print version, etc., repeat for the next edition, repeat for each country, etc.). If it's important to get the right ISBN number for the exact book you have (e.g. the American second edition in paperback), it's probably going

Re:More info

[Chacham]

We do not have the ISBNs. We have the titles.

But, when two are availible, it's easier to remove the bad entries (assuming the title pulls both) than to add the correct one manually.

What I've used

[Timex]

I've always used http://isbn.nu/welcome.html [isbn.nu], though this does one at a time...

I don't know of anything (shy of a script, maybe) that would do bulk look-ups.

Hope this helps.

Re:What I've used

[Chacham]

Thanx, maybe i'll scriptify that site. :)

Search your local library's server... but be nice

[cascadefx]

Most library systems are web based now and are "REST"ful enough that your can do the searching your need with relatively easy to figure out URL munges. Many put the ISBN in the resulting search record that is easily identified. If you library's site supports MARC record displays (usually easy to add to your URL munge), it is even easier.

I bet your could export your spreadsheet to a CSV file and then script with perl and lwp (or your favorite script). In fact, this is probably doable with a bash script

Re:Search your local library's server... but be ni

[cascadefx]

Marc field...

I forgot. If they do support Marc displays (my library's vendor, Innovative does), then the field you are looking for is the "020" field.

More info on Library Marc records can be found here: http://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/lite/ [loc.gov].

Re:Search your local library's server... but be ni

[Chacham]

very nice. thanx!