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CSV for bibliographic data

The file format CSV (Comma-Separated Values) refers to the structure of a text file with which simply structured data can be stored or exchanged. Files in this format have the ending “csv”.

CSV files are suitable for importing – for example into spreadsheet programs – and facilitate further processing in other programs. This format is NFC-standardised (Unicode UTF-8) and the separator is a semi-colon.

In the datashop you can download search results and individual selections of the bibliographic data from the German National Library`s catalogue in CSV format. It also allows you to save search profiles. Authority data of the Integrated Authority File (GND) is not available in CSV format. When downloading a CSV file via the data shop, any authority data present is removed automatically and only the bibliographic data is delivered.

Importing files into spreadsheet programs

CSV files are not always interpreted the same way by the same spreadsheet programs. We have therefore limited ourselves here to providing instructions for Microsoft Excel.

Explanation in WWW for MS Excel 2003 and 2007/2010 (only available in German)

Use the file import function “From text” to open the file in MS Excel.

Screenshot der Excel-Menüleiste; zum Öffnen der CSV-Datei mit MS Excel nutzen Sie im Reiter "Daten" die Funktion „Externe Daten abrufen / Aus Text“

When importing files to Excel using the text conversion assistant, you must select UTF-8 code as the diacritics will otherwise be displayed incorrectly. This is because no byte order mark mark (BOM) is delivered at the beginning of the file:

Screenshot von Schritt 1 des Textkonvertierungsassistenten in Microsoft Excel. Wählen Sie unter „Ursprünglicher Dateityp“ die Option „Getrennt“, als „Dateiursprung“ die Option „65001: Unicode (UTF-8) aus.

The separator is a semi-colon. You can define this in the text conversion assistant.

Trennzeichen ist das Semikolon. Dies können Sie im Textkonvertierungs-Assistent entsprechend festlegen.

Available fields

NameDescription
subjectDNB subject category
identifierResource identifier
Element is repeated when entering
several identifiers
IDN: DNB identifier for data record
ISBN: ISBN number
ISSN: ISSN number
URN: URN
URL: URL
DOI: DOI
ZDBID: ZDB number
type Identification of online resources
creatorName of authors, corporate bodies and other persons and corporate bodies involved, provided as headings
titleMain title, additions, parallel title, information on authors
volumesee above
editionInformation on edition
publisherPlace(s) of publication, publisher(s)
yearYear of publication
formatInformation on length,number of physical units
ISBNISBN in separate field for machine-based analyses
ISSNISSN in separate field for machine-based analyses
ISMNISSN in separate field for machine-based analyses
EAN/UPCEAN/UPC in separate field for machine-based analyses
binding/price Information on binding and price
languageCode for text language according to ISO 639-2
countryPublisher's country code
date of publicationPlanned publication date in the case of publisher announcements
descriptionMarks on university publications (university, degree, year of graduation)
collective titleMain title of a work in several volumes or a series of works (only the title, not the data record itself and no link to the data record)
linksLinks to scanned tables of contents, blurbs etc.
relationInformation on identifier relations to superordinate works, series, journal titles (connected titles)
rightsInformation on rights / access to the original
subject headingsHeadwords assigned
connected titlesTitles of further issues, supplements, precursors and successors (cf. relations)
uniform titleTitle of work (not yet aligned with RDA)
frequencyFor periodicals: Frequency of publication
wv numberNumber of weekly listing

Terms of use and provision

Detailed information on terms of use and provision is given here.

Contact

metadatendienste@dnb.de

Last changes: 24.04.2023
Short-URL: https://www.dnb.de/EN/csv
Contact: metadatendienste@dnb.de

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