MARC isn't a flat-file format SleekRank consumes directly. Convert MARC to CSV or JSON in your existing tooling — pymarc, MarcEdit, or your ILS's built-in export — and SleekRank reads the resulting flat file. Most libraries already run a periodic MARC-to-CSV conversion for vendor integrations or analytics, so the pipeline already exists; SleekRank just becomes another consumer of the same export rather than requiring a new MARC parser.

Cache duration controls freshness. For high-demand titles where hold queues matter, point SleekRank at a REST feed with a short cache like 15 minutes. For archival material where availability rarely changes, use a daily or weekly cache. If real-time hold counts are critical, render that block client-side from the ILS API while SleekRank handles the structural metadata that doesn't change second-by-second.

Yes. Store holdings as an array of {branch, copies, status, location} entries on each title row, then use the list mapping to render a holdings table. Each branch becomes a row with library name, copies on shelf, and current status — available, on hold, in transit, missing. The same pattern handles consortium catalogs where multiple member libraries share holdings on the same title.

No. The ILS stays the system of record for circulation, holds, cataloging, and acquisitions. SleekRank publishes WordPress pages from data the ILS exports — it's a publishing layer, not a circulation system. Patrons still use the ILS-powered discovery layer for placing holds and checking out items; the SleekRank pages give the library an indexable web presence that complements rather than competes with the ILS.

Drop the row from the export and flush the cache. The page either 404s or you can keep a 'withdrawn' flag column and adjust the template to render a withdrawn state with a link to similar titles. Special collections often prefer the second approach to preserve historical URLs and citation backlinks. Public libraries usually drop withdrawn rows entirely since the title is no longer relevant to patrons.

Each title URL is a real WordPress page in the sitemap. The base template stays noindex'd so only book pages compete in search. This means /catalog/the-quiet-currents/ ranks for the branded title query and the author's name, which captures discovery traffic that previously went to commercial sites because the local library had no indexable presence.

Use language-specific columns or page groups per language. A bilingual public library typically runs /catalog/en/{slug}/ and /catalog/fr/{slug}/ as separate page groups, each with its own base template, source filter, and URL prefix. The same underlying export can drive both groups if it includes language-specific title and description columns; the page-group config filters by language code.

Yes. Build a separate page group for /reserves/{course}/ that pulls a filtered view of the catalog where titles are flagged as reserved for a specific course. The same approach works for staff picks, summer reading lists, or topical guides. Each cross-cutting view is a separate page group sharing the underlying catalog source, so reserve status updates propagate automatically when the cataloger flips the flag.