Adding MARC records to Electronic Collections
Electronic records loaded to Alma need to be loaded to the institution zone. First, create a local electronic collection in Alma; second, create the import profile. To load bibliographic records, you may need to examine the MARC file to ensure the bibliographic records contain matching points like ISBN/ISSN or OCLC number.
Creating a Local Electronic Collection
Resources -> Create Inventory -> Add Local Electronic Collection
Enter the Public name.
Determine if you have a database, aggregator database, or selective package. For most collections, choose 'selective package' as the collection type.
If the URL links to a full-text document, choose full text. Choose full text also for streaming videos.
Save and continue.
On the "Additional" tab:
Add a collection level URL and select the appropriate proxy settings:Scroll down to the bottom of the page to edit the service:
Set the "service activation status" to available in the activation tab and enter today's date in the active from date box.
On the Service description tab, enter a description if you wish, but it is not required.
Save
Setting up an Import Profile for your local collection
The local electronic collection is now ready to be used in the import profile. The files you load with your import profile need to be in either .mrc or XML format. Using MarcEdit to determine match points and URL fields may be necessary. Download a free version of MarcEdit, https://marcedit.reeset.net/downloads.
Open the file to find a consistent match point. A match point can be OCLC#, ISBN/ISSN number, or a unique vendor number. Unique vendor numbers are generally located in the 001. In that case, the 001 needs to be copied to 035 using MarcEdit's copy field function.
For Example, this government document matches the OCLC number:
Also, check to ensure the URL is located in the 856 subfield u, if the URL includes other subfields with note information, those can be extracted using the import profile.
Creating the Import Profile
Resources -> Import -> Manage Import Profiles
Add New Profile -> Choose Repository -> Next
Uncheck “Use Network Zone” button.
Enter a Profile Name.
Choose an Originating System from the dropdown; "Other" is one of the options.
Choose a physical source format. If you have a MARC file, use binary for the physical source format, then choose encoding format UTF-8.
Click Next.
Choose OCLC Normalization in the "Normalization Correct the data using" box.
Click Next.
Based on matching points in the MARC file, choose the best fitting "serial and non-serial match method" from the dropdown.
In the "match action" section, choose the "handling method" automatic, and "upon match" select overlay.
The merge method will be "Overlay all fields but local."
In the "automatic multi-match handling" section, select disregard matches for bibliographic CZ linked records and prefer records with the same inventory type.
In the "no match section," choose import, upon no match.
Click Next.
Select suppress records from publishing.
Click Next.
Inventory Operations, choose electronic.
If loading records are not part of an electronic collection, choose portfolio type standalone. However, if you have multiple titles to add to an electronic collection, select part of an electronic collection.
Search for the electronic collection created in step one. The service will fill in automatically based on the value in the electronic collection.
Choose the appropriate material type.
If the file includes multiple bibliographic records, choose multiple portfolios.
Enter the MARC field where the URL resides. Generally, that is 856 in the extract portfolio information box. Enter the subfield. Generally, that is subfield u, in extract access URL from subfield box.
If the records include URLs that Alma should not import, enter which indicators to skip. It is possible to extract various notes if those are present in the marc file.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and choose activate resource.
Click Save.
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