Objective – to test Alma workflow for linking IZ records that lack a Sirsi 035 to the Network Zone (NZ). This study will help to establish a clear set of instructions for future IZ linking and identify related decisions for Bib and Met to consider when matching or moving IZ records to the Network Zone.
Duration – one week
Study Group – Humber, Sheridan, Lambton, La Cite
Plan: Analyze records in your Institution Zone to determine how many records did not match upon migration due to lack of Sirsi 035. Keeping in mind that some IZ records should remain local (e.g., brief records), search IZ to determine availability of alternate unique identifiers in bibliographic 035$a and 020$a, etc. You will use these match points to configure and test the job to ‘Link a Set of Records to the Network Zone.’ See NZ Testing - IZ linking pilot study -- Background Notes for additional rationale, context and links to Ex Libris resources.
Note: The steps below are specific to study in our test environment. Any linking done in this environment will not be retained for cutover. Keep adequate notes so that desired linking can be performed in your production environment after go live.
Steps:
Roles: ensure you have the roles to do a manual job. You must be able to access the Run a Job. Further details are listed in the EXL documentation on Manual Jobs.
Analyze your collection: use search queries that produce sets of unlinked items. Once you have determined which queries are most helpful in showing unlinked items, you will use them to create itemized sets and define the linking parameters (e.g., choice of unique ID) needed to run a linking job.
a) To find out how many records are not linked:
b) To find out how many unlinked records contain no SIRSI ID, but do contain an OCLC control number that could be used for linking: a) To find out how many unlinked records contain no SIRSI ID, but do contain an OCLC control number in 035$a that could be used for linking:
c) Determine how many unlinked records contain no SIRSI ID and NO OCLC control number 035$a – linking these records may involve the use of an alternate id such as ISBN:
Note: the above searches can be further restricted to library location, example:
3. Create and Save Two Itemized Sets: Starting with examples 2 b & 2 c above, create two itemized sets. Identify your sets clearly. Note that query 2a (above) does not need to be saved for linking purposes – it simply provides you with a total picture of unlinked content in your ILS.
Set 1: Records that have an OCLC number (example 2b)
Set 2: Records that have no SIRSI number and no OCLC ID (example 2c - for these we will test the potential to match on ISBN).
Note: while this search can be saved as a a logical set – an itemized set gives us control for testing purposes.
Steps to create an itemized set and select members for testing purposes:
Go to: Admin > Manage Jobs and Sets > Manage Sets > Add Set > Itemized (Set content type: Physical titles)
Name and describe your set(s)
Then click ‘add members to set’ > do a Repository Search (choose or modify a search from above)
Select members from the results list to add to set, then ‘Add selected’ and ‘Done.’ Choose to start with a manageable set size, e.g., 50 - 100 records.
Keep Excel lists of each itemized set that you are planning to link. You will use these lists to document linking and comment on the the accuracy of the linking.
To save an Excel list:
Go to Admin > Manage Jobs and Sets > Manage Sets. From the Row Actions List for your Itemized set choose ‘Members’ > Then ‘Export’ to Excel (all fields)
4. For each set, ‘Run a job’: Go to Admin > Manage jobs and sets > Run a job.
Select ‘Link a set of records to the Network Zone’
Choose the set(s) that you saved:
Enter task parameters and match method that fit the unique ID prevalent in the set you saved. For the purposes of this study, we will restrict our task parameters to either OCLC number (for Set 1) or ISBN (for Set 2), however further information on match methods is available at https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Product_Documentation/010Alma_Online_Help_(English)/040Resource_Management/060Record_Import/020Managing_Import_Profiles?mt-draft=true#Match_Methods_.E2.80.93_Explanations_and_Examples. We recommend that you leave blank ‘ignore resource type during matching’ and ‘contribute IZ records’ until further study is done.
Example: ISSN or OCLC, etc.
‘Review and Confirm’ then Submit
All linked titles will be identified by a NZ icon:
5. Document results: For each linking job, go to: Monitor Jobs > select your job > Report to see how many records linked
How many linked? How many remain unlinked?
Do a title check of your itemized set against the Excel spreadsheet. Go to Admin > Manage Sets > Your itemized set > Members. Review items that show a NZ linking icon: mark linked titles on your spreadsheet; check the bibliographic record; create a column for comments regarding accuracy of linking.
Spot check remaining unlinked records to determine type of records, locations, etc. Comment on whether there are other unmatched unique identifiers in the records that may be worth exploring (e.g., 024); if remaining unlinked items have no unique identifiers; or if remaining unlinked items should simply be left in IZ
6. Scale up: once you have reviewed, are happy with linking results from a small set, consider scaling up to a larger set or a particular location that needs to be linked to the NZ (it’s possible that not all of your library locations will contain records that need to be linked).
Experiences:
Humber: started with leisure reading (titles purchased directly) - 487 titles - linked 94 on ISBN, but 1 ISBN not enough; can share MMS
no SIRSI but with OCLC no.: 706 records 375 linked; 331 not
Lambton - set of 60 - capitalization in source record - 21 linked; 9 were not in NZ; 27 did not match;
Sheridan - some punctuation, e.g., pipes, might throw off matching
La Cite - two sets;
OCLC 156 records; TESTED 50 from set: 17 linked; 33 did not link
ISBN; 3000 records; TESTED 50 from set: 33 linked 17 did not link (5 visual resources)
Questions:
Humber - Dijana Kladnjakovic asked if we can run a complete file and EXCLUDE a location? Answer: rather than excluding a location, Alma’s advanced search allows you to include multiple locations in advanced search. So, “for certain drop-down lists, such as library and permanent physical location, you can select multiple matching values (see the example for Library above).” For more information see https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Product_Documentation/010Alma_Online_Help_(English)/010Getting_Started/050Alma_User_Interface_%E2%80%93_General_Information/Searching_in_Alma#Using_Advanced_Search, step #4.
Local fields (La Cite) - local fields have come across – where did they come from? Louis to check source record.
Results:
Please send results by May 6, 2022 to: Danielle Emon, with cc to Dijana and Stacey
Next steps:
Danielle, Dijana & Stacey to reconvene: 2nd week May
Whole group: later in May to share findings
Findings:
Page 1+ IZ_NZ Linking Study Report - Presentation
NZ Pilot Analysis_Final