Local Fields in Alma

Background

Ex Libris has developed Alma functionality that will allow a library to store local bibliographic information into local fields, referred to as “local extensions to bibliographic records.” These local extensions would display to users in both Alma and Primo as if they were part of the bibliographic record, but would be stored in the library’s Institution Zone (IZ). This protects the local fields in bibliographic records from being lost when master records in the Network Zone (NZ) are overlaid with an updated record. Local extensions remain in the record until deleted by the library.

Best practices

• Use local fields for the uses defined in the table of Local Fields in Alma & Primo (below). For a detailed list of local fields in Alma, see the document CSU Migration of Local Bibliographic Data to Alma Local Extensions to Bibliographic Records.

• Most local fields in Alma are designed to mimic a specific non-local MARC 21 field. The local and non-local field equivalencies are shown in the table of Local Fields in Alma & Primo (below). It is essential that local fields that are designed to mimic regular MARC 21 fields must be formatted in the same way as those MARC 21 fields, including indicators and use of subfields, as the Primo normalization rules that control display and searchability are designed based on the assumption that the local fields will be formatted the same as the relevant non-local field.

• If a library has data in a particular local field and that local field does not have the characteristics that they want for that data in terms of display, searchability, and clickability, rather than requesting changes to that field's characteristics, consider moving the data to a different local field that has the desired characteristics. This can be done by using a norm rule to change the field tag (using the ChangeField command) and, if not already present, add the subfield $9.

Procedures in Alma

• Adding Local Fields using the ME. There are two methods of creating local fields in Alma. The first method is to use the Edit > Add Local Field (Ctrl+L) command in the Metadata Editor. When using this command, Alma creates a field with an invisible subfield $9 containing the string "local" (all lower case). This subfield $9 is used by Alma to mark fields as local, i.e., they are stored in an institution's Institution Zone and are not lost when the master bib record in the NZ is overlaid. Although this subfield $9 is not displayed in Alma (the local field building icon is displayed instead), it is present in local fields when bib records are exported.

• Adding Local Fields using Norm Rules. The second method of adding local fields is to use a normalization rule to add a local field one-at-a-time in the Metadata Editor, or to batch add a local field to a set of bib records. The normalization rule must include the addSubfield command as shown below:

then

  addField "590.a.Gift of John Doe."

  addSubField "590.9.local" if (not exists "590.9.local")

end

Note: Using "local" or "LOCAL" in a subfield $9 both work in Alma when creating normalization rules. However, be consistent! Be sure to test for the presence of either string before adding a new subfield $9.

• How NOT to Add Local Fields. Using the Metadata Editor Edit > Add Field (F8) command and then add the "$$9local" subfield in the ME does NOT work. The field will be a normal field in the NZ and will be lost when the NZ bib record is overlaid. Similarly, adding the "$9 local" subfield in OCLC Connexion before downloading the bib record into Alma will also NOT work, and the new field will again be lost when the NZ bib record is overlaid.
  
  

Reserved Fields

• Network Reserved Fields. Fields 976-979 and 982-988 are reserved for future use as Network-wide notes. Any use of these local note fields will be added to this table after the use is approved by the Technical Services Working Group Leads.

• Institution Reserved Fields. Fields 958, 962-969, and 972  are reserved for local institution-defined internal notes. Any CSU library is free to define any of these fields for local use. These local internal note fields do not publish to Primo.

• OCLC Reserved Fields. Fields 950, 951, 956, 987, 989-999 are reserved for OCLC use per information contained in OCLC's Bibliographic Formats and Standards and are not to be used for Network or local use in Alma or Primo. Note, however, that field 999 is being used as the default “Network-defined CR_RESTRICTED field for course reserve records” to restrict access to “personal copies” on reserves.

Phrase vs. Keyword Searching

Local fields are indexed and searchable in Primo. Display and indexing of the fields in Primo is controlled at the installation level by the CSU as part of our standard configuration (i.e., Normalization Rules of the PNX record). Phrase versus keyword functionality is controlled in Primo by the user's search mode.  When using basic search, clicking on a hyperlink executes a keyword search.  When using advanced search, clicking on the hyperlink executes a phrase search.

Table 1 – Local Fields in Alma & Primo (Overview)

Table 2 – Local Fields in Primo (Details)

Action log