Local Fields in Alma & Primo

Background

Procedures for adding local fields in Alma. Document also outlines local data in Alma and Primo. To be used in conjunction with the policy: Local Fields.

Procedures

Methods for adding local fields 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.
  
  

• IZ-only records
  
  Please see Display of Local Fields from IZ Records in Primo for additional metadata required for local fields in IZ-only records.

Reserved Fields

• Ex Libris has reserved 900-949 fields. These fields should not be used for local data. NOTE: 949 is reserved for RapidILL publishing profile.
  

• 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