Alma Brief Record Level Configuration

Background

Alma supports 10 levels (often referred to as “Encoding Levels”) of brief bibliographic records. This policy, adapted largely from the Orbis Cascade Alliance, articulates recommended Brief Level Rules for records in the IZ* , and the required Brief Level Rule (minimum Encoding Level) for records in the NZ.

Policy Statement

NZ records will have a minimum Brief Record Encoding Level of 06.  (See Bib Level 06 mapping below.)

Mapping Information

The NZ Brief Record Level Rule is mapped as follows from the Leader byte 17 "Encoding Level" of the MARC record:**

Best practice recommendations

• Set the NZ’s default Brief Level Rule as your Institution’s default; or
• If you wish to use different minimum record levels than the consortium, then create a copy of the NZ Brief Level Rule and edit to your suit your needs; set it as your Institution’s default.
  • Consider the minimum Encoding Level of the records you currently accept from OCLC and other MARC record providers.
  • Keep In-Process Brief Bibliographic Records with Minimum Acquisitions Data recommendations in mind in order to ensure that your brief records are in compliance with consortium practice.
  • Recommend institutions use a minimum Brief Record Level of 06.*
• Run the Identifying Brief Level job after setting the default Brief Level Rule; spot check for accuracy

Note: institutions have the ability to create import profiles that utilize CSU NZ Brief Level Rules. Otherwise, import profiles that load records into an institution's IZ (i.e., have "Use Network Zone = No") will use the local default Brief Level Rule set as the default within that institution's IZ configuration. 

NZ vs. IZ Brief Level settings:

• If a library loads records to the IZ, it will assign a level based on the institution's brief rule.
• If a library links an IZ bib to an NZ bib, the NZ bib view will use the brief rule level per NZ settings, and the IZ bib view will maintain its brief level per IZ rules.
• If a library shares an IZ only bib with NZ, the NZ brief level rules were applied to the NZ record, but the IZ brief level was retained.
• If a library uses the Copy to Catalog from the NZ, the IZ brief level is retained and the NZ brief level is retained.
• If you search in Alma Sets in the IZ and NZ, you can successfully search for the records by the corresponding brief level.

Procedures in Alma

1)      Set the Institution’s default Brief Level Rule

• Select the NZ Brief Level, or

2)      Create Institution’s Brief Level Rule

• And set it as the Institution default

3)      Run the Identifying Brief Level Rule job

• And check that records updated appropriately

Also see: "Working with Brief Record Levels" article in the Knowledge Center

Action log