Helpful Alma Repository Search Queries

*New site for Queries located under Acquisitions and ERM How-to section.

Ex Libris Repository Searches and how to save sets

Hint: to locate an option in the Advanced Search, click "Add conditions," then Control+F to use your browser's "find" function.

Some helpful queries/search sets libraries have been using to locate specific groups of records.

Information about NZ search results (What am I looking at?):

*Keyword/Title searches in the NZ vs e-collection/e-portfolio & the label display:

The way it was explained to me by Ex Libris was that if it states Held By, it is coming from the IZ (if you see My Institution listed then it is available in your library’s IZ).  If it is Availability: Electronic Version, it is coming from the NZ.  All active e-collections will appear (shared and not shared).  The coverage date displayed in these records do not reflect what the CSU's date coverage is for that title.  For that, a electronic portfolio search would need to be done.

To see the Available For label and what your library is sharing in the NZ, then you will need to do an electronic collection or portfolio search.  The Available For label only displays for electronic portfolios and collections.

I highly recommend searching by e-collection or e-portfolio to see which shared e-collections or portfolios are available specifically for your library.  You can narrow down the results to just your institution using the Collection Available For or Available For facet on the left.  If you are searching for a shared portfolio to check on coverage or access, please search by electronic portfolio in the NZ. 

IZ-locally subscribed e-collections only  

NZ=shared e-collections only 

You will not be able to see NZ e-collections in the IZ.  If you do see an e-collection in both the IZ and the NZ that are the same, that means the e-collections are activated in both the IZ and the NZ.  If the NZ e-collection is being shared and the portfolios in the IZ e-collection are the same, the IZ e-collection can be deleted. If the active portfolios are different or have different coverage, the same e-collection can remain active/shared in the IZ and the NZ.

More information on Electronic Collection and Portfolio search indexes.  The Available For index is only searched during e-collection and e-portfolios searches.

Alma icon cheat sheet 

Recommended Search for e-Resources in the NZ:

• • Alma Drop-down menu > Find Electronic Collection >  where Electronic Collection > contains  NAME_OF_eRESOURCE

Locating locally created database records in the CZ or IZ (migrated from ILS via P2E)

• • Suggested ExL query:  Advanced Search-Find Electronic Collection > Add Conditions = Electronic Collection Type > Click Add Condition Button > Choose Database from drop down menu

    • Results: Current Search = Electronic Collections where Electronic Collection (Electronic collection Type equals "Database")

    • Locates database-only e-collection records which are not available from Ex Libris, records in CZ are created and shared by other libraries.  Currently no database-only e-collections records in NZ.  There are bib records for database-only records.

Search set to find bib records not linked to the NZ that should be linked

• • Repository Search from Alma Drop-down menu: Find Physical Titles > Click on Advanced Search > Add Condition > Under All titles choose Is Linked  > equals NO > ADD Condition >  Under All Titles Other System # >  starts with OCLC

    • Results: All Titles where All titles (Is linked equals "No" and Other System Number starts with "oclc")

Complete list of shared resources for your library in the NZ.  Should match up the Merged Target list for SFX.

• • Do a Repository Search > Find Electronic Collection > click Advanced Search > Add Condition > check Collection Available Only For  in Electronic Collection section > click on Add Condition button > equals > Choose Campus

    • This will list the active e-collections for your library.  This may be easier to compare to SFX to see what migrated.

    • If you are comparing with the merged targets list: First change the Alma results Primary sort order from Rank to Collection name - Asc

    • Be aware the the target names in SFX may be slightly different than those appearing in Alma, which affects the order on the two lists.

    • If you want to weed out the OA e-collections to look at only subscribed collections first, Add Condition to the query: Change Query > Electronic collection > Free then add the condition and choose Not Free in dropdown and then click Go.

Targets migrated from the local SFX instance in the IZ only (ignore the NZ results for this search). 

• • Advanced Search-Find Electronic Collection > Add Conditions: one is Service Type equals Full Text and the second is Availability equals Available.
    • You could add a third condition to search for a specific vendor too if you want to narrow the search results.
    • Remember that targets without a full-text service will not migrate.
  • Another possibility:  Advanced Search-Find Electronic Collection > Add Conditions: one is Service Type equals Full Text and the second is Local (collection) equals Yes .
  • Another possibility: Electronic Collections where All titles (Originating System contains keywords "ILS") and Electronic Collection (Electronic collection Type equals "Database")
  • Another possibility: Electronic Collections where All titles (Originating System contains keywords "ILS") and Electronic Collection (Electronic collection Type equals "Selective package") 

Open Access electronic collections linking level (will create a list of Free e-collections for a specific linking level, i.e. article-level)

• Repository search for Electronic Collections > Electronic Collection Name Advanced Query
  • Add Condition Electronic Collection Free EQUALS Free
  • Add Condition Electronic Collection Linking Level EQUALS (choose option from drop down box): Article, Article DOI, Database, Journal, Book, Citation, Volume and Issue.

This query identifies all records identified as electronic collections in IZ (aggregator packages, databases, and selective packages)

• • Electronic Collections where Electronic Collection (Electronic collection Name contains keywords "*")

To find collections with proxy enabled that probably SHOULD have it enabled.

• • Advanced Search > Find Electronic Collection
  • Add conditions: Proxy Enabled Equals Yes AND Free Equals Not Free

To find collections with proxy NOT enabled that probably SHOULDN'T have it enabled.

• • Advanced Search > Find Electronic Collection
  • Add conditions: Proxy Enabled Equals No AND Free Equals Free

To find collections with proxy NOT enabled that probably SHOULD have it enabled (i.e. they need fixing).

• • Advanced Search Find Electronic Collection 
  • Add conditions: Proxy Enabled Equals No AND Free Equals Not Free

To generate a list of ECC journals for your library in the NZ:

List of ECC e-journals in the NZ by library:

*Electronic portfolios where (Material Type (Electronic Portfolio) equals “Journal” AND Internal Description (Electronic Collection) contains keywords “ECC” AND Collection available only for equals (LIBRARY_NAME)

•  To generate list of Opt-In journals, use "Opt-in" in the Internal Description query.
• This list can be exported from NZ search results.

Queries for locating specific lists of e-collection in the NZ.  *Use these to see what is available to be ordered. If an Order link appears, it can be ordered. If the Order does not appear, it has not been set up yet but will.

Advanced Queries for Electronic Collections to generate a list of e-collections for ordering:

• List of Opt-in’s in NZ:
  • *Electronic Collections where Electronic Collection (Internal Description (Electronic Collection) contains keywords "Opt-in")
• List of Opt-in’s in NZ for  a specific library:
  • * Electronic Collections where Electronic Collection (Internal Description (Electronic Collection) contains keywords "Opt-in" and Collection available only for equals "LIBRARY_NAME"))
• List of Database-only in NZ:
  • *Electronic Collections where Electronic Collection (Electronic collection Type equals "Database")
• List of Database-only and Collection “Available For” your library in the NZ:
  • *Electronic Collections where Electronic Collection (Electronic collection Type equals "Database" and Collection available only for equals "LIBRARY_NAME")
• List of Database-only and Interface Name in NZ:
  • *Electronic Collections where Electronic Collection (Electronic collection Type equals "Database" and Interface Name contains keywords "engineering village")
    • or
  • *Electronic Collections where Electronic Collection (Electronic collection Type equals "Database" and Interface Name contains keywords "ebscohost") 
• List of Opt-in’s and Interface name in NZ:
  • *Electronic Collections where Electronic Collection (Interface Name contains keywords "ebscohost" and Internal Description (Electronic Collection) contains keywords "Opt-in")
• List of Shared Resources See the A&I tab for list of Citation-only/Database-only e-collections that can be ordered from the NZ.