Overlaying Bibliographic Records in Alma

Background

Document describes policy and methods for replacing (that is, overlaying) individual bibliographic records in Alma with records exported from OCLC Connexion client or brought into the Network Zone (NZ) from daily OCLC loads. This policy does not apply to batchloads. The objective is to avoid unintended overlays and duplicates in the CSU shared environment. See also Overlaying Bibliographic Records in Alma (Procedures) for more details.

Policy Statement

The NZ contains fully cataloged bibliographic records representing the holdings of all CSU libraries. The NZ may also contain less than full records such as brief records with orders attached.

It is CSU  policy that newly cataloged titles go in the NZ in order to facilitate cooperative collection development and collaborative technical services. Brief records for new orders also go in the NZ.

The following steps must be done even if the cataloger is allowing the daily OCLC loads to bring the bib record into the NZ, rather than exporting from Connexion:

• Catalogers must search for a title in both the IZ and the NZ. The title may be only in the IZ, only in the NZ, or in both. Records only in the IZ need to be moved to the NZ (“Share with Network”) for overlay to occur successfully.
• Bibliographic overlay in Alma is always done by OCLC number. Catalogers must ensure that the incoming Connexion record and the existing Network Zone record have the same OCLC number. It must be in field 035 and preceded by “(OCoLC)”, e.g.: 035 __ $$a (OCoLC)904651766.
• The OCLC number in an Alma record may be 1) correct (matching), 2) lacking, or 3) different than the number in the record you intend to use for cataloging. Procedures for each scenario are outlined in the document below. If the OCLC number in the Network Zone record is not the one you intend to use, do NOT overlay the record!

Key points to remember (in this order!):

• Ensure that the correct OCLC number is in the Alma record;
• Share with Network (if not already in NZ);
• Then Alma is prepared to accept the record, via Connexion export or daily OCLC loads.

Procedures in Alma

See Overlaying Bibliographic Records in Alma (Procedures) for more details. 

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