Local Fields in Alma & Primo VE
Background and Purpose
Procedures for adding local fields (now called Local Extensions) in Alma.
Local fields/notes or Local Extensions are MARC fields that are added by CSU libraries at the institutional level in the Metadata Editor. These Local Extensions, if added correctly, are retained and protected from the daily Alma bibliographic record overlay in the NZ. The list of CSU Libraries' Local Extensions is to provide all campuses with information on the use of each Local Extension per campus and to help campuses identify which MARC fields to use which will not interfere or conflict with MARC fields employed by Alma/Ex Libris, OCLC, and/or in bibliographic records in the NZ.
Procedures
Two methods for adding local extensions in Alma:
First Method: Adding Local Extensions using the Metadata Editor (MDE)
- Click Edit on a bibliographic record result or Push Selected records to the MDE.
- Within the MDE, navigate to the Editing Actions > Add Local Extension (Ctrl+L) command. After selecting this command, Alma creates a field with a gray institution icon to the left of the MARC field number and 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, it is present in local fields when bib records are exported.
Second Method: Adding Local Extensions using Normalization Rules
Use a normalization rule to add a local extension one-at-a-time in the MDE or to batch-add a local extension to a set of bibliographic records. The normalization rule MUST include the addSubfield command as shown in the example 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. Alma Analytics will consider local or Local or LOCAL as different instances.
How NOT to Add Local Extensions
- Do NOT navigate to Editing Actions > Add Local Extension (Ctrl+L) command and then add the "$$9local" subfield in the field afterward. The field will end up as a normal field in the NZ and will be lost when the NZ bib record is overlaid.
- Do NOT add the "$9 local" subfield in OCLC Connexion before exporting the bib record into Alma. This field will end up as a normal field and will be lost when the NZ bib record is overlaid.
Local Extensions for 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 MARC Fields
- 949 is reserved for the RapidILL publishing profile.
- 988 is reserved for the nodedupe normalization rule.
- 994 and 995 are reserved for system notes.
- 999 is reserved for CR_Restricted course reserve records.
- Network-Reserved Fields:
- Fields 976-979 and 982-987 are reserved for future use as Network-wide notes. Any use of these local note extensions will be added to this table after the use is approved by the appropriate committees within ULMS Governance.
- OCLC Reserved Fields:
Fields 950, 951, 987, 989 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 VE.
- See the MARC Fields Excluded from Alma page for other restricted MARC fields.
Table – Local Fields in Alma & Primo VE
Last Updated: May 23, 2022
This table represents the Local Extensions used at the CSU Libraries except for Los Angeles, Moss Landing, and San Marcos.
For more specific definitions of each extensions' use per campus, please check the CSU Local Fields spreadsheet.
Local Extension | General Definition | MARC Equivalent | In Use at CSU Campus |
09X | Local Call Number | ||
090 | Locally Assigned LC-type Call Number | 090 | Bakersfield, East Bay, Fresno, San Jose, San Luis Obispo |
092 | Locally Assigned Dewey Call Number | 092 | San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus |
098 | Other Classification Schemes | 098 | East Bay |
099 | Local Free-Text Call Number | 099 | East Bay, Fresno, Humboldt, Pomona, Sacramento, San Diego, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus |
59X | Local Notes Index | ||
590 | Local Institution–Defined Public Note | 500 | Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Chico, East Bay, Fresno, Fullerton, Humboldt, Long Beach, Northridge, Pomona, Monterey Bay, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Sonoma, Stanislaus |
591 | Local Institution–Defined Public Note | 541 | Chico, East Bay, Fresno, Northridge, Sacramento, San Diego |
592 | Local Institution–Defined Public Note | 500 | Fresno |
593 | Local Institution–Defined Public Note | 500 | Northridge |
595 | Local Institution–Defined Public Note | 500 | San Diego |
599 | Local Institution–Defined Public Note | 500 | Chico, Fresno, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo |
69X | Local Subjects Index | ||
690 | Local Subject Added Entry–Topical Term | 650 | Bakersfield, Chico, Dominguez Hills, Fresno, Long Beach, Northridge, Sacramento, San Jose, San Luis Obispo |
691 | Local Subject Added Entry–Geographic Name | 651 | Fresno, Northridge, San Jose, San Luis Obispo |
693 | Local Uncontrolled Index Term | 653 | San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus |
694 | Local Form/Genre | 655 | Fullerton, Northridge, San Jose, San Luis Obispo |
696 | Local Subject Added Entry–Personal Name | 600 | San Jose, San Luis Obispo |
697 | Local Subject Added Entry–Corporate Name | 610 | Humboldt, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus |
698 | Local Subject Added Entry–Meeting Name | 611 | San Jose, San Luis Obispo |
699 | Local Subject Added Entry–Uniform Title | 630 | Fresno, San Jose, San Luis Obispo |
9XX | Network-Defined and Other Local Fields | ||
935 | Local Institution-Defined Data | Chico, Maritime | |
944 | Local Institution-Defined Data | Chico, Maritime | |
952 | Local Added Entry–Personal Name | 700 | Chico, Fresno, Long Beach Northridge, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus |
953 | Local Added Entry–Corporate Name | 710 | Chico, East Bay, Long Beach, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Sonoma |
954 | Local Added Entry–Meeting Name | 711 | San Francisco, San Luis Obispo |
955 | Local Added Entry–Uniform Title | 730 | Sacramento, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo |
956 | Local Electronic Location and Access | 856 | Fresno, Humboldt, Pomona, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose |
957 | Local Institution-Defined Data | Monterey Bay, Sacramento, San Francisco | |
959 | Local Added Entry–Varying Form of Title | 246 | Sacramento, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus |
960 | Local Added Entry–Uncontrolled Related/Analytical Title | 740 | East Bay, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo |
961 | Local Series Added Entry–Uniform Title | 830 | Sacramento, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo |
962 | Local Institution-Defined Data | Channel Islands, Fresno, Sacramento, San Diego, Sonoma | |
963 | Local Institution-Defined Data | Northridge, Sacramento, San Diego | |
964 | Local Institution-Defined Data | Channel Islands, Northridge, Sacramento, San Jose (for WEST) | |
965 | Local Institution-Defined Data | Northridge, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose | |
966 | Local Institution-Defined Data | Northridge, Sacramento | |
967 | Local Institution-Defined Data | East Bay, Sacramento | |
969 | Local Institution-Defined Data | Fullerton, San Jose | |
970 | Local Institution-Defined Data | San Francisco | |
971 | Local Institution-Defined Data | San Francisco | |
972 | Local Institution-Defined Data | Fresno, Fullerton, Pomona, San Jose, Stanislaus | |
973 | Local Institution-Defined Data Local Collection (hyperlinked) | 793 | Channel Islands, East Bay, Fresno, Fullerton, Humboldt, Long Beach, Northridge, Pomona, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Sonoma, Stanislaus |
974 | Local Institution-Defined Data | East Bay, Fullerton, Northridge, Pomona, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus | |
975 | Local Institution-Defined Data | Fresno, Northridge, San Diego, San Francisco | |
980 | Local Institution-Defined Data | Chico, Fullerton, Northridge, San Jose | |
981 | Local Institution-Defined Data | Chico, Fullerton, Northridge, San Jose | |
984 | Local Institution-Defined Data | San Jose (Personal name-University Author/Creator) | |
988 | "nodedup" Normalization Rule (e.g., 988 $$a NODEDUPE) | ALL | |
999 | Network-defined CR_RESTRICTED for course reserves | ALL |
Action log
Section | Point Person | Expected Completion Date | Last action taken | Next action required |
---|---|---|---|---|
Articulate the need for procedures | Cataloging Task Force |
| Cataloging TF adopted best practices for “local fields” in Alma, including procedures for adding local fields in Alma. Document outlines local data in Alma and Primo, including display of data. | Discussed with Discovery and TS Working Groups. |
Finalize document | Cataloging Task Force |
| ||
Revised | Resource Management | Revised to indicate use of 949 for RapidILL publishing profile, and use of 988 for "no dedup" normalization rule. |