Alma Cataloging User Group - April 2021

Apr 12 2021 | 2 - 3pm

April 12, 2021 – Academic Cataloging Group Notes

Attendees: Amy Carson, Katie Wenke, Laurie McHenry, Linda Olson, Felecia Clifton, Julia Cater, Kelly Kornkven, Michael Lewis, Shelby Harken, Jasmine Lee, Tina Gross, Jenny Grasto, Benjamin Ferguson, Staci Green, Lisa Grover, Jessica Gilbert Redman, Nicole Murphy, Liz Mason

New Topics:

  • Comments/Questions? – - Welcome Lisa Grover new cataloging and metadata librarian at BSC!
  • Discuss possible project to upgrade subject headings assigned to works on indigenous beliefs (“religions” vs. “myths”). Per email from Tina 3/18. Tina - This came up last month, a new children’s book had been assigned “mythology” subject headings. She checked the record in OCLC and it had been corrected there, and so she overlayed it and fixed it that way. Historically it was common to apply mythology and folklore for indigenous beliefs and religion for other belief systems. Having the system set up to get updated records from OCLC actually does a lot to address this issue, because any enhancement or correction we will get. This would probably be a group of people who would identify the terms in subject headings that have tended to be assigned questionably and then updating the master records. We would want this work to be available to everyone. Those interested should think about whether they would like to work on this come summertime.
  • Tina -LCSH illegal immigrant discontinuing the term illegal alien. If it becomes evident that LC will not do it soon, then Tina would like to bring up to the group changing it. Also, maybe this summer.
  • ODIN sent out instructions on how to set up direct export to the Network Zone using F5 (Export) in OCLC Connexion, what is the status of that?- Liz tested this with Staci Green last week, it did not update the existing record in the Network Zone with the new one from OCLC. Liz looked at the settings and realized it was not matching on the correct parameters. She has updated the settings and now it is matching on the unique OCLC number. Now that is corrected, she would love to get feedback on how it is working.
  • Shelby has import profiles for different things that she uses to bring in records with a holding and an item with a circ class, barcode, and material type in it, and all she must add is the process type. Later the records brought into the network zone with the OCLC F8 come in and she links her records to them in the network zone. Shelby will explain how she set up her import profile next time.
  • Tina has been working on a national level on the LCSH “illegal aliens” issue. She is waiting until ALA annual meeting to do anything. The political situation has changed lately, and she noted that the Biden administration themselves has mentioned discontinuing the term. However, if it becomes clear that LC will not do anything, then she would like to discuss with the consortium making a change as other consortia are doing.
  • Kelly- has had to start cataloging again since Aubrey left, and is wondering when she has a question about cataloging where is the best place to ask her questions? Put in a ticket to ODIN or asking on the listserv? Liz – said she can meet with her and do a cataloging session. Shelby, if the question is posted to the listserv, she will pop in and answer the question. ODIN is always willing to help answer questions and do a training with you, and Shelby is always willing to help with cataloging questions.
  • Laurie asked if you can do a global change as in Aleph? Shelby- no you can’t do it in Alma, she uses Marc Editor for that. Tina noted that you can do some things by creating sets and running jobs on the set, and Jenny noted that you can run normalization rules on the sets in Alma. Shelby has had a difficult time doing normalization rules in Primo. Jenny noted that for whatever the purpose there is that you want to make the change, you have to find the method that’s going to work for you. Any one method might not work for what you are doing.

Data Cleanup/Data Review:

  • Preferred Term Correction:
    • The Authority Control Task List for the Preferred Term Correction job resides on the NZ. ODIN is close to finalizing a plan to allow librarians to log into the NZ to work on the Authority Control Task List if they wish. Shelby asked whether ODIN would ask for names of people, or what are ODIN’s plans for this? Liz hadn’t heard how that part would be decided. Shelby is a little nervous about it, but she has experience as NACO coordinator, and knows that Tina has experience as well. Shelby would prefer that people working on this have NACO training, but that is not a quick process. If anyone wants to begin NACO training, please contact Shelby.
    • Sometimes the job conflicts with the Synchronize changes from CZ job and is skipped. Liz has submitted a ticket to Ex Libris #00944815
Image
image of Update non preferred terms job being skipped

Response: Our Tier 2 team has consulted with the developers. They advise that the error is expected for this specific job, "Update non preferred terms". The advice is as follows - the job runs often (every 2 hours), and will update the Primo VE index with non-preferred terms (Authorities changes). The job depends on the Synchronize Changes from CZ job as this job is the one that brings those changes. By design, as long as Synchronize Changes from CZ is running -- it cannot complete. It looks like a more system-based job, and that it should not affect the regular Authority Headings work in Alma.

  • WorldCat updates via WorldShare Collection Manager – Tina sent out instructions for setting this up in WorldShare Collection Manager. – Shelby confirmed that WorldCat updates is the same as our Update import profile. This is currently updating our records in the NZ.
  • NZ related issues:
    • Shelby looked into inventory management in the network zone in regard to access to electronic resources among the UND libraries but could also be useful for BSC and NDI students using the same resources. Do we need a meeting for libraries interested in this or should we table for later time?
  • Bound with/associated bibs 773 tags for NDSU did not migrate as local to new ALMA instance. ALEPH group they did. -- UPDATE: SF case #00900505 created 11/18/20 for ExL to investigate. Conversation between NDSU and Ex Libris is ongoing.
  • Updating NZ records with the import profile – Shelby made some changes to the OCLC query and records are now coming in and overlaying existing NZ records.
    • How it works:
      • Update (F8) in Connexion will bring in a new record to the NZ if one is not there already.
      • Update (F8) in Connexion will not replace an existing record in the NZ.
      • Replacing the record in Connexion will replace an existing record in the NZ.
      • Replacing just the OCLC number in Connexion will not replace an existing record in the NZ.
    • Shelby changed the ODINA setup in wms, and we are getting records that have been replaced in OCLC. If you replace a record in OCLC, you will get that record in the Alma NZ. Also, for older records in Alma, when the record is replaced in OCLC Alma will receive and update the that record. This is the whole idea behind setting up the import profile in the network zone to bring in these updated records and have the latest version of records in the catalog. Tina noted that this solves a lot of our authorities problems because when subject headings are changed we will get those.
    • When the only thing that has changed in an OCLC record is the OCLC number, our OCLC number in the corresponding bibliographic record does not get updated. Shelby showed a report she receives of updated records and which fields are getting changed.

Pending/ Old items:

  • New Metadata Editor – Last month Ben noticed it would move him from one subfield to another in the holdings record. Is this better? Any other experiences to share? Ben – since last meeting, now it is working perfectly smoothly, and he hasn’t noticed any problems.
  • Email to list 1/6 there is a problem with the “Link a set of records to the Network Zone” job. When a record matches an NZ record it makes a duplicate record and appears to make the inventory disappear. Update: Resolved, development team created a fix a few weeks ago. No one else reported an issue with this job.