Network-Managed Records in a Network Zone

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When working at a member institution in a collaborative network, you can manage bibliographic and authority records at either the institution or network level.

When you create or import a new record (through various procedures), you can select to manage the record in the institution or the network. An administrator can restrict records to be managed only in the network.
You can copy (share) local records to network records, which creates the network-managed record and links the local record to it. Before creating the record, Alma tries to match an existing network-managed record. You can also link a local record to an existing network-managed record. And you can copy (without linking) Community Zone records to create network-managed records.
Changes made to linked network records are automatically reflected in local records. You can view information on activity related to linked records in a report.
Similarly, you can copy records from the network to the institution, either creating new, unlinked local records or new, linked local records linked to the network-managed record.
You can add local extensions to records managed at the network level. In this way, some of the record's information is only visible at the local institution. Adding extensions to a network record automatically creates a local, linked record.
A repository search can be performed over institution, community, or network records. You can configure inventory management groups to restrict access to electronic resources by institution, in addition to the usual restrictions by library. See Repository Search in a Collaborative Network.
Inventory management groups can be used to restrict or enable access to inventory by institution. For more information, see Configuring Distributed Access to Electronic Resources When Working with a Network Zone.

For videos describing cataloging in a Network Zone, see:

Selecting Where to Create New Bibliographic Records

There are several locations in Alma at which you have the option to create or save a new or imported record to the local institution or to the Network Zone. These locations are listed in this section.

Imported records from the Institution Zone can be imported to either the local repository or to the network zone repository. The network zone administrator has the ability to decide which member institutions of the consortia can import records into the network zone repository. This configuration is available in the network zone institution under (Alma Configuration > Resources > Record Import > Restrict Import to Network).

Restrict Import to Network Zone

Restrict Import to Network

The network zone has a list of all its members and can opt to restrict each of them from being able to import records to the network zone repository by activating the toggle button ON ( Activate Toggle Button ).

From the member perspective (Institution Zone as part of a Consortia), when a new import profile is being configured and the member is restricted by the network zone, the configuration is displayed as such:

Restricted Member (Institution Zone) Import Profile

This new behavior does not affect existing import profiles, only new ones!

In case the network zone does not restrict importing to its repository, an administrator working in a member institution can configure the parameter central_record_management to change which of these options is selected by default (DEFAULT_INSTITUTION or DEFAULT_NETWORK) or to disable the ability to add records to the local institution (ENFORCE_NETWORK). For more information, see the parameter in Configuring Other Settings.

The following locations are used to create or save a new network record:

Importing records: When configuring a Repository type import profile, select Use Network Zone to import records to the Network Zone.
When central_record_management is set to ENFORCE_NETWORK, Use Network Zone is set to yes and cannot be changed.

Import Profile Details

Similarly, when selecting what to do when there is no match for a record, in addition to the usual options Do Not Import and Import (to the institution), you can select Add to NZ to import the record to the Network Zone. For more information, see Managing Import Profiles.

The procedure is similar when importing records using a Patron-Driven Acquisitions (PDA) load file. For more information, see Patron Driven Acquisitions.

Similarly, when importing records by creating an OCLC Connexion integration profile. See Importing Records from OCLC Connexion.
In the OCLC Connexion integration profile, the Use Network Zone record option will import records to the Network Zone only if there is no match with an existing Network Zone record. If a match with a Network Zone record is found, that Network Zone record is used, and the record will not merge with OCLC record.
Creating a new bibliographic record: In the MD editor, select Network for the Placement of new records and templates parameter (File > Options) to add a new record as a network-managed record; see Navigating the MD Editor Page. (The option Network may appear as something else if an administrator configures the network_label parameter; see Configuring Other Settings.) When central_record_management is set to ENFORCE_NETWORK, the Placement of new records and templates parameter is disabled and defaults to Network.

MD Editor File > Options Dialog Box
Manually adding a portfolio/physical item/digital representation: The field Placement of new record appears on the relevant page for adding the item's details. Select Network to create the record in the Network Zone. (The label Network may appear as something else by configuring the network_label parameter; see Configuring Other Settings.) When central_record_management is set to ENFORCE_NETWORK, Placement of new record is disabled and defaults to Network.

New Portfolio Page

For more information see Adding a Standalone Portfolio, Adding Physical Resources, or Creating Digital Resources.
Adding portfolios using the portfolio loader: In the Bibliographic area of the activation wizard, in the Select catalog field select Network to create bibliographic records for the portfolios in the Network Zone. When central_record_management is set to ENFORCE_NETWORK, Select catalog is disabled and defaults to Network.

Activation Wizard: File Upload Page

If no match is found in the Network Zone, the record is added to the Network Zone and the portfolio is linked to the record. When a single bibliographic record match is found in the Network Zone, a link to that record is created. When multiple matches are found in the Network Zone, no record is created and manual handling may be required. For more information see Adding, Updating, or Removing Local Portfolios in Bulk Using an Excel File.

Working with Validation Exception Profiles in the Network

See Working with Validation Exception Profiles for information about working with and configuring the validation exception profiles and refer to the following section for details specific to a Collaborative Network.

Working with Normalization Rules in the Network

Local fields added to a record using Add Local Field from a member institution can be updated or deleted using normalization processes. For details, see Managing Local Fields Using a MARC 21 Bib Normalization Job below.

Preventing the Addition of Local Fields to Network Zone Records

By default, when you manually add local fields to Network Zone records using the MD Editor, a warning message appears (not an error message). However, with the Validation Exception Profile, you can configure Alma to prevent these additions and display an error message instead of a warning message.

To configure Alma to not save local changes to Network Zone records:

This configuration should be completed in the Network Zone.

On the Metadata Configuration List page (see Configuring Cataloging), select the MARC 21 Bibliographic link in the Profile column.
Select the Validation Exception Profile List tab.
Select Actions > Edit for the "MarcXML Bib Metadata Editing On Save" profile.
On the Validation Severity Profile Exceptions page, select Local field cannot be added on network record in the Add Validation Severity Exception section, and select Add Validation Severity Exception.

After you complete the Validation Exception Profile changes and a user attempts to add local fields to a Network Zone record, the user is prevented from saving the record and an error message appears on the Alerts tab.

Copying and/or Linking Local and Network Zone Bibliographic Records

Before contributing a local bibliographic record to the Network Zone, you can choose to validate changes to the record based on the Network Zone's validation routines (see Editing Validation Routines). You can link local records to Network Zone records individually or in bulk. When linking local records individually, note that for your changes to take effect, you must save the record.

To validate a record before copying it to the Network Zone:

When editing a local record in the MD editor, select Tools > Validate in Network Zone. This works similar to validating the record in the local institution (Tools > Validate), but the validation is performed against the Network's Zone's validation routines.

To link existing local records to (and possibly create) Network Zone records:

When editing a local record in the MD editor, select File > Share With Network. If central_record_management is set to ENFORCE_NETWORK (see Configuring Other Settings), the Share With Network option does not appear for most records. This option continues to appear for migrated records that are not yet part of the Network Zone. If a match is found in the Network Zone, you can preview the match or select from among multiple matches; select Link beneath the desired matching record to link the institution record to the existing Network Zone record. If no matches are found, the institution record is linked to a new Network Zone record.

Sometimes, the Share with Network functionality may fail if the configuration settings differ between the Network Zone and the institution. You must choose the same match profile for both the Network Zone and the institution. See Match Methods - Explanations and Examples.

To view the version of the record before you linked it to the Network Zone, from the old MetaData Editor, select Tools > View Versions of Original Record.
From the new Metadata Editor, select View Related Data > View versions of original record.

To link existing local records to Network Zone records in bulk, run the Link a set of records to the Network Zone job. For more information, see Link a Set of Records to the Network Zone on the Running Manual Jobs on Defined Sets page.

To create new local records linked to existing Network Zone records:

When creating a new local portfolio, select Use existing title for Creation Type. The Placement of new record field is removed from the page. Use the Choose Title field to select a record in the Network Zone (or Community Zone). Selecting a Network Zone record creates a new institution record linked to the Network Zone record.
When creating a new local digital representation, select Existing and use the Title field to select a record in the Network Zone.
When creating a physical item, select Existing in the Choose Holding Type dialog box and then use the Title field in the Quick Cataloging page to select a record in the Network Zone.

To copy Network Zone records to local records (without linking the records), or to unlink local and Network Zone records:

When editing a Network Zone record or a linked record in the MD Editor, select File > Copy to Catalog. The result is an unlinked local copy of the record and a Network Zone copy of the record.

To copy Community Zone records to new Network Zone records (without linking the records):

In the simple Record View page for a Community Zone record (perform an All Titles search in the Community Zone and select the record title), select Copy to Network to copy the record to the Network Zone.

Adding Local Extensions to Bibliographic Records in the Network Zone

Catalog Operator
Catalog Manager

You can add and edit local extensions to a bibliographic record that is maintained in the Network Zone. Local extensions provide a place for you to enter local information and, at the same time, maintain the integrity to the original and ongoing updated versions of the Network Zone record for other Network Zone members.

Specifically, you can enter local information in the MARC 21 77X/78X, 09X, 59X, 69X, and 9XX fields. Local information should be added using the Add Local Extension option in the MD Editor, as described in Adding Local Extensions Using the MD Editor below.

For network members using UNIMARC metadata, local extensions are supported for the UNIMARC X9X, XX9, and 9XX fields.

Only one metadata format at a time per network is supported for local extensions. That is, a network’s members can work with UNIMARC local extensions or MARC 21 local extensions, but not both.
When a member edits a Network Zone record of a MARC profile that has an extension pack in the NZ level, only when cataloging a Normal field the controlled vocabulary part of the NZ extension pack will be available.
When a member edits an Institution Zone record of a MARC profile that has an extension pack in the IZ level, only when cataloging a Local extension field (with the institution icon ), the controlled vocabulary part of the IZ extension pack will be available.

Adding Local Extensions Using the MD Editor

When you are working in the MD Editor, local fields for Network Zone records are identified by the library icon.

To add a local field to a Network Zone record using the MD Editor:

Open a Network Zone record in the MD Editor.
Select Editing Actions > Add Local Extension to enter a local field (see above for supported MARC 21/UNIMARC local fields).

59X Field Added as a Local Field

The local field is added and is visible only to the member institution and not to other institutions.

For Network Zone records, the "Add Local Extension" option is only available in the member's Institution Zone MD Editor and not in the Network Zone MD Editor.

A local field should not be added to the Network Zone record using the Edit > Add Field function. In fact, Alma should be configured to prevent this situation from occurring. For details, see Preventing the Addition of Local Fields to Network Zone Records. Only the Edit > Add Local Extension function should be used to add a local field.

Subfield $9 should not be used in local extensions in the Network Zone records.

Adding Local Extensions Using Import

When a Network Zone member selects the Use Network Zone option in the Profile Details section of the import profile for Repository, Update Inventory, New Order, and Digital types of import profiles, the Network Zone Records Handling section appears on the Normalization and Validation tab in the import profile.

Network Zone Records Handling Section

With the Import local extensions parameter you can import local fields. Select the Yes option to add, merge, or overlay local extensions when you import records. See the above for the local fields to which this applies. When you select the No option, there is no impact to local extensions when importing records. The default option is No.

When importing local extensions with the Import local extensions parameter set to Yes, the system uses the Match Actions that you select on the Match Profile tab to determine how to handle merge and overlay actions.

Match Actions Section

When you select the Add To NZ option for Upon no match (on the Match Profile tab), the system adds local extension fields when the Import local extensions parameter is set to Yes and there is no match.

No Match Section

See Managing Import Profiles for more information.

Managing Local Fields Using a MARC 21 Bib Normalization Job

You can use the MARC 21 Bib Normalization job to normalize Network Zone-linked records that contain local fields such as the 9XX fields. This job makes changes (add, update, or delete) only to the local fields and saves them to the Institution Zone. Since these are local changes, they are not distributed to the Network Zone or other members.

This feature extends the functionality of the normalization drool (part of a normalization process) for records that are linked to the Network Zone. The normalization processes can be accessed/added on the Normalization Processes tab of the Profile Details page (see Configuring Cataloging).

Normalization Tab for MARC 21 Bibliographic Processes

To run a batch job to make global changes on local extensions on Network Zone-linked records:

In the Metadata Editor, create a normalization rule. See Working with Normalization Rules.
For network-managed records, normalization rules run only on the shared data fields.
In the Metadata Configuration List page (Configuration Menu > Resources > Cataloging > Metadata Configuration), select the desired format and create a normalization process for the purpose of adding local extensions to Network Zone-linked records. See Working with Normalization Processes.
Create/save the set of records to be updated.
Run a normalization job. The job’s name is based on a normalization process that you created and appears in the list of manual jobs that you can run on defined sets. See Running Manual Jobs on Defined Sets.

Harvesting Community Zone Linked Electronic Records

With the Import CZ Records from CN/NZ Members Task job, you can Harvest Community Zone linked electronic records from members in a Network Zone and display these records in the Network Zone as linked to the Community Zone. See Import CZ Records from CN/NZ Members Task for more information.

The Network Harvesting Report

Institution bibliographic records that are linked to Network Zone records are automatically updated with any modifications that take place in the Network Zone. Alma provides a detailed Network Harvesting report that displays a list of all updates, deletions (that is, links to the resource that were deleted), and errors for these records.

The Network Harvesting report (Resource Management > Manage Inventory > Network Harvesting Report List) is available to all network member institutions and is refreshed every five minutes. It contains the following information for each resource:

Resource ID
Type of operation in the network (update, deletion, error)
ID of the member institution that performed the operation
Date of the operation

Creating Templates in the Network Zone

GND and BARE

Templates created in the Network Zone for GND and BARE automatically appear in the Templates list of member institutions, and they are identified with the Network Zone icon.

To create a GND / BARE authority record template in the Network Zone:

Open the MD Editor and create an authority record with the fields you want and select Save as Template.
The template you saved appears under the Templates tab in the Network Zone and in the member institutions:
- In the Network Zone, the template appears with the local institution icon;
- In the member institutions, the same template appears with the Network Zone icon.

For more information about creating templates, see Working with Record Templates.

Other Authority Templates

Other templates created in the Network for locally-managed authority records (such as LC Name, LC Subject, and so forth) are automatically available to member institutions that work with the same local authority records. Under the member institution's Templates tab, an additional sub-tab is displayed: it has the same name with the word '(Network)' appended to it. It contains the Network-created templates in the Shared folder (along with the out-of-the-box templates that are provided in the Shared folder).

Network_Managed_Templates_Available_to_the_Member_Institution_02_TC_NL.png

Network-managed and locally-managed Templates available to the Member Institution

In the Network Zone, the templates continue to be created in the same manner, with different icons distinguishing the out-of-the-box templates from the templates created locally in the Network.

Locally Created Templates in the Network

For more information about creating templates, see Working with Record Templates.

Assigning a Network Zone Cataloging Record to a Cataloger of Another Institution

To Assign a Record to Another Institution:

In MD Editor, edit/view a Network Zone record and select Assign Record to Another Cataloger (in Record Actions menu).
The Assign Record to Another Cataloger dialog box opens.

Indicate the following information in the dialog box:

Field	Description
Select Institution	Select the network member institution.
Assign To	Select the user to whom to assign the record. The list of users that appears includes users with the following roles in all the network's institutions: Catalog Administrator, Catalog Manager, Cataloger Cataloger, Extended.
Note	Optionally, write any note. The note can be viewed by any user.
Send as Email	Select to send an email to the assignee user, in addition to the above. If this option is not selected, the record appears in the list of open records of the the assignee cataloger, grouped with all other 'assigned' records.

Select "Assign To".

When working with bibliographic and authority Network Zone records, you can assign the NZ record to a cataloger of another institution within the Network Zone. To enable this functionality, set the customer parameter enable_nz_record_assignment to True in the Network Zone environment. This parameter is available only for the Alma Network Zone environment. This means that the network sets this policy for all its member.

The ability to assign the NZ record to a cataloger of another institution is available only in the new Metadata Editor.