Skip to main content
ExLibris

  • Subscribe by RSS
    • Back
    Alma
    Ex Libris Knowledge Center

    Repository Search when Using a Network Zone

    1. Last updated
    2. Save as PDF
    Translatable
    Bibliographic data can be shared between member institutions in a collaborative network for cataloging and inventory purposes. See Network-Managed Records in a Collaborative Network.
    When searching in a collaborative network, Alma includes a Network tab on the Repository Search page. This tab displays resources managed in the Network Zone. The Network tab appears only when searching in member institutions. This tab does not appear when searching in the Network Zone. For more information, see Institution, Community, and Network Tabs.
    To configure the default selected tab for certain types of searches, see Customizing the Repository Search. You can ask Ex Libris to enable a feature that allows you to display results from your Network Zone in the Institution tab; see Combining Institution and Network Zone Search Results.
    • Since inventory is not maintained in the Network Zone, a Physical Titles search using the Network tab produces no results. Use the All Titles search when doing a search from the Network tab.
    • When enabled by Ex Libris, you can combine the network results in your Institution tab. See Combining Institution and Network Zone Search Results.
    The Institution tab includes records that are linked (or not) to the Network and Community Zones. The Network tab presents all bibliographic records that are linked to the Community Zone. The links to the Community Zone are the same for the Institution tab and the Network tab.
    The following is an example of search results in the Network tab.
    Network_Tab_Search_Results_06_TC.png
    Network Tab Search Results
    See Held By Details for information regarding the Held by information.

    Network Tab Actions

    The following actions are available from the Network tab; see Performing Actions on the Repository Search Results Page for details:
    • Edit Record
    • Order
    • Resource sharing request
    • Linked Data
    • Add Reminder
    • Portfolio List (Electronic Titles)
    • View It (Electronic Titles)
    Other actions you can perform on Network Zone records include:
    • Merge duplicate Network Zone bibliographic records – The records must both be Network Zone bibliographic records. For more information on merging records, see Merging Bibliographic Records.
      Before merging, Alma displays a note with a list of the other member institutions that also have inventory for the secondary record, and which will be moved to the primary record. When you are logged in to the Network Zone, the note includes the number of bibliographic record changes specific to the Network Zone's inventory. When you are logged in to a member institution, the note includes the number of bibliographic record changes specific to the local, member institution’s inventory.
      The changes to the primary bibliographic record are immediately available at the local institution at which you perform the change. For other member institutions that hold the primary bibliographic record, there may be a slight delay (up to five minutes) while Alma synchronizes the changes.
    • Link to the shared bibliographic record – Select the record title link in the Network tab. On the MARC Record Simple View Page, select Link. Alma displays a message indicating that the item was linked to the local institution.
    • Configure error messages for 9XX fields added to Network Zone records.
    • Identify brief records – If Alma is configured for identifying brief records (see Identifying Brief Records), the MD Editor provides a Brief indicator for brief records (see Brief for more information).
      The Network Zone and each member institution may be configured (by Ex Libris) to identify brief records. The brief record algorithm configured for the Network Zone affects only Network Zone records. Local records are defined as brief according to the brief record algorithm configured for the local member institution.
      In general, it is suggested that member institutions use the same brief record algorithm for all members and for the network.
    • View network members’ order details – When you open the Held by Details page by selecting a member’s Held by link in the search results, the Orders tab on the Held by Details page shows the order information for that member.

    Held By Details

    The Held By Details page provides additional information for each institution in the Held By list displayed in your search results. This indicator appears in the Network tab if inventory exists for the resource at one of the network member institutions, including your own.
    Held By Indicator in the Network Tab
    When you select the link for one of the institutions displayed in the Held by list, the Held By Details page appears.
    Held_By_Details_10.png
    Held By Details Page
    The left pane on the Held By Details page lists all the institutions in hyperlink format so that you can easily switch from institution to institution while the page refreshes to display the selected institution's holdings. In addition, this page provides the following tabs that contain detailed resource information:
    • Holdings
    • Portfolios
    • Representations
    • Electronic Collections
    • Orders
    The Holdings tab displays the following information about each holdings record for the institution that you selected in the Held by search results:
    • Library that holds the resource
    • Location
    • Call number
    • Coverage information
      Coverage information appears when there is content available in the 866/867/868 $a and $z of the same field in the holdings record. All occurrences of 866/867/868 fields are reported. When there is data in the 86x $z, it is concatenated with the 86x $a of the same field so that the note appears after the holdings text such as No. 1 (2001)- No. 5 (2005) bound volume per year.
    • Number of items - Select the number link to view the List of Items page (see Working with the List of Items) with the complete list of items specific to that holdings record. All related items are listed including unavailable items and unpublished items.
    • Number of available items
    • Number of Requests
    The Portfolios tab displays the following information about each portfolio record for the institution that you selected in the Held by search results:
    • Interface name
    • Service type
    • Material type
    • Coverage
      The from/until date range of coverage information for the portfolio.
    • Status (activated/deactivated)
    • Public note
    The Representations tab displays the following information about each representation record for the institution that you selected in the Held by search results:
    • Representation label
    • Number of files
    • Usage type (master/derivative)
    • Representation's public note
    The Electronic Collections tab displays the following information about each electronic collection record for the institution that you selected in the Held by search results:
    • Name of the electronic collection
    • Collection type (selective package, aggregator package, or database)
    • Service type (full text or selected full text)
    • Coverage (the coverage period of the electronic collection)
    • Status (activated or deactivated)
    The Orders tab displays the following information about each orders record for the institution that you selected in the Held by search results:
    • PO line status
    • PO line reference
    • MMS ID
    • Vendor name
    • Vendor account
      Contact Ex Libris customer support if you would like Alma not to display vendor information on this tab.
    • Type
    For more information, see the Enhanced Network Search Results video (1:28 min.).

    Other Details in the Network Tab

    The following information is provided on the Other Details tab for Network tab search results:

    • Related records count that links to another search results page that displays the related records.
      When there are blended search results in the Institution tab, additional information provided for Network Zone records includes the related records in the Network Zone.
    • Reminders count that links to the List of Reminders page
    • Publishing information for physical and electronic inventory with an ID number that links to the published record page

    Other_Details_Tab_in_the_Network_Tab_Search_Results_06_TC.png

    Other Details Tab in the Network Tab Search Results

    The links on the Other Details tab connect to data in the Network Zone. For example, the Related Records link points to related records in the Network Zone. The Publishing information for physical and electronic inventory link only appears when network publishing to Primo is enabled in the Network Zone.

    "Available For" Information in Search Results

    In multicampus and collaborative network environments, Alma includes portfolio coverage information as it relates to the inventory management groups in Repository Search results (marked as Available For). For more information, see Configuring Distributed Access to Electronic Resources When Working with a Network Zone.
    Inventory Management Group Coverage Statement