Field Configurations
To configure fields, you must have the following role:
- Catalog Administrator
Each field in the Alma LOD editor is defined by a property (and sometimes a class) from the BIBFRAME or BFLC ontology.
- Select Configuration > Resources > Cataloging > Metadata Configuration.
- From the Linked Data Active Profiles section, select a profile. The Fields list is displayed.
The fields page is the same page whether you select the LC BF work or LC BF instance from the active profiles section.
Viewing and Managing Fields
Within the Manage BIBFRAME Templates page, you can access a comprehensive list of all available fields. This list includes every property from the BIBFRAME and BFLC ontologies. For each field, you can view the following in the right pane:
- URI of the property
- Label (used as the field name in the editor)
- Description (displayed by the information
icon next to each field or section when editing a record or a template) - Used With (domain)
- Expected Value (range)
These details are derived directly from the ontology and help guide catalogers in using the correct fields.
To view the field configuration page, you must have a Cataloging Admin role.
Field Behavior Settings
Each field configuration includes two important checkboxes:
- Mandatory – The field must be filled in before saving a record or template. Mandatory fields appear with a red asterisk next to them and are validated during the save process of a record.
Validation is only applied to records and not templates.
- Repeatable – Allows multiple instances of the field. A plus
button appears next to the field in the editor for quick duplication.
Customizing Field Labels and Descriptions
If needed, you can edit the label and description of any property in the Field Configuration page. This enables the cataloger Admin to tailor the display text to your institution’s preferences or workflows.
Changing the label or description does not affect the underlying URI of the property. The RDF/XML output still uses the correct ontology-defined property.
Input Types
Each field can be assigned an input type, which determines how data is entered. Alma provides default input types, but you can customize them as needed. Available input types include:
- Checkbox
- Date — defining dates in the format: DD/MM/YYYY
- External Lookup – requires selecting a default external source
- Internal Lookup – for searching and linking to other BIBFRAME entities within Alma
- Label
- Text – for short inputs
- Text Area – for longer inputs like notes, summaries, or the tables of contents
- Vocabulary – for selecting values from a linked data controlled vocabulary. Requires selecting a vocabulary.
Vocabulary Input Type
The Vocabulary input type enables catalogers to select values from controlled vocabularies provided by the Library of Congress Linked Data Service. These vocabularies support both labels and URIs, ensuring consistency and interoperability across systems.
The available vocabularies are matched to relevant properties within the field configuration, enabling the cataloger to search the specific vocabulary for the relevant value when cataloging.
For example, when assigning a role to an agent, you can choose from a list of over 300 standardized roles, each with a unique URI.
To learn more, see Library of Congress Linked Data Service.
External Lookup Input Type
The External Lookup input type links that property to Alma’s Linked Data Lookup Service, which searches external authoritative sources (see the External Lookup Service section for more details).
- Once selected, an additional field appears where you can choose the default lookup source.
- This dropdown includes all currently supported linked data sources (e.g., LCSH, LC NAMES, Wikidata).
- If the user has not selected a value for the field, the default source is selected for the lookup service.
- If the field already contains a value from a different source, the lookup panel opens using the source of the existing value, ensuring continuity.
Internal Lookup
The Internal Lookup input type enables catalogers to link one entity to another within the Alma repository.
- This is the default input type for properties like:
- bf:instanceOf (linking an Instance to a Work)
- bf:hasInstance (linking a Work to its Instances)
- bf:relatedTo and all its sub-properties
- When used, a sliding panel opens during cataloging, enabling users to search:
- In the All Titles search for related Instances
- In the Work search for related Works
- Once a title is selected, Alma adds both the label and the URI of the selected entity to the current record.
The Internal Lookup currently only supports linking between BIBFRAME records. Linking between BIBFRAME and MARC records is not supported at this time.