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    Importing Records from OCLC Connexion / Record Manager

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    To configure an OCLC Connexion integration profile, you must have the following role:
    • General System Administrator
    Metadata records from OCLC Connexion/Record Manager are uploaded to the Alma server on the port designated and opened by Ex Libris for this purpose (using port 5500 - ensure that this port is open for your institution as well). As part of the upload process, Alma applies the import settings (normalization, validation, and merge routines) defined in the integration profile that you configure for this purpose.
    To import records from OCLC Connexion/Record Manager to Alma, you must perform the following actions:
    1. Configure an OCLC Connexion integration profile in Alma (see below). Note that only one profile should be configured.
    2. Configure OCLC Connexion/Record Manager (see below).
    3. Export the OCLC records to Alma and ensure that they are properly imported into Alma (see below).
    The OCLC Connexion integration profile does not support unlinking records from the Alma Community Zone. As a result, records imported using the OCLC Connexion integration profile will be skipped if there is a pre-existing link to the Community Zone.
    For information about publishing records to OCLC, see Publishing to OCLC.
    For detailed information on configuring Connexion, see the SUNY webpage.

    Configuring the Integration Profile for OCLC Connexion

     
    To configure the integration profile for OCLC Connexion:
    1. On the Integration Profile List page (Configuration Menu > General > External Systems > Integration Profiles), select Add External System. The first page of the integration profile wizard opens.
    2. Perform the following actions on this page:
      The "Default" checkbox is not functional for this integration type.
      OCLC_Connexion_Integration_Profile_Page1_04_TC.png
      OCLC Connexion Integration Profile – Page 1
    3. Enter a code and name for the profile you are defining.
    4. In a member institution implementing a Network Zone, select Use network zone. For an explanation of this option, see Network-Managed Records in a Collaborative Network.
      When this option is selected:
      • If a match with a Network Zone record is found, the Network Zone record is used, and the record will not merge with OCLC record.
      • If there is no match with a Network Zone record, the record is imported to the Network Zone.
    5. For Integration type, select OCLC Connexion.
    6. Select Next. The second page of the wizard appears.
      OCLC_Connexion_Integration_Profile_Actions_Section_04_TC.png
      OCLC Connexion Integration Profile Actions Section
    7. Configure the parameters using the information provided in the table below.
      OCLC Connexion Profile Fields
      Section Field Description
      Format Target format
      From the drop-down list, select one of the following options to indicate the record format in which you want the records imported/stored in Alma:
      • MARC 21 Bibliographic
      • UNIMARC Bibliographic
      • KORMARC Bibliographic
      • CNMARC Bibliographic
      Normalization Correct the data using
      The normalization processes. For more information, see Working with Normalization Processes.
      In addition to the normalization process selected for this parameter, the Alma import process automatically uses the MARC 21 Bib Initial Normalization rule.
      Validation Check the data using The method to handle invalid data as it is being imported. For more information, see Working with Validation Exception Profiles.
      For integration profiles, Ex Libris recommends using the MarcXML Bib Import validation exception profile.
      Merge Serial match method The serial match method. For a detailed description and examples of some of these methods, see Match Methods – Explanations and Examples.
      Non-serial match method The non-serial match method. For a detailed description and examples of some of these methods, see Match Methods – Explanations and Examples .
      Merge method How to merge the external record into the one already existing in Alma.
      Select from one of the following merge methods predefined by Ex Libris:
      • Replace 245 and 035 OCLC if exist – Replaces all MARC fields in the Alma record with fields from the external records, except for fields 001, 245, and 035 (whose “a” subfields contain OCoLC or where the first indicator is 9 and the second indicator is #). Any 001, 245, or 035 fields in the Alma record are left in place, and any 245 or 035 fields in the external record are added to them.
      • Overlay all fields but local – Replaces 035 fields in the Alma record with those from the external record unless the first indicator is 9 and the second indicator is #. In addition, replaces all other MARC fields in the Alma record with fields from the external records, except for fields 001 and 9XX.
        When using the Overlay all fields but local merge rule as part of the redirection, the 035 field is not part of the rule. This is because the redirection occurs before the merge.
      • Keep only old value – Keeps all MARC field values in the Alma records.
      • Conditional subject headings – Replaces all MARC fields in the Alma record with fields from the external records, except for fields 001, 035, 9XX, 65X, and 7XX. Any 001, 035, 9XX, 65X, or 7XX fields in the Alma record are left in place, and any 6xX or 7XX fields in the external record are added to them.
      Alternatively, if you defined merge rules in the MD Editor, you can select these rules from the Merge method drop-down list. The descriptions that were entered for the rules are displayed as the method names.
      For the OCLC Connexion integration, see Working with Merge Rules for more information.
      Do not override/merge a record with lower brief version
      Whether to override a more complete record (higher brief level) with a less complete record (lower brief level).
      In order to prevent a situation in which a good quality record is overlaid with a lower quality imported record, this parameter provides additional control when an imported record overlays or merges with an existing record. This option assumes that you do not want to overlay/merge a full or more descriptive record with a brief or less fully descriptive record. As a result, when this option is selected, the system checks/compares the brief level number (01-10) of the existing and imported records; and a record with a lower brief level number will not merge or overlay a record with a higher brief level number.
      For more information, see Working with Brief Record Levels.
      Do not override/merge record with an older version Whether to override an older record with a newer one. See the description in Creating/Editing an Import Profile: Match Profile.
      Management Tags Synchronize with External Catalog The publishing option for the imported records:
      • Publish holdings only
      • Publish bibliographic records
      • Don’t publish
      Authorization Password A password controlled by each Alma institution and used by the OCLC Connexion/Record Manager client to connect to Alma. This must be the same password that you configure in OCLC Connexion/Record Manager (see below) and at least 10 characters. Note that it is not the password that Alma uses to connect to OCLC Connexion/WorldCat as an external search resource, or the password used to log in to the Connexion/Record Manager client.
    8. Select Save. The profile you configured appears in the Integration Profile List.

    Configuring OCLC Connexion/Record Manager to Communicate with Alma

     
    To configure OCLC Connexion/Record Manager to communicate with Alma:

    For detailed instructions on configuring the OCLC Connexion/Record Manager to communicate with Alma, see the OCLC documentation: Create export destinations.

    The character encoding options UTF-8 and MARC were removed from the Web application Export Options. To export records with non-Latin script, use the Connexion/Record Manager Client.

    Exporting an OCLC Record to Alma

     
    To export an OCLC record to Alma:

    For detailed instructions on exporting an OCLC Record to Alma, see the OCLC documentation: Create export destinations.

    You can then search in Alma to view the record. Use the All Titles search, as no inventory is attached to newly-imported bibs

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