Skip to main content
ExLibris

Knowledge Assistant

BETA
Back
Alma

 

Ex Libris Knowledge Center
  1. Search site
    Go back to previous article
    1. Sign in
      • Sign in
      • Forgot password
  1. Home
  2. Alma
  3. Product Materials
  4. Roadmap and Themes
  5. Alma Roadmap Highlights: 2025 - 2026
  6. Metadata and Linked Open Data

Metadata and Linked Open Data

  1. Last updated
  2. Save as PDF
  3. Share
    1. Share
    2. Tweet
    3. Share
  1. Metadata and Linked Open Data
    1. Overview
    2. Roadmap
    3. 2025 H1
      1.  AI Metadata Assistant - MARC 21 Records
      2.  AI Metadata Assistant - Granular Metadata Requests
      3.  XSL Normalization for Metadata Records
      4. Support Respecting MARC Subfields When Linking Bibliographic Headings - General Availability
      5. Partial Linking of Name/Title Headings - Early Access
      6.  Permanent Linked Data Enrichment of URIs in MARC Records
      7. Work Search
      8. Support Linked Open Data for Local Authorities
    4. 2025 H2
      1.  AI Metadata Assistant - Expand to Additional Languages - Early Access
      2.  AI Metadata Assistant - Expand to Additional Subject Vocabularies - Early Access
      3.  AI Metadata Import
      4.  Work Search - Additional Enhancements
      5.  Linked Open Data Editor - Early Access
      6. Special Characters Dialog Box in Metadata Editor
      7.  Support EDTF Date/Time Fields Validation
    5. 2026 H1
      1. Configure a Text Search Index for a Specific MARC Field
      2.  Person Entity Page - Supporting Additional Languages
      3.  Linked Open Data Editor - General Availability

Return to Alma Roadmap Highlights Overview

Metadata Management.png

Metadata and Linked Open Data

Overview

Alma's metadata roadmap and strategy aim to enhance the creation and management of your library’s resources. This roadmap outlines our plans to enhance existing metadata practices and expand with new capabilities like linked open data and using AI for metadata creation. We aim to create more interconnected and discoverable information. Additionally, using AI technologies will help streamline metadata creation and maintenance. These initiatives will improve the metadata, making it more accessible and valuable to your library.

Useful Links

  • For information on our Linked Open Data theme, see Linked Open Data.

  • For documentation on BIBFRAME capabilities already available in Alma see BIBFRAME support.

  • For documentation on linked data capabilities for legacy formats see Linked Data Enrichment Configuration

  • For documentation on contributor pages see Contributors Section

Roadmap

2025 H1 2025 H2 2026 H1
  • AI Metadata Assistant - MARC 21 Records
  • AI Metadata Assistant - Granular Metadata Requests 
  • Support Respecting MARC Subfields When Linking Bibliographic Headings - General Availability
  • Partial Linking of Name/Title Headings - Early Access 
  • XSL Normalization for Metadata Records
  • Permanent Linked Data Enrichment of URIs in MARC Records
  • Work Search
  • Support Linked Open Data for Local Authorities
  • AI Metadata Assistant -Expand to Additional Languages - Early Access
  • AI Metadata Assistant - Expand to Additional Subject Vocabularies - Early Access
  • AI Metadata Import
  • Work Search - Additional Enhancements
  • Linked Open Data Editor - Early Access
  • Special Characters Dialog Box in Metadata Editor
  • Support EDTF Date/Time Fields Validation
  • Configure a Text Search Index for a Specific MARC Field
  • Person Entity Page - Supporting Additional Languages
  • Linked Open Data Editor - General Availability

2025 H1

AI documentation logo no background.png AI Metadata Assistant - MARC 21 Records

What’s New Highlights Impact

Alma will allow libraries to combine innovative AI solutions along with expert cataloging knowledge to easily and efficiently create and enrich bibliographic data.

  • Creating MARC 21 English records using information such as the title and/or images of the resource (e.g. back cover, title page, colophon).

  • Enriching existing MARC 21 English records for books.

  • Giving catalogers an AI assistant that can suggest relevant metadata they can use, such as LC subjects, summary notes, etc.

  • Expanding the AI generated metadata suggestions from the library's templates

  • Configurable normalization of the AI generated metadata suggestions

Reduce the time and effort a cataloger spends on creating or enriching each bibliographic record.

clipboard_ebd508a41a5711a7aced08f5928da5b47.png

Enriching a brief record using the AI Metadata Assistant

clipboard_e81154c099e9f7493d43b074c73f35cac.png|

Creating a new record using the AI Metadata Assistant

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

AI documentation logo no background.png AI Metadata Assistant - Granular Metadata Requests

What’s New Highlights Impact
Libraries and librarians will have more control over what metadata requests to set the AI.
  • Admin will be able to disable certain metadata requests at the institution level, reducing the likelihood of certain metadata being generated by the AI

  • Admin can define whether to send the AI a summary request, and if so - whether to request a copied and/or generated summary

  • Cataloger will be able to select what metadata to request the AI to generate (e.g. only request a table of contents enrichment when uploading an image of the table of contents)

Enhance the library's and the librarian's control over the requested metadata types to generate, improving generated metadata quality and usefulness for the library.

clipboard_e73c95cbd65e6a7008461e98f66376561.png

Deciding what to request the AI to generate

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

 XSL Normalization for Metadata Records

What’s New Highlights Impact

By working with normalization rules, the institution will be able to manipulate its metadata using XSL, enabling complex transformations with a powerful programming language.

  • When creating new normalization rules, the option to use XSL will be available.

  • By utilizing XSL normalization rules, one can apply complex or advanced logic for metadata normalization and manipulation.

  • A new user privilege will give the institution's administrator control over who is granted access to this new functionality.

Using a programming language to manipulate metadata records enables the implementation of complex logic.

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

Support Respecting MARC Subfields When Linking Bibliographic Headings - General Availability

What’s New

Highlights

Impact

Based on the Alma Authority Focus Group (AAFG) feedback, libraries will be able to select whether to force subfields to be considered when linking to bibliographic headings.

Bibliographic record fields only link to authority headings if the matching content is in the same subfields.

The linking will accurately reflect not only matching content but also matching cataloged subfields.

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

Partial Linking of Name/Title Headings - Early Access

What’s New Highlights Impact

Based on work and feedback from the Alma Authority Focus Group (AAFG), Alma will control the name portion of the name/title combination so that changes to the authorized form in the name authority record will be reflected in the bibliographic heading.

  • When a name/title bibliographic heading does not match an authority record, but there is a matching name authority, the heading will be partially linked to it.

  • When the authorized form of a name changes, the change will be reflected in partially-linked name/title headings.

Automated name authority updates for headings that include both name and title.

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

Linked Open Data icon Permanent Linked Data Enrichment of URIs in MARC Records

Linked Open Data theme

What’s New Highlights Impact
The cataloger will be able to add URIs of linked authorities to records as part of the cataloging process in the metadata editor and as part of the linking and PTC jobs.
  • Expanding the linked data enrichment process to the cataloging workflow from existing authorities.

  • Support adding URIs permanently to the records.

  • The process will be configurable to match each institution's needs. 

The cataloger will enjoy a seamless workflow for adding URIs to relevant subfields automatically, creating a basis for continuous work based on the authorities' IDs. 
 

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

Linked Open Data icon Work Search

Linked Open Data theme

What’s New Highlights Impact

Searching for Linked Open Data Work records and view related information in Alma's catalog.

  • It will be possible to search for Linked Open Data Work records by the record's metadata.

  • The search will display all Instance records linked to the Work record.

The cataloger will have a simpler and quicker process for identifying Work records and the Instances linked to them.

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

Linked Open Data icon Support Linked Open Data for Local Authorities

Linked Open Data theme

What’s New Highlights Impact

Local authorities can be linked to other authorities using VIAF and gain linked data capabilities.

  • Adding configurations extract global IDs to map local authorities to VIAF clusters.

  • Enhancing linked data functionalities for local authorities, such as displaying info cards and contributor pages and enabling URI enrichment.

Librarians can extract global IDs from local authorities and map to VIAF and experience linked data enhancements.

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

2025 H2

AI documentation logo no background.png AI Metadata Assistant - Expand to Additional Languages - Early Access

What’s New Highlights Impact
It will be possible to use the AI Metadata Assistant to create records in additional cataloging languages, according to the global community's quality evaluation.
  • Work with our global community to responsibly widen the AI Metadata Assistant capabilities to support cataloging in more languages.

Reduce the time and effort a cataloger spends on creating or enriching bibliographic records.

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

AI documentation logo no background.png AI Metadata Assistant - Expand to Additional Subject Vocabularies - Early Access

What’s New Highlights Impact
It will be possible to use the AI Metadata Assistant to create records using additional subject authority vocabularies, according to the global community's quality evaluation.
  • Support for more Community Zone authority vocabularies - early access.

  • Work with our global community to responsibly widen the AI Metadata Assistant capabilities to support more subject authorities.

Reduce the time and effort a cataloger spends on creating or enriching bibliographic records.

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

AI documentation logo no background.png AI Metadata Import

What’s New Highlights Impact
Libraries will be able to create brief records for a group of resources using their images.
  • The library will be able to create brief records for uncataloged resources

  • The library will be able to choose whether AI generated brief records will be created as suppressed, to be reviewed by catalogers before becoming visible to patrons in discovery

Libraries will be able to easily provide basic information on uncataloged collections, improving the discoverability of the library's collections.

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

Icon_LinkedOpenData.png Work Search - Additional Enhancements

Linked Open Data theme

What’s New Highlights Impact

Enhance the Work Search functionalities according to the user's needs.

  • Adding additional facets and quick links such as the subclass of the work and the instance.
  • Supporting advanced search for attributes of the instance linked to the work. 
  • Adding additional sections and functions according to early access feedback.

The user will enjoy the advantages of cataloging in BIBFRAME and searching within the additional hierarchical level the ontology provides while having a simpler and quicker process for identifying Work records and the Instances linked to them and performing relevant actions. 

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

Icon_LinkedOpenData.png Linked Open Data Editor - Early Access

Linked Open Data theme

What’s New Highlights Impact

Librarians will be able to create BIBFRAME records (work and instance) in a new editor.

  • A fully integrated linked open data editor as part of Alma and Alma workflows.
  • Creation of templates based on the ontology.
  • Metadata creation in a form-based interface.

Libraries can create BIBFRAME work and Instances as part of the metadata creation workflow inside Alma. 

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

Special Characters Dialog Box in Metadata Editor

CERV CERV Enhancement (ID #8998)

What’s New Highlights Impact

When working in the MD Editor catalogers will be able to open a dialog box and select a special character to enter into the record.

  • Metadata Editor will have a dialog box containing special characters, where the operator can select the special character.

  • Selecting the special character will insert it where the cursor indicator was when the dialog box was opened.

  • The dialog box will be opened using a menu option or a keyboard shortcut.

Cataloging records with special characters will be more convenient and efficient.

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

 Support EDTF Date/Time Fields Validation

What’s New Highlights Impact

A new validation process based on the EDTF standard will be available for MARC date/time fields.

  • A new validation process based on the EDTF standard will be available.
  • Predefined fields will be eligible for applying the new EDTF validation.
  • The new validation process can be applied either when saving records or during the matching process.

Catalogers who need the EDTF standard applied to specific date/time fields can now utilize the new validation process for their institution's data.

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

2026 H1

Configure a Text Search Index for a Specific MARC Field

idea exchange Idea Exchange

What’s New Highlights Impact

Administrators will be able to create custom bibliographic search indexes in Staff Search for specific MARC fields to address the institution’s needs.

For example, create a text-based search index based on metadata from MARC field 306.

Allow the option to create custom search indexes for specific MARC fields.

Empower the library to better search and manage its metadata by allowing the creation of customized search indexes. These tailored indexes will enable more precise and efficient searches, giving the library greater control over how its data is organized and accessed, and allowing it to align the search functionality with its specific needs and priorities.

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

Linked Open Data icon Person Entity Page - Supporting Additional Languages

Linked Open Data theme

What’s New Highlights Impact
Librarians will be able to view the info card and contributor page in multiple languages based on the interface language.
  • Utilizing multilingual support for the person entity pages.

Improved user experience for non-English speakers.

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

Linked Open Data icon Linked Open Data Editor - General Availability

Linked Open Data theme

What’s New Highlights Impact

Librarians will be able to create BIBFRAME templates and records (work and instance) in a new editor.

  • A fully integrated linked open data editor as part of Alma and Alma workflows.

  • Creation of templates based on the ontology.

  • Metadata creation in a form-based interface.

Libraries can create BIBFRAME work and Instances as part of the metadata creation workflow inside Alma. 

back to Metadata and Linked Open Data Roadmap

View article in the Exlibris Knowledge Center
  1. Back to top
    • Linked Open Data
    • Open Platform and Administration
  • Was this article helpful?

Recommended articles

  1. Article type
    Reference
    Content Type
    Documentation
    Language
    English
    Product
    Alma
  2. Tags
    1. Alma Roadmap
    2. Alma Roadmap Highlights
  1. © Copyright 2025 Ex Libris Knowledge Center
  2. Powered by CXone Expert ®
  • Term of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
2025 Ex Libris. All rights reserved