May 2024 Feature Release Highlights

Linked Open Data - Support for BIBFRAME

Alma is a multi-format system that supports BIBFRAME Works and Instances. Records in this format can now be used in Alma workflows, such as resource management, acquisitions, fulfillment, and support for discovery. 

These features will continue to expand and evolve as new capabilities are developed for BIBFRAME.

For more information, see BIBFRAME Support - Ex Libris Knowledge Center (exlibrisgroup.com).

BIBFRAME is the first step in a bigger vision of supporting Linked Open Data formats.

To activate BIBFRAME functionalities in your Alma environment, please contact Ex Libris customer support. 

 Users can work in Alma with BIBFRAME works and instances alongside other record formats as part of Alma's core workflows. This flexibility ensures that institutions can adopt linked data at their own pace, without disrupting their existing processes.

Linked Open Data - Enrichment Configuration

Institutions can now configure the linked data enrichment of MARC records. They can choose which authorities to enrich and to which subfield ($0 / $1); whether to add VIAF URIs, and add additional authorities to the enrichment, including local authorities that support URIs. 

 This gives institutions better control over their linked data enrichment of MARC records. 

Idea Exchange - Physical Item Templates

It is now possible to save an existing physical item as a template, and use that template when manually creating new physical items to pre-populate fields such as notes, item policy, material type, temporary location etc.

Saving an item as a template:

Creating an item from a template:

 This is useful for physical inventory operators who create many similar items, making item creation easier and more efficient.

Automatic Upload Electronic Holdings from JSTOR (Books) and Preselect

2 additional providers are now supported by the Automatic Upload of Electronic Holdings feature:

• JSTOR (books)
•  Idea Exchange - Preselect

Libraries can easily update their holdings for these providers through the Automatic Upload of Electronic Holdings feature. When activated, this process automatically downloads a file with your holdings information from the provider platform in a standardized format (KBART), and then updates your holdings in the corresponding collection. 

These integrations eliminate the need for manual updates of the corresponding provider’s collections, saving staff manual labor and time, and improving accuracy and efficiency.

Idea Exchange - Create record versions for changes in a record's management tag

Previously, management tags (such as "Suppressed from discovery") were not recorded in the record versions, and it was not possible to see at what time or by whom the record was suppressed, unsuppressed, etc.

This information is now recorded and made visible in the record versions: When a record's management tag is changed, a version is created, showing the previous value for the tag. 

 This is especially useful for monitoring who made a specific change to a management tag, such as suppressing a record from discovery.