February 2025 Metadata Management    URM-237625

25.02.25 - As per Liza V - Move to May Sprint

09.03.25 - UPDATE - as per Liza V - Moved to August RN

The Overlap Analysis tool can now be efficiently used to assess mixed content collections and analyze overlapping content using up to three different match methods in a single comparison.

Both Collection Analysis and Look Up Titles now enable up to three matching identifiers per analysis. The identifiers are used in the defined order—the first match method is applied first, and only if no matches are found, the next match method is used.

The results reports include, for each match found, the method used to obtain it. The additional match methods, if defined, also apply to the physical indication search.

For more information, see ??.

February 2025 Metadata Management  Idea ExchangeURM-227209

25.02.25 - As per Liza V - Move to May Sprint

It is now possible to delete portfolios directly from the Metadata Editor inventory section.

For more information, see Navigating the Metadata Editor page > View Inventory.

In List of Resolved Defects.

In the new title searches UX, the AI indication () is now displayed for Community Zone records enriched by the Community Zone AI generator.

For more information, see:

• AI Bibliographic Records Enrichment
• Search Results Icons

In the physical holdings search, viewing title information now opens the full title details instead of just the bibliographic record. This enables users to access the bibliographic record, its inventory, and related entities, as well as perform actions on the title and inventory based on their privileges. The Record View page remains accessible from the title details via the "View Record" action. This enhancement is especially useful for users who need to navigate seamlessly between holdings and titles while performing actions on both.

For more information, see Performing Record Actions on the Repository Search Results Page.

The classic title search UX is being sunset and is no longer available. Users will transition to the new and improved title search experience, which offers enhanced functionality, better navigation, and a more streamlined workflow.

For more information, see Introduction to the New Title Search Experience.

In title and holdings searches, catalogers can now view, add, edit, and delete notes directly without opening the Metadata Editor. Notes are only accessible for viewing or editing if the cataloger has permission in the Metadata Editor and the record is not locked. Additionally, notes can only be managed within the search scope where the record is maintained (institution, network, or community). This enhancement enables catalogers to quickly add notes to bibliographic or holdings records.

For more information, see Searching in Alma > Notes Section.

The new title search UX now includes single-click links to additional related entities, such as Related Records, Courses, Licenses, and Reminders, along with a link to the new Notes section for catalogers. These fields are also included in search exports to Excel, just like existing navigation links for Orders and Requests. This enhancement enables users to quickly identify records with related entities in their exported files at a glance.

For more information, see Export to Excel.

Since the repository search is available to all system users, managing repository search labels is restricted by a privilege, which is granted by default to administrators and managers. Previously, a single privilege controlled label management for both the physical holdings search and the new title searches. Now, separate privileges exist for bibliographic and physical holdings search labels, enabling physical inventory operators to manage physical holdings search labels by default without affecting title search labels.

This update is particularly beneficial for physical inventory operators, who primarily use the physical holdings search and need to efficiently manage physical inventory. Libraries that wish to modify which roles can add and manage labels for title searches or the physical holdings search can contact Ex Libris support for assistance.

For more information, see Repository Search Labels.

You can now save multiple facet combinations and quickly apply them to your searches, similar to the functionality on the Manage Sets page. Saved facets appear in the Saved drop-down list, where you can also set a default that is automatically applied to searches. Facet selections are now managed separately for each search scope (institution, network, community) to better support users who apply different workflows or search configurations to them.

Users who previously saved facets in title searches before this update will find them under the institution scope in the drop-down list, labeled Pre-saved.

For more information, see Saving Multiple Combinations of Facets.

XSL normalization of metadata records is now supported, enabling both manual and batch processing. Institutions can use XSL to manipulate metadata across all MARC-supported formats, enabling advanced data normalization through complex logic.

Key updates:

• The new enable_xsl_normalization_rules parameter is set to false by default for all customers, except for DC/MODS customers who have already defined XSL normalization rules, for whom it is set to true.

• A new privilege, Normalization Rules Enabled, has been added to all cataloger roles. Institutions can control which users can create normalization rules (DROOLS or XSL) and disable this privilege for selected roles if needed.

A new algorithm improves MARC21 name field matching by enabling partial linking. It compares the full bibliographic heading against authority records, progressively removing subfields until a match is found or only core name subfields remain. When a partial match occurs, the Preferred Term Correction (PTC) job updates only the matched subfields, leaving others unchanged. Selecting an authority record via F3 overrides the corresponding subfields while preserving those not included in the preferred term.

This enhancement enables more flexible linking of bibliographic name headings to authority records, improving match accuracy and efficiency while ensuring that only relevant subfields are updated in the bibliographic record.

For more information, see:

• Running a Job on a Selected Set in the Run a Job Page
• Configuring Other Settings (Resource Management)

Two new search indexes have been added to title searches:

1. Processed with Alma AI tools – Searches for records created or enriched using Alma's AI Metadata Assistant.

2. Enriched with AI metadata by CZ – Searches for Community Zone records that have been enriched with AI-generated metadata.

These indexes help libraries quickly identify records cataloged with AI-generated metadata.

For more information, see Search Index to MARC 21 Bibliographic Tag Mapping.

The AI Metadata Assistant now enables users to request specific types of enrichment, such as table of contents, subjects, or summaries. This feature is especially useful for catalogers who need targeted metadata enhancements or are working with images that contain only partial resource information, enabling more precise metadata suggestions. 

For more information, see Enriching a Brief Record.

Catalogers can now upload a PDF or Word document (up to 4 pages) containing a resource description, in addition to JPEG and PNG images. For larger files, only the first 4 pages will be used to generate metadata.

This feature is particularly useful for libraries that receive descriptive files and metadata from vendors, allowing them to generate or enrich records more efficiently.

For more information, see Working with the AI Metadata Assistant > Creating a New Record.