Page:

Cataloging and Inventory Management: FAQ

Share your question about Cataloging and Inventory Management or
Check out answers to frequently asked questions

1: Introduction

350pxDates: June 21-25, 2021

Trainers: Self-guided [Slides]

Goals:

Familiarize yourself with the following topics in preparation for real-time training. At the minimum, learn where you can find information/answer for what should you encounter a question.

Logging into Alma, Alma Basics
Searching Alma (open-house video and documentation)
Introduction to the Metadata Editor (pre-training video and documentation)
Bring Repository Search Results Into Editors (documentation and exercise)
Edit Fields (pre-training video and documentation)

2: Cataloging, Part 1

Date: Monday, June 28, 2021, 10 am

Trainers: Don Thornbury, Minjie Chen

Goals:

Alma indexes (documentation and practice)
Searching by barcode, ISBN, title, inventory number, Voyager item ID (practice)
Navigating search results with sort, facet (documentation)
Getting record into MDE [BIB] from title or item search (practice)

Download the Worksheet as Word or PDF

Word: PDF:

Recording	Presentation Slides

0-33:30 Presentation

33:30-36:40 Demo

36:40-42:40 Hands-on exercise; Q & A

3: Cataloging, Part 2

Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2021, 10 am

Trainers: Sarah Hamerman

Goals:

View, edit fields in MDE (documentation and practice)
Shortcut keys
Import and merge
Responding to errors
Expanding records from a template
Finishing a record (Saving; save & release function)
Practice exercise: create a new record

Recording	Presentation Slides

4: Cataloging, part 3

Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2021 2 pm

Trainer: Jennifer Baxmeyer

Goals:

Alma record structure versus Voyager
Retrieving and editing holdings (including "Enhance from Bibliographic" to get call number)
- Open inventory records from editors or repository search results
- Documentation and practice
Changing locations (Library/Collection replacing Voyager location)
Editing items (documentation)

Recording	Presentation Slides

5: Cataloging, part 4 (for original catalogers)

Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2021, 10 am

Trainers: Lia Contursi, Yang Wang

Goals:

Cataloging in OCLC Connexion
Searching
Use templates
Adding fields
Adding parallel fields
Checking authorities database
Save online or local file
Show tools and macros to facilitate addition of 3xx fields, text strings, creation of NARs
Export from Alma to Workform
Import/merge back into Alma (via Search Resources or Connexion Export F5)
Authorities validation

Recording	Presentation Slides

6: Workflows

Date: Thursday, July 1, 2021, 10 am

Trainer: Jennifer Baxmeyer

Goals:

Approvals
Firm orders
Gifts, standing orders, and other resources that either have no order record or an “umbrella” order record
E-resources that are not part of packages

Moving Records Between Alma and Connexion: Flowchart

Recording	Presentation Slides

7: Transfers (ReCAP and other locations)

Trainers: Marie Wange-Connelly

8: Withdrawals

Trainers: Marie Wange-Connelly

9: Summary

Date: Friday, July 2, 2021, 10 am

Trainers: Minjie Chen, Jennifer Baxmeyer, Don Thornbury, Sarah Hamerman, Lia Contursi, Yang Wang, Marie Wange-Connelly

Goals:

Summary of training
Review exercise
Learning more
Getting help
Q&A

Recording	Presentation Slides

10: Cataloging for Branch Staff, ADAPT, etc.

Date: Tuesday, July 6, 2021, 10 am

Trainers: Don Thornbury

Goals:

Recording	Presentation Slides

11: Cataloging Refresher for Selectors - * POSTPONED *

Date: Thursday, July 8, 2021, 10 am

Trainers: Rex Hatfield

12: Cataloging for Non-Roman Scripts (optional)

Date: Tuesday, July 6, 2021, 2 pm

Trainers: Lia Contursi

Goals:

Add parallel fields
Unlink and flip fields
Add diacritics
Directional characters / Embedded text
Search non-Roman scripts in Alma
Traditional and Simplified Chinese characters

Materials in Non-Roman Languages

Recording	Presentation Slides

13: Advanced Searching (optional)

Date: Wednesday, July 7, 2021, 10 am

Trainers: Lia Contursi, Yang Wang

Goals:

About personal names
Translations
Collected works
Content notes
Wildcard
Shelflisting
Series authorities
Subject headings

See Basic and Advanced Search

Recording	Presentation Slides

14: Cataloging in OCLC Connexion Client

Date: Thursday, July 29, 2021, 10 am

Trainers: Yang Wang, Lia Contursi

Goals:

Setup
Original Cataloging
Do’s and Don’ts

Recording	Presentation Slides

15: OCLC Data Sync - Common Validation Errors

Date: Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Trainers: Minjie Chen

Goals:

Understand the purpose of the OCLC data sync project
Review common validation errors

Recording	Presentation Slides

See also

Local Fields: 914 and 915
OCLC Support > Data sync processing

Post-training feedback

Contact your trainers for questions and feedback or share via the form Alma Post-Training Feedback (Closed 07/13/2021. Please share your questions from the FAQ page.)

Exercises to practice in Alma sandbox

Find a short bib record in Alma searching by ISBN or MMS#
Search it in OCLC and find full record
Import in Alma and merge with short bib
Edit record:
- add edition statement (if not in record)
- add parallel field (if resource is in non-Roman script)
- add 505 field (make up 3 chapters’ titles)
- add 505 parallel field (if resource is in non-Roman script)
Open holding record
Check location
Change location from Recap to Firestone or vice versa
Save and make sure that the call number is copied in 852 field
Save record and release
Search the same record by title

Browser not supported