Bring Repository Search Results Into Editors

Resources you need

Main takeaway

Depending on which type of records you intend to edit - bib, holdings, or item - conduct your search by the corresponding search type when feasible. The search results will display action buttons and hyperlinks that take you from the results view to the editing interface in fewer steps.

Number of steps by search type

Targeted Record Type	All titles / Physical titles	Physical items
bib	1	2
holdings	2	3
item	2	1

Practice

1. Open a bib record to edit

Do an All titles search by keywords (e.g., "Princeton University Press") or ISBN or any search criteria you like. Find a title you are interested in from the results list. There are no fewer than 4 routes you can take to bring its bib record into the Metadata Editor. How many can you figure out?

Answer

A. The most direct route: Press the action button on the far right of the listing. The bib will open in the MDE.

B. If you do not intend to edit the record immediately: 1) Select the checkbox of the record(s) of interest and 2) press located in the summary line of the search results at the top. The bib(s) will be waiting for you in the MDE when you open the editor later on. This method allows you to bring more than one record into the MDE.

C. Alternatively, Push to MDE is also listed among the action items under the ellipsis.

D. If you'd like to see a read-only version of the record first: 1) Click on the hyperlinked title and statement of responsibility and 2) In the Record View, click either the Push to MDE or the Edit button.

2. Open a holdings record to edit

Do a Physical titles search by keywords or ISBN or any search criteria you like. Find a title you are interested in from the results list. There are no fewer than 3 routes you can take to bring its holdings records into the Metadata Editor. How many can you figure out?

First, verify that you have selected the Expanded view of the search results

Here is how

In the results list, verify that under the Expand button, either Physical or Expand all is selected.

This allows you to see the list of physical holdings of each record on the results page.

Answer

The shortest route: In the holdings list, under the column Location, click on the hyperlinked location code of the particular holdings record you intend to edit. This brings you to the Record View of the holdings. Click either the Push to MDE or the Edit button.

To see a list of all holdings first: Click on the action button Holdings or the hyperlinked text Holdings underneath the list.

By

Screenshot

Action

If there is only one holdings record...

A. location code

Opens an individual holdings record in Record View

then there will be no difference among the three options.

All takes you to the Record View of the one holdings record of the title.

B. action button

Opens a list of holdings records

Next: You can bring one or more holdings into the MDE or push them into it.

See the detail of no. 20 of the dissected view of search results.

C. hyperlinked text

3. Open an item record to edit (Physical titles search)

From the previous Physical titles search results, how many steps does it take to bring an item record into the Physical Item Editor?

Answer

Two steps.

For the title you are interested, pull up the List of Items. This can be done by clicking either the hyperlink text Items under the list of physical holdings, or the action Item under the ellipsis.

In the List of Items you can click on the hyperlinked Barcode to edit the item record. See the detail of no. 21 of the dissected view of search results.

Contrary to one's intuition, if you somehow have opened the read-only view of an item record, there is no direct button or link to bring it into the editor. In that case, back your way out to the List of Items by clicking the hyperlinked View all items in the top information area.

List of Holdings and List of Items look rather similar when you are new to Alma. Both are presented in tables with many columns, although the holdings list starts with the ID of holdings records, and the item list starts with barcode.

Make a habit of checking the heading beneath the Persistent search bar to know which list you are viewing.

4. Open an item record to edit (Physical items search)

Do a Physical items search by keywords or ISBN or Barcode or any search criteria you like. Find an item you are interested in from the results list. How many steps does it take to bring an item record into the Physical Item Editor?

Answer

One step.

In the search results, click either on the hyperlinked Barcode in the displayed field or the action button Edit Item to open the item in the Physical Item Editor.