Following the national standard in using provider-neutral records reduces user confusion over multiple instances of a title in the catalog and leads to better discoverability, while saving time and money.
Tag: Cataloging
Policy: Single v. Separate Records
Traditional national practice has been to catalog every manifestation of a title on its own bibliographic record (“separate records”). At the current time, separate records are the dominant approach, but single records are accepted as a variant practice.
Policy: Floor Bibliographic Standards
The purpose of a floor standard for bibliographic records is to specify minimum standards for completeness and content designation. Catalogers must ensure that every record adheres to this floor standard and are encouraged to use their judgement to determine whether additional data elements are beneficial.
Policy: Cataloging at the WorldCat Level
Due to the technical architecture of the Alma NZ, changes must be entered into the WorldCat bibliographic record or they will be lost when the Alma record is overlaid. By cataloging at the WorldCat level, Alliance members improve discoverability for all Alliance Primo users, not just their own users.
Policy: Use of OCLC and Record Identifiers
The presence of OCLC control numbers in bibliographic records makes it possible to match records in Alma when materials are owned by multiple Alliance libraries.
Import Profiles in Alma
Best practices for batch-loading records to the NZ through Alma import profiles.
Technical Services Documentation
Policies, best practices, and procedures related to Technical Services.