Project Objectives
Alma supports a networked environment where bibliographic data from each individual institution can link to a central repository of primary records in a network zone. The IZ/NZ linking project is being undertaken to complete the migration of college holdings from their IZ to the NZ to reap the benefits of a shared system that:
Supports collection development decisions
Allows for colleges to have the most up-to-date view of what is being collected across institutions and might decide to borrow an item instead of purchasing their own copy based on college program specialization, number of copies available across consortia, etc.
Gains efficiencies through shared cataloging and maintenance of bibliographic records
Enables a college with less cataloguing capacity to create a minimum required bibliographic record in the Network Zone and have cataloguing staff from another college with more capacity to enhance the record improving discoverability of the item for all college users.
Saves money on bibliographic records
Gives the option for a college who may be acquiring the same resource as another college who already paid for the bibliographic record from having to pay again.
Minimizes duplicate bibliographic records that add cost to our contract bib count
Project Goals
Colleges have always used multiple matchpoints in their records. During the 2022 migration of data from each college library system to Alma only one matchpoint was allowed by ExLibris for linking or adding to the network zone. Any bibliographic record without the single chosen matchpoint did not get created or linked in the network zone. Also, four colleges were not part of that migration.
For the last 3 years most colleges have been working in their institution zone and not working in the network zone until standards and best practices were drafted and support tools were provided.
The goals of the IZ/NZ linking project is to bring the shared system up to date and in line with college holdings across the consortia and develop sustained processes and practice witihin a shared catalog.