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Alma Workflows

This guide will help you learn about all of the different workflows in Alma that are specific to Miami Dade College, Learning Resources.

Setting Up OCLC Record Manager

If you have not looked in the Institution Zone first, stop and go to Adding Items to the Institution Zone. OCLC Connexion Web is no longer being used! It has been replaced by Record Manager. You will also need an OCLC Account to proceed. If you need access, please contact aherna19@mdc.edu. If you are ever prompted for the institution code, it is FYM.

  1. Once logged into OCLC Record Manager, click on the Metadata tab at the top of the screen.

  2. On the left hand side, expand the Record Manager box (if it's not already expanded) and click on User Preferences.

  3. On the right hand side, expand the Exporting Bibliographic Records menu (if it's not already expanded) and select the TCP/IP tab. Fill out the information as follows:
      • Host Name: flvc.alma.exlibrisgroup.com
      • Port Number: 5500
      • Authentication: Login ID
      • ID: 01FALSC_NETWORK
      • Password: Please contact aherna19@mdc.edu for the password.
        Please manually type the password. Do not copy and paste! It will not work!
      • Connection Attempts:
        • Maximum Number: 3
           
  4. See below screenshot and make sure all your settings match the image below:

  1. Click on Save at the top when done.
     
  2. Click on the General tab and ensure that the Format is set to MARC 21 with UTF-8 Unicode. This will prevent diacritics from exporting incorrectly to Alma.
     
  3. Under Exclude Bibliographic Data, we must exclude all of the following fields shown below. The list is very long, but you only have to do this process once! Press the green plus sign to add and a new field as shown below:

     
  4. Click on Save when done. You will now be able to search and export a record to Alma!

Searching and Exporting Records in OCLC to Alma

  1. Once logged into OCLC Record Manager, on the Metadata tab and expand the Record Manager box on the left if it's not already expanded.
     
  2. Here, you can search using many different queries, including ISBN, Title, Standard Number (UPC), etc. It is strongly recommended that you always search by ISBN, as it will give you the most accurate result.
     
  3. Click on the Title corresponding to the record that best matches the item you are looking for. Pay close attention to the number of Holdings that other libraries have for this item! Usually an item with a high amount of holdings indicates that it is trusted and of good quality.
     
  4. Review the record entirely to make sure it is the correct edition, language, and format, paying close attention to publication date and other relevant information that best fits the description of the item you are searching for. Otherwise, go back and select another record. Avoid brief records at all costs! Choose the record that is most complete and fully catalogued as possible.
     
  5. Once you are certain that you have the correct record, click on and select WorldCat Holding and select Set from the drop down menu. Notice that you will not be able to set a holding if it's already set! It will be grayed out. This tells OCLC that we have the item in our inventory.
     
  6. Lastly, click on Send to and select Local System (via TCP/IP). If successful, a green message will appear letting you that the Record exported!
     
  7. The exported record should now appear when you search for it in Alma's Network Zone, where you can then proceed to add a holding.