Alma Database Type & EBSCO Packages

July 26, 2024

Introduction

This page is for anyone who manages electronic resources in Alma and is about the EBSCO packages provided by CARLI and provided by the Illinois Secretary of State/Illinois State Library.

Review of alma Electronic collections

In Alma, there are three types of electronic collections:

1. Aggregator Package
2. Selective Package
3. Database

The electronic collection type is listed below the name of an electronic collection, no matter what zone you are in (IZ, NZ, or CZ) when viewing the electronic collection. The image below shows where this type is indicated in Alma search results.

The first two types of electronic collections (Aggregator Package and Selective Package) contain portfolios, the third type (Database) does not. The Database type is a zero portfolio collection that only has one editor level - the Electronic Collection Editor, while the Aggregator Package and Selective Package types have three levels - 

1. Electronic Collection Editor - where public display name, level URL, and CDI settings are stored.
2. Electronic Service Editor - where linking and proxy information are stored.
3. Electronic Portfolio Editor - where URL type and dates of coverage are stored.

EBSCO packages that are database type in alma

Currently, there are eight CARLI provided electronic collections and eight Illinois Secretary of State/Illinois State Library provided electronic collections that are the database type in Alma. Here are the lists which includes their Alma Community Zone Electronic Collection IDs:

return to steps for Alma workaround

updates on these collections

These 16 collections have been deleted from the NZ in Alma. In the Alma NZ environment, CARLI is limited in how we control the linking parameters for each I-Share library. When we activated these collections in Alma, we added the "CARLI-Provided Electronic Resources" inventory group/available for group as seen in the image below. This inventory group contains all I-Share libraries and is a way to distribute access to resources in Alma from the NZ.

The following three images are how this looked when it was active in Alma to illustrate the limited control. This first image shows how there is no button for "Portfolio List" (zero portfolio collection) and no "Edit Service" option in the (...)/more actions menu.

This second image shows how in the Electronic Collection Editor level, under Group Settings tab where the inventory group was added that there are no parameters for the CARLI-Provided Electronic Resources group.

This third image shows how when editing the inventory group there are no fields to input linking parser parameters which are needed in order to properly link EBSCO collections from Alma and Primo VE out to the native platform.

options for your library in your alma iz

Here are options for your library to consider how to proceed with these EBSCO collections:

1. Do nothing. Many of the I-Share libraries provide access to these database type collections from their library homepages via an A-Z database list. 
2. Activate these collections in your Alma IZ. Workaround provided below.

activating an alma database type collection in your iz

1. In Alma, using the persistent search bar, select the following: Electronic Collection > Electronic Collection ID > (input Alma CZ E-Collection ID from table above) > CZ search scope. 

2. Then, click on "Activate" to the right of the collection name. 

3. In the first screen of the Activation Wizard, uncheck the box next to "Mark Bib as suppressed." This collection has no electronic inventory, therefore the collection bib needs to be visible. (From Ex Libris documentation - These collections are activated for patron discovery automatically once they have a defined URL and an associated unsuppressed bibliographic record.) In this screen, you can also change the Public Display Name in the field for Public name (override). You will also want to add your Level URL (override). The Level URL was emailed to you. If you need this information, email CARLI Support.

4. In the last screen of the Activation Wizard, click "Activate."

5. When the database is activated, you will receive an email confirmation and an Alma notification will appear to the right of the screen indicating that it is complete.

If you encounter issues or errors with activating an Alma database type collection, please open a CARLI Support ticket.