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How-To: Use MarcEdit to Report on Bibliographic Fields Excluded from Analytics

Many reports in Alma Analytics will rely on getting data from bibliographic records. The shared dimension Bibliographic Details appears in multiple Analytics subject areas. This dimension, or table, contains a robust number of MARC record fields, but it does not include all fields. For example, the following common MARC fields are excluded from the Bibliographic Details dimension: 246, 300, 500, 505, 520.

Fortunately, Alma maintains MARC search indexes on most fields, and many of these indexes are already available for advanced search screens. Additional fields may also be activated in an institution's configuration area. These indexes allow Alma to perform some of the work in selecting records matching specific criteria. Library staff may then create logical and itemized sets based on these searches, which they may then use to export records for analysis in other software. For example, MarcEdit enables users to use a MARC record set tocreate a tab-delimited text report (see "Exporting MARC to Delimited File"). Tab-delimited files may then be analyzed using Excel, Access, or even OpenRefine.

This how-to uses the example of finding data within a MARC bibliographic 500 field. Use the MARC search indexes list to determine if a field you need is available for search. Contact CARLI staff about including any 9XX fields. 

See also: Ex Libris Knowledge Article, How to Export Bibliographic Records to Excel from Alma.

Roles

This procedure is best performed by users with one of the following roles:

  • Repository Manager
  • Catalog Administrator
  • Catalog Manager

Users with other roles may have the ability to create sets but not to perform the export.

Use Case: Create a report file to locate records with a specific word in a 500 note field.

  1. Select an All Titles search, then select the Public Note (Title) index.
  2. Enter your search term, then type Enter or click the search button.
  3. Click Save Query.
  4. Fill out the details for the set--set name, description, public/private, type, etc. Then click Save.
  5. Go to Admin > Manage Jobs and Sets > Run a Job.
  6. Select the Export Bibliographic Records set; click Next.
  7. Select your record set; click Next.
  8. Fill out the task parameters:
    • Physical Format: Binary (i.e., MARC)
    • Number of Records in File: One File is fine if dealing with less than 1,000 records. MarcEdit can handle larger file sets, but it could get slow.
    • Expand Routine: select if you want to add holdings information.
    • Export into folder: Institution
    • FTP configuration: CARLI FTP Server
  9. Click Next.
  10. Review your job name and settings, click Submit, then Confirm.
  11. Watch for the email notification that the job is done.
  12. Connect to the CARLI secure ftp server, then locate and download the file to your workstation.
  13. Open MarcEdit.
  14. Go to Tools > Export > Export Tab Delimited Records.
  15. Select your MARC file; then select a folder and name for your output. Modify delimiters if desired, then click Next.
  16. Enter the tags (and subfields) that you want as columns in the report: Enter a tag in the Field box; if you want one or more subfields, enter the subfield code(s) (without a $). Click Add Field. E.g., Field: 245 (gets whole field) or Field: 500 Subfield: a
  17. When finished adding columns, click Export.
  18. Open the resulting file in Excel or Access and proceed to query the set further.

Alternately, you could also use the MarcEditor to find the fields with the word. After step 12 above, use these.
A13. Click MARC Tools.
A14. Use the MarcBreaker. Select the file of records to Open, then select a folder and name for the editable set to Save As. Click Execute.
A15. Click Edit Records.
A16. In the MarcEditor, go to File > Select Records to Edit.
A17. Change the Display Field to 500.
A18. Click Import File.
A19. In the search box, type the word you're trying to find, then click the search button (document with the magnifying glass). MarcEdit will select the records that match.
A20. Click Export Selected.
A21. Go to File > Save As to save this set of records. You can then use this record set with the reporting tool described above, starting again at step 14.