How-To: Import Profile for OverDrive

Several I-Share libraries have subscribed to the OverDrive as standalone customers. To help libraries manage this content in their Alma institution zones, CARLI has developed an import profile and workflow for libraries to manage collection updates. 

Note: These instructions do not apply to libraries that participate in the NILRC OverDrive Collection. Those resources are imported and managed through the network zone.

Why is this Workflow Needed?

The Alma Community Zone does not contain a selective package collection that is generalized for all libraries. Since the NILRC OverDrive collection is in the network zone, other libraries that use OverDrive may benefit from the records shared in that collection. They may add titles for their own users as well.

The setup and workflow outlined here will allow members to efficiently manage this electronic collection in their institution zones. This workflow may also be used as a model for other electronic collections.

Alma Roles Required

The following roles are required to complete different steps of this process. Different staff at your institution may cooperate on this workflow depending on roles and responsibilities.

  • Setup of Electronic Collection: Electronic Inventory Operator
  • Copy and Setup of Import Profile: Catalog Administrator or Acquisition Administrator
  • Running Import Profile: Catalog Manager, Repository Manager, Catalog Administrator, Repository Administrator

Initial Setup

Institutions will need to create a local collection for their own inventory, and then an import profile that adds or matches bibliographic records to the Network Zone. This import profile also requires that 856 fields with local data should be copied to local 956 fields, so that portfolios are created with the correct information in the imported bibliographic record, rather than any URLs in the shared NZ record.

Create an IZ Normalization Rule for Inventory

Create a Local Collection for Portfolios

  1. On the main menu, go to Resources > Create Inventory > Add Local Electronic Collection.
  2. Enter a Public Name for the collection that will distinguish the contents of the collection for staff. E.g., "OverDrive"
  3. Select a Collection Type of Selective package, and a Service Type of Full Text. 
  4. Click Save and Continue.
  5. On the Electronic Service Editor, Activation tab, select an Service Activation Status of Available, and enter an Active from Date.
    A screenshot of the Alma electronic service editor screen, with the Activation tab selected, and service activation status set to active.
  6. Click the Linking tab, for URL type, select Parser Parameters, then enter a Parser of BULK::Bulk. (This is a case-sensitive setting, requiring two colons as well.)
    A screenshot of the Alma electronic service editor, with a Parser setting of BULK::Bulk.
  7. Click Save. This will save and activate the full text service, and return you to the collection editor.
  8. Click Save.
    A screenshot of Alma displaying a newly created electronic collection for OverDrive.

Copy and Edit the Network Zone Template Import Profile

CARLI has created a template that contains most of the relevant settings for importing records. Some profile elements must be completed in your IZ before the profile will be available for use. The process starts with copying the template, which opens the import profile for editing. 

Note: The profile editor includes a Save Draft button; clicking this button saves your work, sets the import profile status to Inactive, and returns you to the import profiles list.

View the profile as a PDF

  1. On the main menu, go to Resources > Import > Manage Import Profiles.
  2. Click the Network tab.
  3. Locate the template, OverDrive, Import Titles to NZ, Create Local Portfolios (CARLI Template). Use the filter box to filter by Profile Name.
  4. Click the … menu button, then select Copy.
    A screenshot of Alma showing a filtered list of template import profiles in the CARLI Network Zone.
  5. On the Profile details tab, select the Originating System of OverDrive, then change the Status of the profile to Active. You may modify the Profile Name and Profile Description to your preferences.
    The profile details tab for the OverDrive import profile after being copied from the network. Originating system is set to OverDrive, and Status is set to Active.
  6. Select the Normalization & Validation tab, and set the value for Change the data for PO line and inventory using to IZ Import 856 to 956 for Inventory. (See How-To: Normalization Rule for Importing Electronic Portfolios for details.)
    The Normalization & Validation tab of the OverDrive import profile, with a normalization process selected to Change the data for PO line and inventory using the IZ Import 856 to 956 for Inventory rule.
  7. Select the Match Profile tab, and set the System Identifier Prefix to (TEFOD) for both Serial Match Method and Non Serial Match Method.
    The Match Profile settings tab of the OverDrive import profile. The System Identifier Prefix for the 035 (Other System Identifier) match method should be "(TEFOD)".
  8. Select the Inventory Information tab, change the Portfolio Type setting to Part of an Electronic Collection.
  9. Change the Material Type to Book.
    A screenshot of the inventory information tab for the OverDrive import profile. Portfolio Type is Part of an electronic collection, Material Type is book, and the "hamburger" search button is indicated to the right of Electronic Collection.
  10. Click the Electronic Collection hamburger button to search for the collection that you created above. (E.g., "OverDrive") Enter your search in the search box, then click the row from the results to select the correct collection.
    A screenshot of the electronic collection search box retrieved by clicking the "hamburger" button of the inventory information screen. The search for Electronic Collection Name OverDrive retrieved a single result.
  11. After selecting the collection, you should see the collection name and a Service of Full Text.
  12. Click Save.
  13. When back on the import profiles screen, click to the Institution tab. Locate your new import profile, and double check that the status is Active.

Importing Records

Begin by downloading MARC records from OverDrive's administrative site. Consult your subscription documentation or OverDrive customer support for assistance with locating the records for your collection. 

Run the Import Profile

Perform a test load using the import profile and a small subset of records that you have downloaded, between 5 and 10 records is usually sufficient. MarcEdit provides a function to select some records from a file and extract them to another file.

  1. On the main menu, go to Resources > Import > Import.
  2. Locate the OverDrive import profile in the institution tab. Use the filter box to search by Profile Description or Profile Name.
    A screenshot of the Alma import profiles screen, filtered to an import profile for OverDrive. The ... menu button is active with menu options View, Run, and Contribute.
  3. On the OverDrive row, click the … menu button, then select Run.
  4. Click Select File, then click the folder button next to File. Browse your computer for the file of test records, and click Open in the browse dialog.
    NOTE: By the profile settings, this file should be a "binary" MARC record file. Alma accepts files with a ".mrc" extension. Alma will also accept the MARC records in the ".zip" file as well. Alma will not process a ".mrk" file.
  5. With the file selected, optionally enter a label (to help document what this load contained) and/or notes (e.g., number of records in the load, other details).
    A screenshot of Alma's import screen with a file selected for import, a file label and job notes include.
  6. Click Add. Alma will process the MARC file into one or more MARCXML files.
  7. On the Start New Import screen, click Submit.
  8. The import will be queued and then run. Click Refresh to watch the progress. Alma will send an email when the import completes.
  9. When the job is done, click Refresh, then click the … menu button for the job you ran. Then select Report to view the results.
    A screenshot of Alma's monitor and view imports page for the Kanopy import profile. The page shows one import job in process and one import job completed.

After running the test load, review the reports available from the monitor and view imports screen, and examine the records in Alma and Primo VE searches. If you are satisfied with the outcomes, run the import profile again using the full collection of MARC records.

Ongoing Workflow

A best practice for processing updates of records in collections is to handle deletions first, then handle any additions and updates. CARLI staff have been informed by other libraries that OverDrive does not provide MARC records for deleted titles. If you choose to drop a title from your package, or the license for a title ends, you should delete the portfolio and title manually. See Deleting Portfolios for more instructions.

After handling any deletions, use the instructions above to run imports of any new or changed records.

Last updated: July 23, 2024