Alma is the library services platform (LSP) that is replacing Sierra and Ebsco Holdings Management. This platform will encompass the catalog, electronic resource management, acquisitions, circulation and Ohiolink borrowing/lending ("fulfillment"), and patron management. It is also where configuration of both Alma and Primo VE occurs, as well as providing access to a robust Analytics platform for data stored in Alma.
Primo VE is the discovery interface, which will replace Ebsco's EDS (Ebsco discovery service), also called "quick search" on our current home page. This will be the primary interface through which users will discover and access the library's resources, both print and electronic, access their account information, and request delivery of materials. It will have the ability to integrate with Canvas (or other LMSs) in new ways, and to integrate searching in digital (institutional repository and digital archival) materials, if we choose to uses those functionalities.
Community Zone (CZ): Contains shared bibliographic records for electronic resources, authority vocabularies, and a knowledge base of vendor supplied information about electronic collections and portfolios. Resources are available for all Alma institutions to use. Alma community members can update Community Zone catalog bibliographic records, subject to review by Ex Libris. Functions are similar to those of OCLC metadata and cataloging utility, and EbscoAdmin holdings management (for electronic resources only).
Network Zone (NZ): Used by a collaborative network to centrally manage certain features, such as configuration tables, licenses, and records. A virtual institution (in our case OhioLINK) is used as the management interface and central repository and catalog. Bib/metadata records can be located in the NZ (with some exceptions, e.g. suppressed bib records). The NZ can include bibliographic records for both physical and electronic resources. Note: physical inventory (item level) does NOT exist in the NZ. Institutions' physical inventory can be linked to the bibliographic record in the NZ, but the inventory itself is in the Institution Zone.
Institution Zone (IZ): The library's (e.g. JCU Grasselli Library) local inventory, including items, holdings, portfolios, orders (POs/purchase orders), payments (POLs/purchase order lines), vendor records, funds/ledgers. Bib records can be in the IZ only, or inventory can be linked to the Network Zone (with some exceptions). When linked to the NZ, the bibliographic metadata exists in the NZ, but your institution's inventory exists in the IZ.
Each category of inventory has a similar, but slightly different, record structure. It's important to understand what each of these types of inventory represent, because it will affect searching in Alma, creation of sets (lists), what kinds of functions are available to execute, etc.
3 Categories of Inventory:
Print (i.e. everything physical: books, DVDs, microfilm, kits, etc.)
Electronic (ebooks, ejournals, databases, streaming media, etc.)
Digital (files owned by your library, e.g. institutional repository files, digitized archival records)
Understanding the structure of records in Alma will be essential to maneuvering within the system, searching, understanding where certain functions will take place, and troubleshooting why something might not be working as expected. Generally, the records follow the same basic 3-tiered structure. However, each of the inventory types (physical, electronic, digital) will have its own variation on this general configuration. It's important to remember that "intellectual entity" is an abstract concept - e.g. what we often think of as "title" or "work." See all the record structures HERE.
