Multi-Part E-Collections
See Best Practices for Decision Pages and Tags for groups
Legend: not started STALLED decided
Status | in progress |
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Description | Prevent duplication of database level records (e-collections) coming from the NZ, where multiple instances of a title are essentially the same content or may duplicate locally acquired content. Phase 4 AEFG proposal |
Decision summary | Coordinating at ERES subteam level is problematic:
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Owning group | Originating group: ERES+ @Paula Pascual |
Approver |
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Consulted | @Lisa Mackinder DISC-OT, SCP + CDL staff |
Informed |
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Decision-making process | Decision consideration arose from request by SCP via CDL ERES Rep requesting guidance for activating an e-collection record when NZ has a series of e-collections for one vendor that all lead to one URL/one platform. Although CDL hoped for immediate feedback, ultimately the discussion surfaced broader factors and lack of consensus on approach for a solution. |
Priority | medium |
Target decision date | Feb 3, 2022 |
Date decided | Apr 13, 2023 |
Recommendation
The E-Resources Operations Sub-team initially recommended that in principle users should be provided with collection-level records for multi-part e-collections for discovery in UC Library Search. Collection-level records for Tier 1 and 2 resources should be managed by CDL in the Network Zone, so that individual campuses do not need to manage their own copies of the records. Although CDL hoped to provide a more in-depth needs analysis, ERES acknowledges that there is wide variation in the nature of our e-collections, so it is not possible to have a single recommendation for how to treat the collections and that experience with local use cases show that goals for outcome can vary by product and requestor. Cataloging decisions for migrated collections might need case-by-case examination to determine patterns, in consultation with relevant stakeholders (DISC, CKGs, reference, instructional design, user experience). Collectively, all relevant stakeholders need to identify user experience goals and generate a decision process for future collections, potentially manage as a stage of the acquisitions process for product specific decisions, or other model. Given this request came shortly after the formation of SILS, some period of time was provided CDL in order to become more familiar with the Alma/Primo record structure. However, in review of the delay, ERES recognizes that CDL output is only one factor in the outcome of this work and ultimately ERES has too narrow of a perspective to understand public services, reference and instruction needs.
CDL will handle setting up multi-part collections in Alma as it determines is best, for CDL-managed Tier 1 and Tier 2 content. This will be done on a case-by-case basis, taking into account factors such as: how the platform functions, URLs, searching options, how much content is accessible on the platform, what would be useful to our users, Alma options, etc. CDL consults with Resource Liaisons, CKGs, or campus experts as needed. Campus staff can always send in cataloging feedback to CDL via the CDL Helpline.
IZ may refer to other pages on Best Practices for activating collections locally that may duplicate NZ collections
If anything develops later with a SILS team or group’s decisions about procedures or best practices that causes us to change our workflows, CDL will review it then.
Impact
Stakeholder group | Impact |
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DISC |
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ERES |
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SCP + CDL staff |
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User Experience | Given Tier 1, 2 and 3 acquisitions models, e-collection records will have a different outcome, have varying models based on vendor, interactivity of records between IZ and NZ content, and other factors such as search scopes set up in Primo. |
CKGs, Instruction and reference services |
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Background
E-collections in Alma are structured to support back-end management, and may not support discovery. Collections containing multiple modules often have separate entries for each module, and Alma collection descriptive records have been described as ‘not acceptable for discovery,’ so from a cataloging standpoint, the action to follow Alma instructions to unsuppress the collection-level bibliographic records results in both metadata management and discovery problems. Requests are usually made by library colleagues outside of technical services and have a specific use case they are trying to fulfill. This type of environmental scan to develop use cases and test with display scenarios exceeds the scope of ERES expertise.
Dependencies
Given the varying nature of Tier 1, 2 and 3 e-collections, it is difficult to preemptively develop any and all possible cataloging models, and determine which model should be applied to each multi-part collection. This may require a permanent or sustained examination to consider all factors and develop workflows.
Since there will not be a one-to-one relationship between the collection-level records and the individual Alma collections, managing the bibliographic records will need to be accomplished in consideration of local collections and will require consideration.
Questions to consider (ERES generated)
How much ongoing review will be needed for:
brand-new collections?
new “modules” of an existing collection?
existing collections that may need different treatment?
collections that move between different providers?
How will the general/parent/umbrella bibliographic record be linked to the relevant collections it is used for? Will that information be available to end-users in UC Library Search, or limited to Alma? In Alma, will campus staff be able to see the information, or would it be limited to the NZ?
Action Log
Action/Point Person | Expected Completion Date | Notes | Status |
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Consult with SCP - Lisa MacKinder | Jan 27, 2022 |
| completed |
Follow-up with Sherry | Feb 23, 2023 |
| completed |
Example of a multi-series database:
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