Roles for Alma Catalogers What do those roles mean? GUGM 2017 Macon, Georgia

Cataloging Roles This is just to help figure out exactly what roles your staff need to catalog without giving them access to everything. Unlike Voyager, you can’t just assign someone access to the cataloging module and walk away. To function as a cataloger, you will need access to a variety of roles that are not all contained in “Resource Management” which is a fancy way to say Cataloging.

Physical Inventory Operator The description provided by Ex-Libris states that you can “manage exports and add physical items.” The Ex-Libris definition of this role is “Manages the physical inventory of the library.” With this role, it sounds like you can do everything. It says “Management of the physical inventory of the library.” That’s all you need, right??

Wrong! Actually, this role lets you view holdings in existing locations, view items in existing holdings, and you can relink holdings to different bib records. You can’t edit a bibliographic record in the IZ with this role. You can’t create holdings or edit existing holdings. You can’t create items or edit existing items. You can’t really do your whole job!

Physical Inventory Operator Extended This must be the one because it says “Extended.” You still can’t edit the bib record in the NZ. You CAN edit existing holdings and existing items, add new holdings and items and withdraw items, change locations, and toggle missing status. We’re getting closer!

Cataloger This has got to be it because I am a cataloger and I will have the ability to do everything involved in cataloging a book. With this role you can add local fields to the IZ bib record. You can save and release bib records You can add holdings and use the form editor You CANNOT add items! Items are considered physical inventory.

Cataloger Extended With this extended role you can do everything that the Cataloger role does. The only difference is that you can delete a bib record from the IZ. You still CANNOT add items! Items are inventory.

It’s all about the combination So, to catalog a record, add holdings and add items you have to have a combination of roles. Some positions won’t need all of the roles. For example, a copy cataloger at UGA will need the roles of Physical Inventory Operator, Physical Inventory Operator Extended, Cataloger, and Cataloger Extended. Our Marking assistant will only need the Physical Inventory Operator and Physical Inventory Operator Extended because he only makes changes to existing holdings and item records (if there is an item that needs to be remarked).

You can’t just have one Some roles require that you have a combination. The role of Cataloger Extended must be combined with the role of Cataloger. You have to have both to make it work. Same thing with Physical Inventory Operator Extended – you must combine it with Physical Inventory Operator.

Test and Experiment As we have been working in Alma, we have found that some catalogers need to see order records to make sure that we relink items properly. We have found that the More Info link that shows up during a search contains a link to the order information – however you have to have a certain role to see it. We are currently using “Selector” to enable catalogers to see that order information.