Ordering and Activating an eJournal Subscription

Owned by Daryl Boone
Last updated: Jun 19, 2019 by Lauren Syer
3 min read

Ordering E-journals - video

Activating E-journals - video

Pre-Order Searching

Perform an Electronic Portfolios => Title search in the Institution Zone to see if the portfolio has already been ordered and activated. If not, proceed with instructions below.

If you find the portfolio has already been activated in the Institution Zone, create the order on that portfolio; begin Order the eJournal instructions at step 4. There is no subsequent need to activate the portfolio, but do verify coverage and update coverage if necessary (Activate the eJournal step 4). 

Order the eJournal 

  1. Use the search type Electronic Portfolios and search criteria Title, then enter the title

  2. Click on the Community Zone tab or select the Community Zone icon (people icon) in the search bar, then click search.

  3. Locate your title in the appropriate Electronic Collection (e.g., JSTOR Language & Literature Current). The correct Electronic Collection will be provided by ERIN.

  4. Click Order

  5. PO Line Owner and Type screen will appear. Choose the following:

    1. Purchase Type: Electronic Journal - Subscription
    2. PO line owner: Choose the unit placing the order as appropriate, e.g. ITS at Langdell
    3. Load from template: Select a template for this workflow (Best Practice from the ERWG)
    4. Click Create PO Line.

  6. Purchase Order Line Details screen will appear - look at the Summary Tab

    1. Ordered Items section
      1. License: Generally it is not necessary to select a license. It will be inherited from the Electronic Collection.
    2. Vendor Information section
      1. Material Supplier: As with a print subscription, enter the correct subscription vendor and account. 
      2. Access Provider: You may choose an Access Provider if applicable.
      3. Claiming grace period (days): No edits necessary.
      4. Expected activation after ordering (days): No edits necessary, unless desirable for a specific workflow.
      5. Expected activation date: No edits necessary, unless desirable for a specific workflow.
      6. E-Activation due after ordering (days):  Defaults to 30 days. No edits necessary, unless desirable for a specific workflow.
        (Activation dates determine when the title appears in the Electronic Resource Activation Task List.)
    3. Pricing and Funding sections
      1. Add list price and fund. 
        1. Click Add Fund to open the Fund selection window.
        2. Search for and select the correct fund.
        3. Click the Add Fund button to apply fund.
    4. PO Line Details section
      1. Acquisition method: If you are placing the subscription directly from the vendor (e.g., via EBSCONET) choose Acquisitions Method: Purchase at Vendor System or Purchase – without letter.
      2. Material type: Accept default (Journal)
      3. Invoice status: Do not change. This will update automatically as order goes through invoicing process.
      4. Reporting code: 7059 

    5. Renewal section

      1. Manual renewal box: Uncheck

      2. Subscription from date and Subscription to date: Neither is required, but you may add a Subscription from date.  Do not add a Subscription to date – this will close the POL after that date if the Manual renewal box is unchecked.

      3. Renewal date: Enter 12/31/2099

      4. Renewal cycle: accept default (1 Year)

      5. Renewal reminder period (days): accept default (0)

  7. Click Order now.
  8. When asked to confirm, click Confirm.

Activate the eJournal

When access to the e-journal has been granted by the vendor, activate the e-journal in Alma. 

  1. Click on the Task List icon (clipboard with a check mark) in the main menu bar.

  2. Click on Electronic resources >> Activation >> Unassigned.

    1. Open the list. The field Status will identify the necessary action for each title; a newly ordered title will have a status of Check access. 
    2. Select the correct line. Once the user begins to edit the task, it is automatically assigned to their account and will show up in the Assigned to me tab. 
    3. From the ellipsis to the right of the title, select Test access. This will bring you to the resource itself to verify full text access and coverage.
    4. If full text is not yet available, follow up with the vendor. At this point, the resource is not available to the public and the title is suppressed. 
    5. When access and coverage has been verified, select Activate from the ellipsis to the right of the title.
    6. Click Confirm, and then Confirm again. The title is no longer suppressed, and the link is available to the public.
  3. General tab
    1. In the Library field, enter the ordering library. (The default is the PO line owner, but owning library is preferred. If the eJournal is funded by more than one library, do not change the default.)

  4. Coverage tab: Verify the dates. If your subscription entitlement differs from the Global Date Information (as indicated by ERIN):

    1. Add coverage information to the Local Date Information section

    2. Switch the Which coverage statement will be applied? radio button to Only local.

  5. Click Save.  

  6. You are then taken to the Assigned to Me tab of the Electronic Resource Activation Task List.

  7. Click on the row action item list icon next to the title and select Done.