Items - overview and best practice on when to create item records

Owned by Jennifer Koerber (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Jun 18, 2024 by Corinna Baksik
3 min read

General information to know

  • Users authorized to update items can update items from all libraries.  Logins are no longer limited to a specific set of libraries.

  • A bibliographic record may have holdings record(s) without items, however...Items must be attached to holdings. Alma will not allow you to create an item without a holding. When creating an item, Alma will also create a holding if one does not already exist for the item's library/location/call-number.


  • Records can only be suppressed at the bib or holdings level, not at the item level. Individual items cannot be suppressed
  • Temporary locations:

    • When moving items from one location to another, staff have the option of inputting an end date for the temporary location. On this date, an automated job will warn staff to return these items to their regular location.

    • Items at their temp locations use the fulfillment policies and rules of the new location.

  • Items at a remote storage facility need to be associated with a holding location code for the remote storage facility to ensure that request and transit work orders function properly.  

  • Barcodes: Alma will not permit you to add a duplicate barcode. 

  • When viewing search results in Alma, there is a summary line of holdings/items. The system lists the first and last item held so this is not a true summary, just an "at a glance" status. In this case when you go see the items HYL actually has 2008-2015, but is missing 2011. The system does not mention the gap: 

(click to see the image full-size)


When to create item records

In almost all cases, an item record should be created for a physical piece. Exceptions:

  • Bound-with analyzed titles. Each analyzed title should have a holding, which can use a 977 field to reference the bib with the barcoded item. Best Practices for Use of MARC Local Field 977. Note that analyzed titles in bound-with's may have an item record to support Aeon requests. 
  • Titles that are not permanently retained, do not circulate, and are not claimed, such as the most recent year of specific periodicals

Item records are usually created at the time of order. For serials on a predictable schedule, staff run item prediction jobs each year (or more frequently) for each run of a serial title to create issues for future receipt.  For unpredictable serials, items may be created at time of receipt. 

Functions that require item records 

For any of these functions to work, an item must exist: 

  • Circulation, including pick-up requests
  • Claiming for missing/damaged issues
  • Scan & Deliver eligibility
  • Offsite storage retrieval
  • Links from HOLLIS to Aeon
  • ReCAP Shared Collection inclusion
  • Prospective scanning projects

Additional important reasons for the creation of item records

  • Item records are the most reliable and explicit source of information for what we hold for serials and multi-volume works.
  • Item records with enum/chron data are shared with partners for collection purposes including potential de-duplication. 
  • Item enum/chron is more likely to be accurate because it is easier to enter than data in the MARC holding format
  • Students can be trained to create and populate item records, but they cannot be easily trained on the MARC holdings format

See also