DRAFT - E-resources 1 - Class Materials and Script

Handouts, resources and display documents

Pre-reading and reference documents

• ERIN Application reference
• Licenses reference
• Usage Statistics in Alma reference
• Vendor information for e-resources processes reference
• Introduction to the Community Zone pre-reading

Outline and Links to related documentation

Script

Introduction

Welcome to eResources 1. My name is ..... and our facilitator/s in this class is/are... .

This class covers (ADD BRIEF OVERVIEW OF CONTENTS). It builds on what you learned in Search and Sets and (OTHER PRE-REQS). As we work, you can follow along with me as I demonstrate, or wait until each practice break to try it yourself.

A few notes:

• Alma went live on July 3rd and, as expected, we're learning new things about it as staff work with real data in the system. Everyone is continuing to learn Alma, and will have the support they need to do so.
  
  
• We are training on the tool of Alma, and while there is usually more than one way to do anything in Alma, we will show you one verified or preferred way to do tasks. Once you've learned the best practice, we encourage staff to discuss local procedures and workflows in your units.
  
  
• We also encourage everyone to come together in Learning Circles - either cross-functional within units or on the same functions across units - to discuss how the implementation is going and how the new features and workflows in Alma might change work at Harvard.
  
  
• Please continue to use the LTS Alma Support form to ask questions and report issues with Alma data, workflows, or roles & permissions. Asking these questions, and working groups providing answers, is an important part of everyone learning more about Alma. You can find the link in the Notifications widget in Alma, along with the link to Alma documentation on the LTS wiki.
  
  
• You have a 1-page handout that contains a link to the Alma sandbox, the wiki page for this class, and a few other useful links. (If there are other handouts, describe them.) The script and all materials for this class are available to review on the wiki, and will continue to be updated with any changes in procedures.

Some quick logistics information: 

• The nearest bathrooms & water supply are:
  
  • Lamont rooms: Restrooms are gendered by floor. Lamont 310 is on a men's room floor, Lamont B-30 is on a women's room floor.
  • 90 Mt Auburn: Two restrooms are on the opposite side of the building on the basement level, water is in the kitchenette and in a fountain by the restrooms
  • 625 Mass Ave: Restrooms are at the opposite end of the building on the 3rd floor, by the water fountain
• Please ask questions when they come up; I will also pause between sections for questions and to make sure things are clear.

Let's start by introducing ourselves. (Go around the room and ask everyone to share their name, library/unit, and how this class relates to their work.)

Now, if you haven't already, please log in to Alma.

High level overview of electronic resources for beginners:

• Ebooks and electronic journals are ordered just like their print counterparts (See acq training), but don't require any item or shelf prep work.  Individual title purchases may start with patron requests or the work of selectors.  New requests are tracked in the Eresources group using ERIN, a workflow managing tool.
• Electronic content lives at the vendor/publisher site, and we essentially lease access to that content via licenses.  
• Generally speaking we purchase Harvard-wide electronic access - authenticated use is via ip address.    Off campus access goes through the proxy server, for which users must use Harvard credentials (Harvard Key).  A few resources require users to create an additional user account.
• There are many different models for ebook publishing:  ebooks take many forms.  Integrating resource, pdf or html versions of the print book, downloadable, etc...
• Once purchased and available on the publisher site, books and journals must be activated in Alma for users to be able to find them.  This happens via the CZ.
• CZ records are activated in Alma, which creates an instance of the same record in our IZ.  Any updates to the CZ record from Ex Libris will be reflected in our IZ records automatically.
• Records from the CZ can be enhanced with additional subject headings, etc. in the metadata editor.
• We get standardized COUNTER reports for journal and book usage via Alma's SUSHI service.  These reports inform decisions about whether to keep or cancel low use journals, or buy additional content for heavily used titles.
• Troubleshooting Problems:  occasionally we lose access to eresources, sometimes because the publisher detects suspicious activity from a Harvard account, but problems can occur for any number of technical reasons.  Troubleshooting electronic resources is a daily activity and can involve staff from LTS and HUIT.  Access problems are usually tracked using Footprints tickets.
• Journal cancellations, end of life for ebooks:  When libraries cancel journal subscriptions, we often retain access to the years that our subscription was active (not always!).  In these cases, we update the coverage statement in Alma to reflect our entitlements.

Notes/Outline:

• Overview: Mapping SFX, Verde, Aleph work to Alma

  • Aleph workflow:

    Requests and overall workflow tracked via ERIN

    Descriptive and Acquisitions work

    Bib record: Bring in via OCLC or create, further cataloging work passed along to catalogers when needed

    add holdings

    add order(s)

    process invoices

    Linking:

    When resource live at publisher/provider site, create a urn (ERNIE), put in the Aleph holdings record

    (If new resource, will need to be proxied)

    And/or

    SFX: activate appropriate targets, services, portfolios; configure updates

    update coverage dates and linking information when needed

    Verde:  Record licenses, admin info for publisher sites/platforms, cost share info

    Usage

    UStat – SUSHI and manually downloaded COUNTER reports

    Related automated tasks in metadata management

    EDI

    Order loader

    Batch loading/updating of ebook packages

    Others:

    Activation in Metalib, Primo to make resources visible in library portal

    Maintenance and troubleshooting

    Broken links, access or authentication problems 

    Breaches

    Other technical problems

  • Alma workflow:

    Alma integrates work previously spread across multiple interfaces, products that didn’t talk to each other

    Bibs brought in from external source (e.g., OCLC) or CZ, descriptive work/cataloging in metadata editor

    SFX-like tasks such as activation and updating coverage occurs in Community Zone (CZ)

                    services

                    collections

                    portfolios

    Local collections & portfolios may be created when necessary and linked to CZ at a later date

    License & Acq work - ordering & invoicing, integration with ERIN requests

     

The CZ and creating local collections & portfolios when necessary

License & Acq work - ordering & invoicing, integration with ERIN requests

• • order loader
  • EDI
  • 'manual' & ad hoc ordering
• Activation & proxy work
  • testing access/activation at vendor site
    
    • single title ebook/journal
    • batch of ebooks
    • ebook package
    • other examples?
  • default proxy, other proxy options (e.g., Law)
  • services
  • running jobs (?)
• Platform info & tasks
  • finding the 'right' vendor record; vendor types in Alma(?)
  • admin logins - IP ranges, etc
  • usage reports - SUSHI, ad hoc 
• Relationship between CZ and PCI - how work in Alma maps to OPAC display in Hollis
• When are we done, and how do we know?