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Alma Resource Management Guide

This guide explains all aspects of the cataloging process, including loading, editing, and deleting bibliographic records, holdings records, and item records in Alma.

Metadata Editor

Page Contents:
What is the Metadata Editor?
How to Get to the MDE
Roles Required for the MDE
Releasing and Saving Records in the MDE
Keyboard Shortcuts

 

What's The Metadata Editor (MDE) ?

The Metadata Editor or MDE is a space in alma found on the left main menu. 

It is an extremely helpful space that can be used to manually edit bibliographic records. holdings records, normalization rules, and record templates.

 

The MDE can be used to:

  • Create and edit bib records
  • Create and edit holdings records
  • Add local extensions to bib and holdings records
  • Create rules
  • Use search indexes
  • View record versions
  • View relate inventory
  • Share records with the Network
  • Merge & combine inventory

How to Get to the Metadata Editor

from the Alma main page:

go to the left side main menu and click "Show MDE"

this will open up the Metadata Editor screen

from a record:

when looking at a record or list of records in Alma, there are two options for entering the MDE.

First, you can click "Push to MDE" at the top of the page. This "Pushes" the record to the MDE and when you are ready to edit it, you must click "show MDE from the main menu, and your selected record(s) will be on the list, ready for editing.

Second, you can find the "Edit Record" button next to individual record and this will automatically open up the MDE and have the bib record ready to edit.

Roles Required for using the MDE

One of the following roles is required to work with metadata (excluding holdings records):

  • Cataloger
  • Catalog Manager
  • Catalog Administrator


One of the following roles is requires to work with holdings records in the MD Editor:

  • Physical Inventory Operator
  • Physical Inventory Operator Limited
  • Purchase Manager
  • Purchase Operator
  • Repository Manager
  • Physical Inventory Delete (required to delete holdings records)

 

Ex Libris documentation on the Metadata Editor

 

Releasing and Saving Records used in the MDE

 

Once you are finished working with bib, holding, or item records in the MDE, you'll need to save and then release the record. Please see the documentation in FLVC Cataloging Guide: Bib record's Save and Release Records page.

 

Quick links to keyboard shortcuts:

The TSSC Training Subcommittee has a printable document on MDE Keyboard shortcuts. You can find all of the subcommittee's training documents on their Libguide

Harvard's Keyboard Shortcuts