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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.

Saving and Releasing Records in the MD Editor

 

Page Contents: 
Overview
Releasing Records
Save and Release
Closing Records

 

Overview

Bib and holdings records that are opened in the MD Editor need to be released once the cataloger is done viewing and/or editing the records. Bib or holdings records opened in the MD Editor will be locked until they are released manually by the user or after the hour on non-activity in the MD Editor. Releasing the records allows other catalogers in FLVC to open NZ linked bib records in the MD Editor and other catalogers at your library to open the IZ only bib records and holdings records in the MD Editor. 

Every time a bib or holdings record is saved in the MD Editor a new version is created, therefor:

  • "Release Record" should be used when no changes have been made to the bib or holding record
  • "Save and Release Record" should be used when:
    • Local notes are added or remove from a bib record
    • Holdings records have been modified

 

 

Releasing Records

If a bib record is opened in the MD Editor without making any changes use "Release Record." Using "Release Record" releases the record without saving the record as a new version. Release records by:

  • Going to Record Actions>Release Records (Alt+Shft+R) - in the new MD Editor
  • Click "Yes" when the confirmation message appears

Releasing Records from the Records List

Records that have not been released and remain in the record list can be released by:

  1. Click on the "Release displayed records in List" icon
  2. Click "Yes" when the confirmation message appears

 

 

Save and Release Records

If a bib record is opened in the MD Editor and changes has been made to the bib record use "Save and Release Record.' "Save and Release Record" will save the changes to the bib record and create a new version. Save and release records by:

  • Going to Save>Save and Release Records (Ctrl+Alt+R) - in the new MD Editor

 

 

Closing Records in the MD Editor

Closing a record using the "X" in the upper right-hand corner of the record will close the record from displaying in the Main Pane of the MD Editor, but it does not release the record from the MD Editor. The record will remain in the record list of the MD Editor until it has been released. It will no longer be locked after 1 hour of inactivity.

If you are finished working with a bib or holdings record it is better to:

  1. "Save and Release the Record" if changes have been made record or
  2. "Release Record" if no changes have been made to the record

To Close a record that is open in the Main Pane of the MD Editor that the user plans to return to at a later time:

  1. Click the "X" in the upper right-hand corner of the header of the title that is open in the editing pane of the MD Editor