FAQs

"Database" type collections in Alma are collections that have been contributed to the Community Zone without any portfolios/titles. Ex Libris is dependent on vendors to send data for discovery, and not all vendors send title level content. In addition, Abstract & Indexing databases would not have portfolios to activate because they do not provide any article-level full-text access.

However, you may want to activate a database for the following reasons:

• To make the database searchable by database name in Primo VE. Note that you can also use the Resource Recommender to populate databases in your search results.
• Some databases have associated search records from the CDI that you may want to populate in your expanded search.
• Link in Record type databases can be activated for CDI search AND full-text delivery.

You do not have to make a database active to use it only for acquisitions. It's possible to order a database and leave the bib record suppressed so that the database is not searchable in Primo by title.

Required Roles:

• For managing electronic resources:
  • Electronic Inventory Operator
  • Electronic Inventory Operator Extended (required for delete operations)
  • Repository Manager
• For ordering:
  • Purchasing Operator
  • Purchasing Manager

Order:

• Perform an Electronic Collection search by Electronic Collection Name in the Community Zone (CZ) 
  • Use the Interface Filter on the left to make sure that you find the collection from your specific vendor
• Review the record to ensure it’s the desired record and resource, and click the button to Order using the ellipses:
  
• Select the appropriate PO Line Type using the Recommended options:
  • The PO Line Type has an impact on the entire order and cannot be changed once the POL is created, so it’s important to select the correct line type.
    
• Select the PO line owner and click Create PO Line. If using a template, select the desired template from the Load from Template drop-down menu:
  
• Enter the required information in the POL and any desired optional information. For more information about creating a POL, please see the Purchase Order Line creation and editing documentation. The POL images below illustrate the required fields:
  
  
• Because the PO Line Type is Electronic Collection – Subscription, it’s necessary to complete the Renewal section. For more information about Renewing subscription resources, please see the Renewal documentation.
  
• Once the POL is complete, click Order Now or Save and Continue.
  • By clicking Order Now, the POL is automatically sent to be packaged into a PO. By clicking Save and Continue, the POL is packaged in an overnight job.
  • If an error message appears about a missing reporting code, click Confirm or Cancel and enter a reporting code.

Activate:

• Once the POL has been sent to packaging, the resource will appear in the Task List as Electronic Resources – activation – unassigned. Click on this option to open the Electronic Resource Activation Task List:
  
• Use the ellipses to view the options for electronic resource activation and select Edit Resource:
  
• Database type collections, unlike aggregator or selective collections, do not have service and portfolio(s) to be assigned or activated. 
  • If you would like the database to appear as a result in a Primo search, make sure that the database bibliographic record is not suppressed, check that the Level URL is accurate, and say yes to proxy
  • CDI tab:
    • If you would like any associated search records to appear in your expanded search, make the CDI Search activation status active
    • If the collection is a Link in Record type collection, make sure search activation is active, and also check the CDI-only full text activation box so that the search records and full text links will show up in a full-text search
• When complete, click Save. Once the resource has been edited by a user, the activation will no longer appear in the Unassigned tab and will instead be assigned to the user that edited the record and appear in the Assigned to Me tab.
• It’s possible to assign the activation to another user by using the Assign To option:
  • Select a user, and if desired, send the user a notification by checking the Send Email box and entering a message in the Note field. When complete, click Assign To. The activation will now appear in the Assigned to Others tab.
• Back in the Electronic Resources Activation Task List, use the ellipses to select Test Access.
  
• The Online Services page should appear, and click on the hyperlinked resource title to test access.
  
• Return to the Electronic Resource Activation Task List and click Done to release the resource from the Task List.
  
• Once the resource is ordered and activated, the next step is invoicing. Please refer to the Invoicing documentation for instructions on how to create, edit, and close invoices.