FAQs

Electronic government documents should be handled in Alma like other electronic resources. There is an electronic collection in the Community Zone for US Government Documents, but it is not regularly maintained. Therefore, it's recommended to create a local electronic collection to maintain electronic government documents.

Required roles:

• Electronic inventory operator
• Electronic inventory operator extended

Steps:

1. Create a local electronic collection
2. Export the correct format bib record to the Institution Zone (IZ)
3. Create an electronic portfolio (two options)
   • Create a local portfolio workflow (no POL option)
     • Optional - Add a POL after creating a local portfolio
   • Create a Purchase Order Line (POL) workflow
     • Edit and activate the portfolio
4. Removing portfolios

Create a Local Electronic Collection:

1. Go to Resources>Create Inventory>Add Local Electronic Collection
2. The Electronic Collection Editor opens
   • Public Name: Government Documents (or some variation)
   • Collection: Selective Package
   • Service Type: Full Text
   • Library: [select library]
3. Click Save and Continue
4. Electronic Service Editor opens (omitted tabs and settings can be left as is)
   • Activation Tab
     • Service Activation Status: Available
     • Active from date: [select today's date]
     • Service temporarily unavailable message: NO
   • Linking Tab
     • Service is free: Not free
     • Proxy enabled: No
5. Click Save

To search for the local electronic collection:

• Perform a repository search: Electronic Collection: Electronic Collection Name: Government Documents [or name of the local collection]

Export the Correct Format Bib Record to the Institution Zone (IZ):

1. Perform a search in OCLC Connexion for the correct format of the government documents bib record
2. Make sure it is an electronic version of the bib record
3. Make sure you're exporting to the IZ rather than the NZ
4. Export the bib record to the IZ

Create a Local Portfolio (No POL option):

1. Go to Resources>Create Inventory>Add Local Portfolio
2. New Portfolio screen (omit or leave as it for fields not mentioned below)
   • Descriptive Information section
     • Creation type: Use Existing
     • Choose title: Search for and select the title you just added to the IZ
   • General Information section
     • Portfolio type: Part of a Collection
     • Electronic Collection: Search for and select the gov doc electronic collection
   • Inventory and Linking  Information section
     • URL: [copy the URL from the bib being used]
     • Proxy enabled: No
     • Availability status: Yes
     • Electronic material type: [select correct material type]
     • Click Save and Done
     • Click Test Access from the ellipses of the local portfolio

Optional: Create a POL from a local portfolio

1. Click Order from the ellipses
2. PO Line Owner and Type screen opens
   • PO Line Type: [select the correct electronic format]
   • PO Line Owner: [select the ordering library]
   • Create Multiple Portfolios: [leave unchecked]
   • Load from template: [leave blank unless a gov doc template has been created]
   • Update inventory manually: [leave unchecked]
3. Click Create PO Line
4. Purchase Order Lines Screen opens: (omit or leave as it for fields not mentioned below)
   • Material Supplier: [select Gov docs vendor - create the vendor if it does not exist]
   • Access Provider: [select the access provider for Gov Docs]
   • Acquisitions Method: Technical
   • Material Type: Government Documents
   • Reporting code: [use if one has been created for government documents]
5. Click Order Now
6. Click Confirm
7. No need to activate it as the portfolio is already activated

Create a Purchase Order Line (POL):

1. Perform an All Titles Search by OCLC #, MMS ID (from export) or Titles in the IZ
2. Click Order from the correct bib record
3. PO Line Owner and Type screen opens
   • PO Line Type: [select the correct electronic format]
   • PO Line Owner: [select the ordering library]
   • Create Multiple Portfolios: [leave unchecked]
   • Load from template: [leave blank unless a gov doc template has been created]
   • Update inventory manually: [leave unchecked]
4. Click Create PO Line
5. Purchase Order Lines Screen opens: (omit or leave as it for fields not mentioned below)
   • Material Supplier: [select Gov docs vendor - create the vendor if it does not exist]
   • Access Provider: [select the access provider for Gov Docs]
   • Acquisitions Method: Technical
   • Material Type: Government Documents
   • Reporting code: [use if one has been created for government documents]
6. Click Order Now
7. Click Confirm

Edit and Activate the Portfolio:

1. Click on the "Tasks requiring your attention" icon or from the Task List
2. Select Electronic resources - activation -unassigned
3. The Unassigned tab opens
4. Click Edit Resource from the ellipses for the electronic bib record
   • The electronic title has been moved to the Assigned to me tab
5. The Electronic Portfolio Editor screen opens (omit or leave as it for fields not mentioned below)
   • ​General Tab:
     • Portfolio availability: Available
     • Electronic Material Type: [select the correct material type]
     • Interface Name: [populates from the POL]
     • Library: [populates from the POL]
     • Access type: perpetual
   • Linking Tab:
     • URL Type: Static URL
     • Static URL: [leave blank]
     • Proxy enabled: No
     • Click Test Access
   • Click Attach to an Electronic Collection (at the top next to Cancel/Save)
   • Select a Collection and Service screen opens
     • Electronic Collection: [click on Select the electronic collection from the list icon]
     • Perform a search for local electronic collection
     • Click on the collection. If it does not take you to the confirmation message, reload the page and edit the resource again and Attach to an Electronic Collection. Make sure Portfolio Availability is set to Available.
     • Click Confirm
   1. Click Save
   2. Click Done from the ellipses of the newly activated electronic titles

Removing Portfolios from the Government Documents Local Electronic Collection:

1. Perform a repository search for the Electronic Collection: Electronic Collection: Electronic Collection Name: Government Documents (or name assigned)
2. Click Edit Service from the ellipse of the local electronic collection
3. Click on the Portfolios tab. You can search for the portfolio to be deleted by ISBN, ISSN, or Title
4. Click in the check box next to the portfolio(s)
5. Click Delete Selected
6. Delete Confirmation screen opens
   • Handling bibliographic records without inventory: Delete bibliographic record(s)
7. Click Confirm

See Also: How do I use an import profile to add government documents to a local electronic collection?