LibAnswers: TCC Library Staff

Export MARC for a set of ALMA bibliographic records 

STEP 1: Create a set in Alma using the instructions linked below.

STEP 2: Under ADMIN > Run a job > Select Export Bibliographic records > Click Next.  

STEP 3: Select the job > Click Next. 

STEP 4: For Physical format, select Binary. Click Next. On the Run a Job - Review and Confirm screen, click Submit.  

STEP 5: Wait while the job status is initializing. An email will be sent when the file is done loading. Click on the History tab or Admin > Monitor Jobs > History to see the bibliographic records file.

STEP 6: Click on the file. Click on the Link to Exported records.

 STEP 7: Click on the 3 dots next to the file name and click Download.

STEP 8: In the computer's Downloads file, rename the file. A helpful standard naming convention is YEAR XX LC (YEAR being the current year, XX being your initials, and LC being the classification range; e.g. 2025 BH B-BD).

Importing a MARC file into Bowker Book Systems 

STEP 1: Sign into Bowker Book Analysis System - https://www.bowkersbookanalysis.com/Pages/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fPages%2fIndex.aspx  

STEP 2: Select a resource to compare against. This is typically Resources for College Libraries - Career Resources. 

STEP 3: Select Manage my Files. Click Upload File.

STEP 4: Click Choose File. Navigate to Downloads and select the renamed .mrc file. Click Upload File. Wait for the "File Uploaded Successfully" message. Click Process File. (If the file is too big, it may not load successfully. Try created a smaller set in Alma.)

STEP 5: Fill out the Process New File form. Description, First Name, Last Name, Email, Re-enter Email, File Name and File Format are required.

Click Select File and find the renamed file in the list. Click Select. Click Next when the form is complete.

STEP 6: On the Template Section page, Select Use a Marc Format File Mapping Template you already created: Basic Template. Click Next. Click Finish. Wait for the email confirmation that the file is done processing with the link to the results.

STEP 7: Click on the link in the confirmation email.

STEP 8: Select the resource to compare TCC holdings to. You can run comparisons against any option or all three. 

STEP 9: Select the file. Select Subject Classification System. Play with RCL and LC to see which provides you the information you need. Click Update. 

STEP 10: Click on the individual results to see comparisons by LC. Download the core titles you have and/or the core titles not in the library. Combine the individual results into one Excel workbook for Core Titles in Library and Core Titles NOT in Library. Use the percentages to complete the collection assessment conspectus. Consider the core titles for collection development purposes.