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- Updating the bibliographic record in Alma (optional)
- Updating the bibliographic description for the PO line (optional)
- Verify Verifying that the publisher has given us full-text access
- Activating the portfolio
- Editing the portfolio
- Marking the title as Done in the Electronic Resource Activation Task List
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These instructions apply to ebooks ordered from via GOBI. Ebooks acquired via other methods, such as Rialto, have different processing instructions.
How do I know when an ebook is ready to be cataloged?
With the exceptions detailed below, ebooks are ready to be cataloged when all three conditions are met:
- We have received the NOA (notification of access) email
- The title appears on the Alma Electronic Resource Activation List (the "clipboard")
- Full-text access has been turned on by the publisher
NOA (notification of access) emails
When an ebook order has been processed by the publisher, GOBI sends an email with a subject line that starts with "GOBI NOA:" followed by the name of the publisher (NOA stands for "notice of access"). The email is sent to the Electronic Resources team's distribution list (eresources@rice.edu) and to individual catalogers who work on ebooks. Contact GOBI to add or remove notification recipients.
Here is an example of an NOA. Below the introductory text of the email is information about the ebook(s):
Alma Electronic Resource Activation List (the "clipboard")
Ebooks fulfilled via GOBI are automatically loaded into Alma. This consists of a bibliographic record with an order attached and an electronic portfolio. The portfolio may be part of an electronic collection or standalone. When the ebook order is loaded into Alma, it will appear on the Electronic Resource Activation List , which we colloquially call the clipboard. The Electronic Resource Activation List can be accessed by clicking on the clipboard icon 
at the top of your Alma screen and selecting Electronic Resources > Activation - unassigned.
Full-text access
For most publishers, full-text access to the ebook is turned on by the time the NOA is received . For but for other publishers, it may be several days (or longer!) before access is turned on. Ideally, full-text access should be verified before cataloging, particularly for ebooks from smaller publishers. However, in order to streamline the process, verification can be postponed to Step 3 below for ebooks from vendors like EBSCO and ProQuest.
The simplest way to check if full-text access has been turned on by the publisher is to click the URL provided in the NOA while on campus (or over VPN if you are off-campus). An alternative to using VPN while off-campus is to access the ebook through our proxy by prepending the link with "http://ezproxy.rice.edu/login?url=" (you may need to log in with your netID).
Exceptions/troubleshooting
Problem: We received an NOA and full-text access is turned on, but the title does not appear on the clipboard. | |
|---|---|
| Possible explanation | Solution |
Alma has not had a chance to catch up yet. Alma runs a daily job that adds titles to the clipboard. Depending on when the order was submitted to GOBI, it may take an extra day for the title to appear on the clipboard. This is the most common issue for ebooks on platforms that normally deliver ebooks quickly, like EBSCO and ProQuest. | Wait 1 day then check the clipboard again. Do not attempt to catalog the ebook until it shows up on the clipboard. Doing so may notifications (if any interested users have requested to be notified) to not be sent. |
| The title is part of an electronic standing order. Titles that are part of standing orders are delivered as each volume is published. E-standing order titles are not automatically loaded into Alma so they will not appear on the clipboard. Verify that the title is part of a standing order by searching for the title in GOBI and checking the order details. | If you are trained on working with electronic resources, find and activate the appropriate electronic portfolio from the Community Zone. If not, ask the Eresources Team for assistance. Once the portfolio has been activated, make these edits:
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Problem: We received an NOA and the title appears on the clipboard but access has not been turned on. | |
|---|---|
| Possible explanation | Solution |
The publisher is still processing the order. Some publishers, such as De Gruyter, routinely take over a week to send an NOA, and there may be a further delay before access is turned on. | If it has been more than three business days since receipt of the NOA, email the Head of Acquisitions and ask them to follow up with the publisher. |
| The title has not yet been published. You can check the ebook's publication date in GOBI, which will say "not yet published" in the Status column. | Wait until the title has been published. The publisher will not send a notification when the ebook is activated, so the title will need to be monitored regularly. |
Problem: We received a GOBI order confirmation but we did not receive an NOA. | |
|---|---|
| Possible explanation | Solution |
GOBI cancelled the order. When GOBI is unable to fulfill an ebook order, the order is cancelled but the library is usually not notified. When an order is cancelled, it will be reflected on GOBI's website. | Notify the Head of Acquisitions that the order has been cancelled. They will follow up with the selector. |
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Cataloging procedures
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