MarcEdit with Alma SRU Integration lets library staff connect MarcEdit — a tool used to edit and manage library records — directly to the Alma library system.

With this connection in place, staff can:

✅ Search Alma’s catalog records from inside MarcEdit

✅ Pull records into MarcEdit for cleanup or edits

✅ Send updated records back into Alma without extra steps

To make this work, Alma must be set up with an SRU integration profile that allows outside tools like MarcEdit to search its records. MarcEdit also needs permission (through an API key) and the correct connection settings. Once everything is set up, staff can work more smoothly between the two systems, saving time and reducing manual work.

Instructions

If you have a Mac computer, you must first install Homebrew and Yaz. See MarcEdit Mac: Enabling Z39.50 Support for instructions.

1. Contact OLS for needed setup:

• API key
  • Bibs: Read/Write
  • Users: Read/Write
• SRU integration profile
• ISIL Code

2. Test the MarcEdit API key

A successful test will return an XML response in your browser or tool, showing bibliographic record details (for the bibs) or a user list (for the users); if you see an error or empty result, double-check the MMS ID or API key.

• For a single bibliographic record: https://api-na.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/almaws/v1/bibs/[MMS_ID]?apikey=[API_KEY]
  • Replace [MMS_ID] with the actual MMS ID (remove the brackets).
  • Replace [API_KEY] with your actual API key (remove the brackets).
• For a list of users (limited to 10): https://api-na.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/almaws/v1/users?limit=10&offset=0&order_by=last_name%2C%20first_name%2C%20primary_id&apikey=[API_KEY]
  • Replace [API_KEY] with your actual API key (remove the brackets).

3. Configure ILS integration in MarcEdit

• Click the Settings icon.
• Go to the "ILS Integration" tab.
• Check the box next to "Enable ILS Options."
• Under “Profiles,” select Alma.
• Enter the following information:
  • Host Name: https://api-na.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/
  • Username: (leave blank)
  • Password: paste the MarcEdit API key.

4. Set up the SRU server in MarcEdit

• Check the “Use Z39.50 Settings” box.
• Select New SRU Database.
• Enter the following information:
  • Name: Choose something descriptive.
  • URL: https://na07.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/view/sru/[institutioncode]
  • Version: 1.2
  • Metadata Schema: MARCXML
  • Search Profile: Custom
  • Title Index: alma.title
  • Author Index: alma.creator
  • Subject Index: alma.subjects
  • ISBN Index: alma.isbn
  • ISSN Index: alma.issn
  • Record # Index: alma.mms_id
  • Keyword Index: alma.all_for_ui
• Click Save.
• Click Apply.
• Click Close.

5. Verify the Alma menu

• Open MarcEditor to confirm that the Alma menu is now available.