FRBR and Dedup are rules for grouping and merging Alma records for display in Primo VE.

FRBR is the grouping of related records based on matching fields, such as uniform title.
Dedup is the merging of duplicate (or near duplicate) records, ex: electronic & print versions, based on unique identifiers, such as ISSN, ISBN, OCLC number, etc.

The goal of FRBR/Dedup is to maximize space within Primo VE results, consolidating duplicates and making it easier and quicker for researchers to discover, display, and access materials in multiple formats and related content.

We have been using default FRBR/Dedup settings in Primo VE, with all records matched, merged, and grouped wherever possible, with the following exceptions:

• Special Collections materials are suppressed (i.e. excluded) from the FRBR/Dedup process (local practice implemented by UB for UB only);
• Works with uniform title "The BIble" are suprressed from FRBR/Dedup (SUNY implementation across consortia, in response to UB report of inappropriately broad groupings preventing easy access to known items).

We have observed and responded to the need to adapt FRBR/Dedup configuration for specific collections and titles. In addition to these kinds of specific rule modifications, it is also possible to disable FRBR, Dedup, or both, for all materials, within all or any views (ex: Everything, Catalog, Journals, Reserve -- or within newly created views).

It now seems a good time to local satisfaction with FRBR/Dedup settings overall. Do we find that our current FRBR/Dedup settings are generally helpful to our users and their research? Would our users benefit from search results in which FRBR was disabled, so related records were not grouped? Would disabling Dedup be preferrable to users, so that electronic and physical holdings were not merged on a single record?

If you are interested in FRBR/Dedup configuration in Primo VE, please run some test searches in the different test views and share your feedback with babb@buffalo.edu.