Alma
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For more information please review our FAQ and guidelines. Thank you.
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Patron Loan Limits should work like network level blocks
For institutions using Resource Sharing or fulfillment networks, we recently gained the ability to use network level blocks, however most of our blocked patrons are blocked due to loan limits configuration (cash, overdue recalls, etc), not manual blocks.
We would like the ability to include those blocks as network blocks as well, so that our patrons that visit other sites will have the same level of blocks as their home institution without us having to manually add a block.
17 votes -
Confirm button for adding manual charges and/or ability to edit/delete manual charges
It would be helpful to have a confirm button when adding manual charges, just as you do when waiving charges. Also, can we have the ability to edit or delete manual charges? We add charges for replacement costs for lost books, for example, and with no confirm button it can be too easy to mis-enter an amount, and as there is no functionality to edit or delete a charge you then have no option but to waive a charge and start again.
17 votes -
Bulk Import Citations
Sometimes, we get many reserves from our own collection that we will put on for professors.
It would be great to have a way to create a set, or some other itemized or logical list, to bulk import citations to a reading list. Of course, this would only be citations that exist within our repository.
17 votes -
Differentiate Returns screen from Patron look-up screen
Our student workers at circulation keep on trying to scan student IDs in the returns box or item barcodes in the Patron services box.
I would like to make the highlight around the Returns box anyway a different, bright, distinguishable color. It would make it easy for a student to glance at the screen and think, "bright yellow, I'm on the returns window." See attachment for a preview of this option.
(I realize our students should just pay more attention to what they are doing, but they don't.)17 votes -
Set different reshelving time for specific collections in a library
The August release added a temporary Awaiting Shelving status which can only be configured at the library or circulations desk level.
We circulate all of our collections through one circ desk, but have a much shorter reshelving period for course materials (less than an hour) than for the general collection (up to a day). It would be useful to set different time to reshelve periods for these collections.
17 votes -
Work order email notification option
We use work orders to request items from our other branches to be loaned out via interlibrary loan.
When the branch is unable to find the book, they click Mark as Missing on their Pick from Shelf list.
Unfortunately, this simply deletes the work order and doesn't notify us that the work order was deleted. We have to go into our Monitor Requests queue and actually scroll through all the completed requests to find the ones that were marked as missing.
I would like to request that when creating a new work order, there is an option to add an…
16 votes -
Allow Alma to allow renewals if a certain number of copies are "In Place"
We circulate short loan laptops and equipment but have a threshold that needs to be in stock before we will manually renew for users. As a result, we need to mediate renewals. It would be great if Alma could do this automatically so we could allow self-renewals of short loan equipment.
16 votes -
Provide a notice/warning on Scan In when a home delivery is blocked
When an item requested for home delivery is scanned in and the patron is blocked, e.g. due to excessive fines, Alma silently places the item on the Hold Shelf. There is no notice to the staff user that the item was requested for home delivery and that a fulfillment process was just interrupted.
We use home delivery exclusively for remote students that often will not be able to come in and pick up their items, so placing the item on the hold shelf will not help them.
And when/if the block is lifted (e.g. the user pays the fines) the…
16 votes -
Retrieving Returns from Advanced Search
Currently there is no option in Advanced search to detect all the recent Items returned on a specific day.
There is an existing function in Alma thats possible to detect only LoansPlease add this feature to be able to retrieve Retuns in Advanced search and not just from analytics (there the data is updated only to the previous day and not the current) .
16 votes -
Reduce 24 - 48 hour window between the time a Course and Reading list are created in Alma and the moment it appears in Primo
It is very difficulty to judge whether or not processing course reserve material are successfully completed until a full day and sometimes longer have lapsed if/when publishing in Primo is a concern. This happens - failure to publish in Primo - inspite of Course Reserve becoming available as loan-able in Alma.
16 votes -
Ability to see all holdings when viewing citations in a reading list
Currently a maximum of 3 Holdings is displayed for citations in a reading list. This means operators won’t see the details of all copies the library holds if there are more than 3 types of Holding. Viewing complete information is important for operators reviewing a reading list.
Furthermore, this default display of 3 Holdings is based on Availability therefore operators are likely to see information for materials held in lesser reference collections (these are always available!) rather than information for stock held in more popular lending collections.
Libraries should be allowed to set their own limit.16 votes -
Delay for hold notification - up to 5 digits
Even if a library is closed to the public, the staff are working.
When they scan a returned loan, a notification is sent but the patron cannot retrieve his document due to the closed library.
It would be beneficial for us to be able to delay the notification for a week.
We would like to get up to 5 digits the delay for hold notification. Currently, it's 3 digits max, 999 minutes (16 hours).16 votes -
All items loan and hold requests history - in citation view.
The new information available in the 'Other details' tab of items is great, can we also have this information made available in the citation view 'More Info' tab please?
15 votes -
sound alert for task
Sound Alerts for Pick From Shelf Requests
Can we please have a sound alert when new "Pick from Shelf" requests arrive as we use this for Reading Room requests which need to be actioned as soon as they arrive. Sound alerts would need to optional.
It would be good to have these available for other tasks in fulfillment such as when "holds" or "lost books" are returned and another action needs to happen15 votes -
calendar
Is it possible to help cut down on data entry within the calendar? For example, I run a 24/5 schedule (which looks like open 00:00 - 23:59). When I want to have exceptions where I reduce hours for the short time between semesters, I have to set up 2 exceptions for each day of the break which can last one to two weeks. If Monday is regularly what I wrote above, I need Monday exception #1 to be closed from 00:00 - 7:59 and Monday exception #2 to be closed from 23:00 - 23:59. This shows that my open hours…
14 votes -
Hold active until (collection) date
currently the time a requested book is held for a borrower does not show unless you go into the Active holds lists. It would be helpful if this was shown when the book is checked in and on the notice that automatically goes to the printer (which we put in the book until the book is collected)
14 votes -
Make "Previous User" list include patrons whose accounts have been opened by scanning a barcode
It would be ideal for the previous user list to include patrons whose accounts have been opened by scanning their barcode, not just those whose have been opened by typing in their name. The current functionality makes it non-useful for our staff
14 votes -
Add Circulation History Log to Alma as Patron History in Patron Records
Staff would benefit from having a circulation history log, as in Aleph, to track transactions much easier. That would greatly assist us in billing, since we do it manually. It is also useful for resolving patron issues with fines and fees issues, as well as overdue fines. It could be included as patron history on patron records. We used the log for handling a number of issues.
14 votes -
Allow non-circulation desk service units to re-shelve items
Right now only circulation desks can re-shelve items after they've been received. You can set up a circ desk to receive, but it would be nice if you could also set up a non-circ desk service unit to re-shelve.
13 votes -
Change lost Item replacement fee refund from ratio to set amount
When configuring terms of use policies regarding the amount of money to be returned to a patron if a lost book is returned, we currently have to enter a Lost Item replacement fee Refund ratio instead of using a flat amount for the amount to be returned. Because any changes in our charges have to be approved via a campus committee that meets only once per year, we must use the Replacement fee amounts that are already approved. Our Lost Book replacement fee is currently $110. If the book is returned, we would like to reduce that amount to $20.…
13 votes
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