Alma
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71 results found
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Improve reloan limit functionality to allow restrictions by Material Type
If a user returns a laptop to one of our laptop lockers and there is another laptop in the locker already, they are able to borrow that other laptop straight away. This is despite us having a reloan limit in place to prevent an individual borrowing a 1 day loan laptop until 30 minutes have passed and a 1 week loan laptop until 24 hours have passed. Unfortunately, as the laptop locker supplier stipulates that each laptop requires an individual title record in Alma and the reloan limit works on the basis of title, the limit we have set is…
1 vote -
Enable creation of individual patron blocks for loans of specific material types
If an institution needs to prohibit an individual user from borrowing a particular type of resource temporarily, e.g. placing a temporary ban on laptop loans for that person, then there is no way to block them from borrowing items of that specific material type without preventing them from borrowing everything else as well. As a result, we are unable to apply blocks in exceptional circumstances, such as with our laptop loans service, because the block would be disproportionate and prevent the user borrowing any physical items at all. The only workaround would be to have a ‘Blocked’ user group configured…
1 vote -
Fullfillment / Manage Patron Services - Action Claim returned - Freeze loan suspensions
When claiming an item as returned, the loan’s status is changed to Claim Returned. The item’s Process Type value is Claimed Returned, and the item remains requestable and is considered to still be on loan. Due dates cannot be changed on loans in "Claimed Return" status. By default, overdue fines accumulated prior to the item being claimed as returned are applied to the patron's active balance, but no new overdue fines accrue from that point onward.
We would like the “Claim returned” action in Alma to freeze loan suspensions. No loan suspensions will be put in place once the item…17 votes -
Enhancing Security in Alma: Restricting Return without scanning the item, Claim Return, Found Functions to High-Level Roles
The new Alma Manage Patron Services, implemented in February 2025, allows any role to "Return" an item without scanning it. This function should be restricted to high-level roles only. Similarly, the "Found" and "Claimed Return" functions should also be limited to high-level roles.
Currently, WS students can access these functions with the Circulation Operator – Limited role. While we are in the process of removing the Actions Customizations from the Settings wheel, our preferred solution is to restrict access to these functions to higher-level roles.
7 votes -
Integration of Patron Age in Loan Rules
We propose that the patron's date of birth be taken into account in the loan rules of Alma's Fulfillment Units, alongside User group. This would allow the restriction of loan for certain documents to minors (under 14, under 16, etc.), ensuring compliance with access restrictions for sensitive content.
This feature would enhance loan management and ensure better compliance with library policies.66 votes -
NOT erasing Return Items page every time we leave it
Every time we leave the Return Items page, it erases the list of returned books. This is disastrous for us, so we would like to keep the list of all books returned during the day (or since logging in until logging out).
If someone benefits from erasing the list, just give us a choice whether we want it erased or not.Now let me explain why it is crucial for our work:
We work in quite small public library where Patrons can move around freely and pick books from the shelves on their own. Often they return books first and…28 votes -
In House Use Function
There needs to be a separate function for 'In-House Use'. Scan-ins for activating Holds and the Return function are being too easily conflated in our In house use statistics. For example we have Kiosks that periodically scan all of the books inside the kiosk and each time it detects an RFID tag it scans in the item which then registers it as an in-house use. Also, staff may scan in an item that they are unsure about which registers it as an In House use. All of this renders In-house use statistics unreliable. The only remedy for this is a…
4 votes -
Allow individual process types for detailed borrowing rules.
It would be helpful to enable the individual process types to configure detailed borrowing rules. We have created several process types for items, such as "Searching," "Cataloging," and "Request on Hold." However, in the fulfillment unit rule parameters, these process types are grouped with the system-generated "Acquisition Technical Services" under the "In Process" category. Consequently, we cannot select them individually as parameters, which prevents the library from setting detailed borrowing rules for specific process types.
127 votes -
Sorting of loans in the user's registry.
In the new user services interface, loans are sorted by library and it would be better if, by default, they were sorted by due date.
4 votes -
Add a ToU configuration option to block renewals only once a loan becomes overdue.
We would like to be able to prevent users from renewing certain loans in Primo once they become overdue. This is often what we want for equipment, for example.
This should not be a user-level block, but rather an item-level block. Any other items the user wishes to renew should be renewable in Primo, but we want users to have to return overdue items first.
As an illustrative example, we have items that check out for 3 hours. We want these items to be returned before the library closes each day, but we want to allow online renewals throughout the…
6 votes -
add "Return Selected" to actions currently available for moving items checked out
Along with "Renew Selected" in the patron loan page, add "Return Selected" to enable a single or global return of a loan or loans.
1 vote -
Provide a way to duplicate a terms of use
This is especially a pain point when you are starting in Alma. When libraries are tweaking circulation rules, often you need to create a new terms of use as part of that, but what you really are doing is taking an existing terms of use and setting a new one up in the same except for one or two policies that are different. Right now, you have to have the TOUs in different tabs to make sure all the right values are matching, when having the ability to copy and then edit an existing TOU would save a bunch of…
3 votes -
Customize letter to allow for item-replacement_cost
Add @@itemreplacementcost@@ to Ful Lost Loan letter and also Courtesy letter to motivate students to return expensive items. Currently if the label is not listed as a @@label@@ then I would
not be be able to customize letter as needed.2 votes -
Enable configuration options to only prevent renewal of overdue loans (while keeping non-overdue loans renewable)
It isn't possible to prevent renewal of overdue loans without using a block, which also prevents renewal of non-overdue loans.
We would like to be able to prevent loans that have become overdue from being renewed for the purposes of a TOU switching between term and vacation loans. During the vacation we have no maximum renewal limit and this means that previously overdue loans become renewable again.
3 votes -
Utilize dual due date either "End of Term" or "Fixed Time period" :which ever is less.
Universities frequently want all materials returned at the "end of term". But they also wish to allow fixed loans (21 days for example).
We need the Fulfillment to allow both EOT and Fix whichever is less. That way when EOT comes into play loans with automatically switch to EOT due dates.
Solution: We need to be able to have two DueDates on a TOU and set the rule to apply the least days of the two policies. OR on the DueDate policy, add fixed data AND “End of Term”.
WorkAround: Set reminder on specific date to switch the TOU from…
1 vote -
'Open Day' in Grace Period
It has been more than 4 years in planning since July 2019. I hope this planned item will appear in the schedule of new release of ALMA in the nearest future.
Grace Period only for open days
https://ideas.exlibrisgroup.com/forums/308173-alma/suggestions/32157484-grace-period-only-for-open-days1 vote -
Add "Copy ID" to loan information in Manage Patron Services
When viewing a patron's current loans in "Manage Patron Services", Alma will display information like the loaned item's barcode, but it doesn't display its "Copy ID". When libraries have multiple copies of one item, it can be difficult to tell which item is out on loan to a specific patron without leaving the Patron Services page and going to view the item itself. "Copy ID", like "Barcode", is a unique identifier for an item and should be visible in the same way.
5 votes -
Self checkout app
Is there a mobile app for patrons to self checkout material? It would improve our patrons' experience and would be a big space saver
1 vote -
Fulfillment: User receives an email when an item that has requests on it is issued to them and the loan period is shorter than normal
In our loan Terms of Use the Recall Period and Requested Item Due Date are set to 3 days. If a user requests an item, but then another request is placed on the item before they collect it from the library and it is issued to them, when the item is issued to them they are not informed that there is another request on the item so the loan period is only 3 days. The first the user knows about this is when they receive the overdue notice on the day after the item was due. Most of our libraries…
2 votes -
Send activity report should include NZ items
Send Activity Report should include NZ items
As a library that is part of a large consortium, many of our patrons have both local and NZ items checked out. When in a patron's account, there is the option to send them an "activity report," however, those emails only contain a list of locally checked out material. Sometimes we like to send these as reminders to patrons, but patrons are often confused that they only contain the IZ items. It would be very useful for us if these reports could include all checked out materials from our NZ partners as well…
19 votes
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