Alma
Your feedback matters to us. Help us improve Alma by telling us what you’d like to see using the message areas below. You can also can support something already posted.
We would love to be able to respond to every idea that is submitted, but this is not feasible. We are, however, committed to responding to the most popular ideas—those that have received the most points.
For more information please review our FAQ and guidelines. Thank you.
1811 results found
-
Output MARCXML file (over 8GB size) from Publication Profile compress into .tar.bz2
By default, the publication profile for an XML file is compressed into a .tar.gz file. We host the exported file on our FTP server so that it can be downloaded from the BNE website. If the file exceeds 8 GB, it is not compressed. Our IT staff have informed us that compression to .tar.bz2 makes the file even smaller. We propose that, in addition to .tar.gz, it should also be possible to compress MARCXML files using the .tar.bz2 extension.
7 votes -
Change pickup location for hold when on hold shelf
When a book is already on the hold shelf at Library A but a patron wants to pick it up at Library B instead, we should be able to edit the request to make that change.
Currently, the hold must be cancelled and then re-requested with the new pick-up location. This can be an issue in the event there is another request on the item or the item needs to go back to a different library.
5 votes -
Allow Adjustments to Fines and Fees
Summary:
Currently, when staff members need to adjust a fine or fee (for example, to correct the replacement cost of a lost item), the process requires deleting the existing fee and creating a new one. This creates a significant issue: the newly created fee is not correctly linked to the associated item record.Problem Description:
When a patron reports a lost or overdue item and is unable to locate it, staff adjust the charge to reflect the actual replacement cost. However, because the system does not support direct modification of existing fees, staff must delete the original fee and manually…15 votes -
Please allow customer-specific definition of local subfields regarding sorting and non-repeatability
The configuration of resources in Alma offers the option to define local subfields as "non-repeatable". However, this has no effect. No error message appears when saving if a local subfield is accidentally populated multiple times.
The normalization process "Marc21 Bib normalize on save" offers the option to sort subfields (tab "Task Parameters"). However, this has no effect on manually edited and saved data in MDE. Sorting can be triggered by the process from time to time for a dataset, but it does not run continuously. We had hoped to achieve sorting directly in MDE, which would allow operators to better…
6 votes -
Add block information box on patron’s account landing page
Currently, when accessing a patron’s account through the “Manage Patron Services” tab, the patron’s account landing page does not show the block information (a pop-up does show up but with incomplete information, as recorded in a SF case). In order to access block information, one has to click on the patron’s name, and then navigate to the block tab.
The suggested idea would be that a box containing block information be added in the left-hand column of the patron’s account information, under the box containing loans, returns, requests and fines and fees information. Block types could be described with the…35 votes -
Have libraries' open hours as configured in Alma display in Primo or embeddable in library home pages.
We would like to display the open hours, closed exceptions, etc. that are already configured in Alma in the Primo landing page and have them able to be embedded on a library web page. That way if hours change for holidays, seasons, etc. they will be correctly shown in all locations without having to change posted hours in multiple places.
7 votes -
Allow for Almost Arbitrary Conditions in General Electronic Services
Currently for a general electronic service we can only create conditions based on metadata already contained in the given BIB record. Please provide a way to let the link resolver check any condition which is computable within a reasonable short amount of time!
Example Use Case:
Our library network offers a web service taking any given ISBN, ISSN or Union Catalog ID and returning 'true' if there is a BIB record for the corresponding resource in the union catalog and at least one of the network's libraries has an item of this resource available for ILL. Otherwise the web service…71 votes -
Creation of Lending requests by DOI or PMID
It should be possible for ILL librarians to create Lending requests received by email from non-Alma Partners by entering a DOI or PMID using Alma Resolver Augmentation.
This would save the time involved of entering each field manually by copying and pasting.
The feature already exists in Borrowing but was not developed for Lending.38 votes -
Add Resource Sharing partner address information to Alma Analytics
Information should include street, city, state, zip code, country, and latitude and longitude. This information is essential for creating reports showing where ILL items are coming from or going to. This would enable us to create reports showing how much borrowing and lending we do by regions, internationally, and make it possible to create maps that we can use to promote our services to patrons, library staff and university administration.
9 votes -
No automatic cancelling of request when changing item location (or a more useful error message).
When we change location for an item we always get an error message that says that the change can lead to requests being cancelled (if there are any). But since it always shows, even when there are no request (which is most of the time in our experience), it is easy to ignore.
We would like to be able to choose if a request should be cancelled or not, even if the new location shouldn’t allow requests for the user.
Another possibility is that that the error message only shows when it is relevant and there actually are requests that…19 votes -
Additional Local Parameter fields in Local Authorities dimension
There can be up to 100 local fields 9xx in the "Local Authorities" and none of them can be retrieved in Analytics. Could it be possible to have, at least, the same number of "Local Params" as in the he "Physical Items" or the "Titles" table?
https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Product_Documentation/010Alma_Online_Help_(English)/080Analytics/Alma_Analytics_Subject_Areas/Physical_Items#Local_ParamThanks.
141 votes -
Automatically Trim Leading and Trailing Spaces in Patron Names
When staff create or edit patron records, Alma currently accepts leading or trailing spaces in the first name and last name fields. These spaces make the name technically unique, so the duplicate warning mechanism does not recognize the record as a duplicate. This results in poor data quality, as duplicate records are created without warning.
Proposed enhancement:
• Automatically remove any leading or trailing spaces in the first name and last name fields when a patron record is created or updated.
• Alternatively, prevent staff from entering leading or trailing spaces in these fields from the beginning.This enhancement would…
24 votes -
Edit Name and Description of executed Overlap and Collection Analysis Reports
I propose the ability to rename the overlap and collection analysis reports. Aside from the cases in which someone forgets to name the report from the outset, it would be helpful to be able to include something in the name as a tag for finding and addressing issues later, as well as editing the description to provide a summary of findings. This can help with determining which collections to keep activated from the community zone or justifying a purchase.
2 votes -
Manage Deleted Repository--ability to select and restore a group of records
Manage Deleted Repository is a helpful feature helps us restore records that were mistakenly deleted. However, it only allows us to restore records one at a time by clicking a "Restore" button next to each record. This is not workable when a large number of records need to be restored. We need functionality that will allow us to select and restore groups of records.
The Restoring Records Removed or Changed by Jobs functionality (https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Product_Documentation/010Alma_Online_Help_(English)/050Administration/070Managing_Jobs/020Manual_Jobs_on_Defined_Sets#Restoring_Records_Removed_or_Changed_by_Jobs) does not sufficiently address this need, as it can only restore repository content deleted by a job, not records deleted manually. Also, even in…
62 votes -
Add "linking information" in Community zone databases when they are not activated yet
Hello,
When I look in the Community Zone at an electronic Portfolio that has not been activated by us yet, I can click on "Linking Information" and test the link and control if it goes where we want it to go.Unfortunately, this is not possible yet, when we want to look at a zero title database. There, we actually can only test the link after we have activated it.
Therefore, I suggest adding the field "Linking information" on database level, too, for databases that are not activated yet; analogous to the field that exists on portfolio level.
Best,
Igor…37 votes -
Request to Enhance the Purchase Requests API
We would like to request several enhancements to the Purchase Requests API.
First, when sending a purchase request API call from the library website to Alma, we would like the API to allow submission of the request date or request month and to return responses that reflect this information.
Second, the Purchase Requests API currently returns a maximum of 100 records. We request that these returned records be sorted in descending order by request date.
Finally, we would like the maximum number of records returned by the Purchase Requests API to be increased from 100 to 500.
10 votes -
Creating an invoice via the POL
Creating an invoice via the POL
Would it be possible to have a "create invoice" button/option within the POL via the invoice line tab. This would make creating invoices from PO more streamlined. Currently creating invoices "from PO" involves accessing approximately 5 screens. My idea would only require locating the POL, clicking on the invoice line and then selecting a button to create invoice
8 votes -
Barcode Generation with "Prefix+Sequence+Mod-10 Option 1"
Our library is a new user to Alma, and we found that our using barcode generated by "Prefix+Sequence+Mod-10 Option 1" with Mode-10 Option 1 as the 14th check digit is not supported in Alma. We have to, therefore, scan in the barcode one item by one item when for creating and receiving items. I wish your vote to us, even your library is not using "Prefix+Sequence+Mod-10 Option 1" for barcode generation configuration, to empower the diversity and features of Alma.
Below please find the Mod 10-Option 1 calculation:
Thank you.
6 votes -
Add and improve audit logging and system event tracking for changes to Alma configuration
Many institutions have needs and requirements to be able to track when Alma configurations change, and who changed them.
This is especially true because many Alma "administrator" roles combine complex librarian tasks with systems configuration abilities. For example, Catalog Administrator or General Systems Administrator is required to create new metadata import profiles - a task that catalogers need to do regularly. But, both roles also grant additional abilities to configure Alma behavior for resource management,
integrations and the like.Use cases include:
Monitoring changes as part of standard internal audit review. For example, an institution may identify that even though…
143 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.111 votes
- Don't see your idea?