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.
37 results found
-
Library Open Workflows Template Sort Option
I would like to be able to sort the list shared LibOW Workflow Templates by date uploaded (newest-oldest, oldest-newest). This will allow me to be able to quickly scan the list of templates for new additions.
2 votes -
Add "Which coverage statement will be applied?" option to "Change Electronic portfolio information" job
The "Change Electronic portfolio information" job includes the task "Remove local coverage" which removes local coverage from all the portfolios in a set so the only coverage remaining is global coverage. I run this in cases where the global coverage was once poor, so we loaded local coverage, but now the global coverage has been fixed and is good, so now we want to remove our local coverage and use the good global coverage. However, "Remove local coverage" does not also change the "Which coverage statement will be applied?" radio button from "Only local" to "Only global."
It is important…
87 votesHey all, the 'Set coverage statement to be applied' field will be added to the 'Change electronic portfolio information' job in the May release.
Best, Alma product
-
Job or tool for extraction of related bibliographic records
We would like the ability to get a hold of or extract the related bibliographic records in bulk based on a set of (other) bib-records.
Alma already now automatically displays related records in "other details". We understand that the links are built based on bibliographic data in the MARC linking fields: 773, 774, 777, 786, 800, 810, 811, and 830 (subfield w,x,z).
An example of a related record is a title within a monographic series. In this case, the bib record for the single monograph has a 830 $w with the MMS-ID/system number of the superordinate bib record.
We would…
144 votesHi all,
This idea was marked as Completed by mistake. However it is planned to be implemented later in the year.
Stay tuned,
Alma Product.
-
Create option to keep CZUTL deleted portfolios active in Institution Zone
When portfolios are deleted from a non-auto-active electionic collection and notifications for this appear in the Community Zone Updates Task List, the portfolios stay unlinked in your institution zone but are deactivated. Often these are portfolios that represent access that still exists for the institution and we merely reactivate the local portfolio. We would like to be able to select an option to keep these portfolios active in our institution zone. If they are really no longer necessary, we can delete them when we review the CZUTL, but it would save us time if the portfolios were not deactivated automatically.
161 votesHi all,
Happy to update that work is underway on this feature and it is expected to be part of the Alma May 2026 release.
Best,
Liza and the Alma product team.
-
Include games and models as Resource Types
In accordance with the MARC21 Format for Bibliographic Data, when LDR pos. 06 = r (for "three-dimensional artifact"), we're supposed to follow the "Visual materials" definition of 008, described at https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd008v.html.
Currently, the Rules Used to Create the Resource Type Field (https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Product_Documentation/010Alma_Online_Help_(English)/010Getting_Started/050Alma_User_Interface_%E2%80%93_General_Information/Searching_in_Alma#Rules_Used_to_Create_the_Resource_Type_Field_MARC_21_KORMARC_and_UNIMARC) do not include games or models.
These would be indicated in the bibliographic record as:
LDR pos. 06 = r AND 008 pos. 33 = g (for "game")
LDR pos. 06 = r AND 008 pos. 33 = q (for "model")Could these specifications be added to this Rules list? They are currently listed as…
14 votes -
Display related holdings for monographs only for the 773 $w relation and not for the 8xx $w relation
When filtering to a certain location via facets, you often get results from other locations too, which is unexpected from patrons perspective in many cases. This is caused by the current related records setting which is also taking locations with related records into account. The display is correct for analytical records without inventory (book chapters and articles), but not for the other monographical resources.
What we wish to achieve is the following:
When the record of a book chapter, journal issue or journal article (i.e. a record containing a 773 field with $w) is viewed in Primo, the holding of…
665 votesI want to share with you our plan for releasing this feature:
May 2026: Testing phase for selected customers in Sandbox environments. We can include up to five customers. Please let me know if you are interested.
August 2026: General release. Customers will be able to turn on a new UI option that defines how the Contains related record holdings are displayed in Primo and Alma.
Note: Full functionality will be available after the November to December 2026 semiannual reindexing.
If you are interested in participating in the early access, please feel free to contact me at Erez.Shabo@Clarivate.com.
-
Please add the ability to use the facets for Archival Materials according to LDR pos. 8 = a
Hello,
Most archival materials are cataloged as follows:
LDR pos. 6 = p
LDR pos. 8 = a
Currently, the facet in Alma show these kind of materials as "Undefined".
Adding a facet of "Achieve Material" according to LDR pos.8 = a, would be very useful.Thanks.
63 votes -
Implement auto holdings for Oxford University Press Journals
Implement auto holdings for Oxford University Press journals as is already done for Springer, Elsevier, Ovid.
60 votes -
Fine for failing to pick up request
We would like to have a fine automatically applied when a patron fails to pick up a request. The fine should be applied after the last pick-up date has passed if the request has not been picked up or cancelled. It should be possible to determine for which locations/user groups the fine will be applied.
209 votes -
Allow Fulfillment Network Member (AFN) to lend resources, but not serve as a physical pick-up location for other network members' patrons
Since some institutions have buildings with perpetual restricted access, we have some AFN fulfillment network member libraries that are willing to send their materials to another AFN member library for pick-up, but, for all functional purposes, they are closed to the public. They don't want patrons from the other AFN institutions to visit their library in person, and thus, don't want patrons from another AFN institution to select their library as a pick-up location.
This need has been heightened during the pandemic, with more institutions closed to the public.
We know that turning off all circ desk hold shelves will…
100 votesIt will be possible to set the library with a ‘pickup for guest users’ indication that can be turned off. This will prevent the library from showing up as pickup location on AFN/FN request forms
-
Increase the visibility of digitization requests in case of multiple requests
When there is more than one digitization request on a same item (same or different requesters), only the first request is displayed in the Task List. When this request is completed, the second request is not listed in the Task List or in the “In Process Items” page, except when the barcode is scanned again.
We think that “In process Item” page should not be empty once the first request is completed. Or least, there should be an alert informing the operator that there is another request on the same item just ready to be fulfilled...
322 votes -
Ability to delete all parser override values using change portfolio job
Currently, it's not possible to remove parser override values using the change portfolio job. This would be helpful when clearing those values from a collection of portfolios after the CZ portfolios have been updated by Ex Libris.
46 votesHey all, a new option named 'Remove URL/parser override' will be added to the 'Change electronic portfolio information' job in the May release.
Best, Alma product
-
New role for Manage Import Profiles
Currently users must have a Cat Admin role or Gen Sys Admin role to be able to Manage Import Profiles (change/add profiles). This also gives them access to the Configuration area of Alma. There should be a role to permit users to Manage Import Profiles that does NOT also give them access to the Alma configuration area. Access to the Alma configuration menu should be separate from the ability to Manage Import Profiles.
173 votesHello all,
I’m currently working on a detailed solution for this request and would appreciate your input. Could you share the reasoning behind the need for a completely new user role to manage import profiles?
An alternative approach could be to introduce specific privileges for managing import profiles and add them to the existing Purchasing Manager and Catalog Manager roles, with these privileges turned off by default. This way, institutions can decide whether to enable them for these roles.
The advantage of this approach is that it leverages existing manager roles without requiring the creation of an additional new role, while still avoiding granting full administrative access to configuration settings.
Looking forward to your feedback.
Erez
-
Make configurable pop-up assistance in metadata editor
Currently the po-up assistance in metadata editor for subfields 260$a$b$e$f, 264$a$b, 505$r$t and 561$a is hardcoded and it can not be deactivated. Activation/Deactivation should be configurable. We have many queries from our catalogers about that.
303 votesHi all,
This idea was marked as Completed by mistake. However it is planned to be implemented later in the year.
Stay tuned,
Alma Product.
-
Dark Mode/Theme
Like the title suggest, A dark mode/theme for Alma.
Having the white background can be very sore on the eyes, and many prefer the reverse ( black background / white font ).32 votesAs part of our roadmap, we are planning to add a high contrast color scheme each user can switch to when needed.
-
Add Access type in the portfolio information update job
Since Ex Libris has added Access type for individual portfolio, there has to be a job to run to add access type to the portfolios in a collection. Currently, either we have to specify it in each portfolio manually, or we load a spreadsheet matching on portfolio ID. Unfortunately, as of today 1/23/2019, when loading a spreadsheet without the local coverage, e.g. only the access type, the local coverage is overwritten.
105 votesHey all, the access type field will bw added to the 'Change electronic portfolio information' job in the May release.
Best, Alma product
-
Refreshing linked account expiration dates
As we understand it, there are only two ways for a linked account's expiration date to be refreshed/synchronized with the user's primary account in their home IZ:
Requesting an item from the IZ with that linked account
Staff at the lending institution go to Manage Patron Services, Find user in other institution, enter the user's identifier, and then find user
We think that the Alma experience would be improved by triggering this refresh process by a renewal attempt, by having an ability to run and schedule a job that refreshes these expiration dates on a regular basis, or by some…
103 votesHey all, this feature is planned to be released in the May 2026 Alma release.
Best, Alma Product
-
Role Profiles Enhancement
When using role profiles, it would be nice if the profile could create a link to the user(s) with roles defined by the profile. Then, if you want to modify the profile, the change updates all users in the profile. Currently, you'd have to update the role profile and each individual user.
141 votesIt will be possible to maintain ongoing link between the role profile and the user record, so that you can use the template to assign a predefined set of roles to a user, and any further changes to templates will automatically affect the linked users' allowed roles.
Note - multiple profiles may be assigned to a user.
It will be possible to view the list of profiles an account is liked to for inheriting its roles, and to remove/add more profiles.
-
Indication that shows I edited an open record
Icons in MD-Editor only show if a record has been saved or not. I would like to have an indication to see if the record has been edited by me after I opened it.
238 votesHi all,
This idea was marked as Completed by mistake. However it is planned to be implemented later in the year.
Stay tuned,
Alma Product.
-
Allow renaming of normalization, indication, and merge rules
Please allow renaming of normalization, indication, and merge rules. Right now you can only duplicate the rule and change the name of the copied rule.
135 votes
.png){kind=link}
- Don't see your idea?