Support full SIP2 protocol
For the communication between selfcheck kiosks and Alma, the SIP2 protocol is needed.
The full protocol can be found here: https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/3M-Standard-Interchange-Protocol-Version-2.00.pdf
Unfortunately, Ex Libris does not support all fields that would be available in the protocol (marked as 'not supported' in this document): https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/integrations/selfcheck/sip2/
Please make the whole SIP2 protocol available for Alma.
Katrin
shared this idea
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Mark Butterworth
commented
I would very much like the whole SIP protocol to be available in Alma as this would enable further functionality around being able to place books / equipment in to a self service locker then being able to email the the person who has requested it without further manual intervention. It is possible with full SIP 2.
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Matthew Phillips
commented
We would very much like the email address to be passed in field BE of the Patron Information Response message 64. This would mean that the self-check machines could give patrons the option of emailing a receipt rather than printing it. We know you can get Alma to send an email whenever the user borrows a book, but this results in too many emails from Alma and people start ignoring the important messages. Passing the email address to the self-check machine will allow the patrons to choose what kind of receipt to have.
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Karin Paulin commented
This would be great! We would especially appreciate being able to offer the patron a list of hold shelf items ready for pick up with pick up numbers and pick up locations displayed at the selfcheck machine. These are examples of SIP2 fields that we very much wish to be supported by ExLibris.
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Daniel Sandbecker
commented
Some fields are not just marked as not supported, but intentionally misused.
There is a specific idea registered for supporting "unavailable holds count" and "unavailable hold items fields": https://ideas.exlibrisgroup.com/forums/308173-alma/suggestions/44459898-alma-to-support-sip2-response
Alma does not support this field, but furthermore also specifies in the documentation for the supported "holdItemsCount" that unavailable hold requests are counted there instead. The items summary also includes data for the unsupported "unavailableHoldsItems" field in the "holdItems" field. This causes real issues when self check machines that actually supports the standard trusts the Alma SIP2 implementation.