Separate Default Format Settings for Book vs. Article Requests - Resource Sharing Request configuration
Separate Default Format Settings for Book vs. Article Requests - Resource Sharing Request configuration
Summary:
Currently, Alma does not allow libraries to configure different default Format values (Physical vs. Digital) for Book (Loan) requests versus Article (Copy/Scan) requests in the Resource Sharing Request form. The single “Delivery fields > Format” default applies globally to both request types even though these request types have very different workflows and downstream impacts.
Problem:
When the default format is set to Physical (helpful for book requests), article requests originating in Primo can be incorrectly submitted as Loan requests. This causes article requests to enter ILLiad with the wrong request type and results in lost or incomplete citation data unless patrons manually change the format to Digital.
Leaving the default blank fixes article behavior but removes the ability to default book requests to Physical.
Requested Enhancement:
Allow libraries to configure separate default Format values for:
Book (Loan) requests and Article (Copy/Scan) requests.
For example, by moving the Format default into the existing Book and Article request field sections.
Benefit:
This would ensure accurate request routing, preserve citation metadata, reduce patron error, and support efficient ILL workflows—especially for libraries integrating Alma/Primo with ILLiad.
Rachel Manning
shared this idea
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Kat Cyr commented
Agreed! If you leave the format toggled on it breaks articles by sending them through as loans, but if you toggle the format off then you can't tell the difference between ebook and physical book requests.
This is a bug that causes significant amounts of chaos in our queues. Surely it can't be that hard to fix?