Alma
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1746 results found
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adding titles from community zone to institution zone collection without having to activate community zone collection
When finding another portfolio that is not in you collection you can today activate and move the portfolio to you IZ collection. Then you have to remember to delete the collection where it was in the first place. Make it possible to add it directly in to your IZ
4 votes -
Apply physical item template with POL template
The POL template allows a small number of item record elements to be saved: library, location, material type.
It would be beneficial to save staff time by allowing staff creating POLs to also select a physical item templates when creating a POL. This would allow setting defaults such as copy ID, item policy, is magnetic, and pieces, that are generally known at the time of order.Templates are essential time savers.
11 votes -
separate work orders from patron requests
On the results from a physical titles search, each title shows the number of requests pending for that title. This number includes both patron physical item requests and internal work orders. In order to see what requests fall into which category, you have to click on the Requests link and wait for the information to load in the slider pane (this can take some time if the number of requests is large). Then you can filter by request/process type.
It would be useful for these two categories of requests to be separated from each other. For example, we circulate laptops for the term and allow requesting when all items in a record are unavailable. We also use work orders to track machines that go out for maintenance. I may want to know how many patrons are waiting for a machine at a glance, such as when I'm working with a patron and they are trying to decide if they want to get on the request list. If I go by the number displayed on the title record, I don't know how many of those "requests" are actually work orders.
In the images, you can see that our MacBook Airs show 28 requests. Of those, 7 are work orders.On the results from a physical titles search, each title shows the number of requests pending for that title. This number includes both patron physical item requests and internal work orders. In order to see what requests fall into which category, you have to click on the Requests link and wait for the information to load in the slider pane (this can take some time if the number of requests is large). Then you can filter by request/process type.
It would be useful for these two categories of requests to be separated from each other. For example, we circulate laptops…55 votes -
Visibility that staff is working on a Borrowing or Lending request via facet
Description
Enhancing visibility into requests currently being processed by colleagues will significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Resource Sharing Borrowing and Lending operations.
Please add a facet option to filter out any “free” requests that aren’t being worked on by other staff. By streamlining workflows, libraries can ensure a smoother process, a better client experience, and a more coordinated collaboration among borrowing and lending libraries.
Alternatively, it could be a note on the request or something similar - a visibility feature that allows staff to better allocate their time by avoiding overlaps and duplicate efforts.
Impact of Problem
Our workflows have multiple staff working on requests at the same time, and assigning yourself to a request does not appear for another staff attempting to modify the same request.
The lack of visibility into active request being processed leads to staff inadvertently working on the same requests simultaneously, resulting in duplicated efforts and wasted time. This inefficiency hinders the smooth fulfillment of requests and increases the workload for both borrowing and lending libraries.
Expected Outcome
With visibility of staff working on request through different Alma Borrowing or Lending facets, staff can quickly identify requests already being worked on and move on to the next available request. This improvement will help eliminate duplication, optimise Resource Sharing workflows, and enhance request fulfillment efficiency across partner libraries.
Keywords
Resource Sharing, Requests, Efficiency, Workflow Optimisation
Description
Enhancing visibility into requests currently being processed by colleagues will significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Resource Sharing Borrowing and Lending operations.
Please add a facet option to filter out any “free” requests that aren’t being worked on by other staff. By streamlining workflows, libraries can ensure a smoother process, a better client experience, and a more coordinated collaboration among borrowing and lending libraries.
Alternatively, it could be a note on the request or something similar - a visibility feature that allows staff to better allocate their time by avoiding overlaps and duplicate efforts.
Impact of Problem
Our…
7 votes -
Account for library name when filtering advanced search option ‘holdings: permanent physical location’.
When performing an advanced search for physical items, holdings or titles, then selecting Holdings: permanent physical location equals, the last box has a drop-down list of all locations to select from, grouped by library.
On the Items search, when typing into the text box the location list filters by library so that you can then select from the locations within the library. However, when doing the same for a holdings or title search, the list filters by location.
This is inconvenient for us as there are a number of location names that feature across all libraries, e.g. Main Lending, Reference. It would be better for the search to filter by library then to browse the locations once there, or, at least for the library name to also be included in the filtering.
This change for physical titles and holdings is part of the new search results UI. We feel it was an unnecessary and inconvenient change and would like for it to change back to match the behaviour of the search when done at item level. (Physical item level UI has not yet been updated so currently retains the preferred behaviour.)
When performing an advanced search for physical items, holdings or titles, then selecting Holdings: permanent physical location equals, the last box has a drop-down list of all locations to select from, grouped by library.
On the Items search, when typing into the text box the location list filters by library so that you can then select from the locations within the library. However, when doing the same for a holdings or title search, the list filters by location.
This is inconvenient for us as there are a number of location names that feature across all libraries, e.g. Main Lending, Reference.…
16 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 cases where records were mistakenly deleted by a job, it is possible that much of the rest of the job was correct (such as a CZ sync job) so we do not want to restore the whole job; we want to restore just some of the deleted repository content.
This Idea suggests that, in the Manage Deleted Repository, there should be checkboxes, like in the Community Zone Updates Task List and the Authority Control Task List, that allow us to select individual items or select all items on the page. There should also be options to Restore Selected or Restore All. I have attached a mockup (based on CZ Updates Task List and Authority Control Task List) showing how this would look. For example, in the interface shown in the mockup, I could:
1) Check individual checkboxes next to records 1, 2, and 3 and then click "Restore Selected" to restore the 3 pieces of content.
2) Check the "Select All" button to select all 50 records on the page and then click "Restore Selected" to restore all 50 pieces of content.
3) Select "Restore All" to restore all 305 pieces of content retrieved by my current search criteria.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 -
Display all 035$a values for the Record Number column in Table view of Titles UI
In the new titles search UI, the Record Number field lists only the first listed 035$a value of the record, followed by "and others." This is true for both the record view, where keeping data compact makes sense, and on the table view where one might expect to see more values for repeating data fields.
If the table view showed all of the 035$a values in the record number column, this would increase the utility of this view, as it would allow staff to recognize OCLC and other system numbers among the list without requiring a click and scroll through each individual record. This would also restore functionality lost in the previous UI, where staff could click an option on the record screen to view the list of other record numbers.
In the new titles search UI, the Record Number field lists only the first listed 035$a value of the record, followed by "and others." This is true for both the record view, where keeping data compact makes sense, and on the table view where one might expect to see more values for repeating data fields.
If the table view showed all of the 035$a values in the record number column, this would increase the utility of this view, as it would allow staff to recognize OCLC and other system numbers among the list without requiring a click and scroll through…
12 votes -
There should be a renew option for items checked out to a patron if patron is present with items checked out
I think there should be a Renew option so that you do not have to scan an item's barcode search your location then search for the barcode. In Sierra there is a renew option where you just scan item barcode and renew it without having to search or go into patron's account.
2 votes -
Add in function to exclude non -SBN content from ISBN matching in the Alma purchase request function
Within Alma, the purchase request function does a matching process with local record using the ISBN field (MARC 020 $$a). Unfortunately, whether it is set up using fuzzy or exact, any 020 $$a with a-z text in the field causes an error and prevents the purchase request from being created. This occurs often with older or imported records, where the additional information has not been added to the $$q. The workaround from Ex Libris is to link the bib and then unlink to edit the bib information, removing the non-ISBN information before saving. However, this would mean that the purchase request is not attached to the local record. We queried with Ex Libris (case number 07042507) regarding the setup of the purchase request form within Alma to provide a work around for the fact that any local record with a-z in the field results in an error, even with fuzzy matching, and were told to add an enhancement request.
We cannot use this feature in Alma currently due to the mis-matching causing additional work for our Acquisitions staff to re-link, our Metadata Team having to clean up the record before the order being placed, or us spending a lot of time and effort in trying to create a normalization rule that could clean up the records in bulk and continuously. We would like the form to call only on the element that is the ISBN, e.g by using reg ex to only bring in the ISBN element even when the $$a has non ISBN elements within it.
Within Alma, the purchase request function does a matching process with local record using the ISBN field (MARC 020 $$a). Unfortunately, whether it is set up using fuzzy or exact, any 020 $$a with a-z text in the field causes an error and prevents the purchase request from being created. This occurs often with older or imported records, where the additional information has not been added to the $$q. The workaround from Ex Libris is to link the bib and then unlink to edit the bib information, removing the non-ISBN information before saving. However, this would mean that the purchase…
11 votes -
Improve integration between 'Place on hold' in Rialto and Tasks widget in Alma
If the 'Place on hold' option is ticked when placing an order in Rialto, there is no notification in the Tasks widget in Alma to let Library staff know when an item has arrived. This means we are unable to prioritise the processing of those newly arrived, requested items. If we were to use 'Place on hold' in Rialto, then we wouldn't find out an item had been requested until we happened to scan it in. We would like an integration between Rialto and the requests functionality putting in place to make it apparent to Alma users when items received have been requested.
If the 'Place on hold' option is ticked when placing an order in Rialto, there is no notification in the Tasks widget in Alma to let Library staff know when an item has arrived. This means we are unable to prioritise the processing of those newly arrived, requested items. If we were to use 'Place on hold' in Rialto, then we wouldn't find out an item had been requested until we happened to scan it in. We would like an integration between Rialto and the requests functionality putting in place to make it apparent to Alma users when items received…
1 vote -
Make Order Status field available in the Interested In Letter XSL
We would like additional Purchase Order fields added to the XSL available for the ‘Interested In Letter’ please, specifically the Order Status field. This will enable us to use conditional statements in the letter template so that certain blocks of text can be included or hidden depending on a given field. We take that approach already with other Alma letters. For example, in the ‘On Hold Shelf Letter’ template, we use <xsl:if> statements to draw on the Pickup Location available in the XSL and display different guidance to recipients depending on the location from which they are collecting a request.
The ‘Interested In Letter’ is triggered by any change of Order Status. Currently, not being able to change the contents of the letter in relation to status means that the wording has to be so generic that it isn’t helpful to our Interested Users.
If the Order Status field were available as part of the ‘Interested In Letter’ XSL, we could include <xsl:if> elements in the ‘Interested In Letter template to send different text out to Interested Users depending on the Order Status. This would make the email more relevant for each person who receives it.
We would like additional Purchase Order fields added to the XSL available for the ‘Interested In Letter’ please, specifically the Order Status field. This will enable us to use conditional statements in the letter template so that certain blocks of text can be included or hidden depending on a given field. We take that approach already with other Alma letters. For example, in the ‘On Hold Shelf Letter’ template, we use <xsl:if> statements to draw on the Pickup Location available in the XSL and display different guidance to recipients depending on the location from which they are collecting a request.
…
5 votes -
Make all Address Types usable for Personal Delivery
Only addresses with an Address Type of 'Home' or 'Office' can be used for Personal Delivery. This is a problem for us because the addresses that come through into Alma for each user from our student information system integration are in Address Types ‘Home’ and ‘School’. We don’t use ‘Office’. We are unable to get the systems integration changed for local reasons. We would like to see all Address Types made usable for Personal Delivery, with options in the Request Terms of Use to enable us to show only the Address Types that we use and therefore that we want our users to be able to see in the request form in Primo. Also, when the request comes through into Alma, we need the relevant address that the user has selected to be provided as part of the request information, but not the other Address Types that the user hasn't selected. At present, our staff are having to use an Alma Analytics report we have created to look up addresses or check in the patron record for each user.
Currently, we can't use Personal Delivery and are forced to rely on a local workaround instead, which involved setting up a new campus called ‘Postal delivery’ and new libraries called ‘Home address’ and ‘Term-time address’ so that our students could select them on the request form in Primo. This also requires additional steps for our staff, who have to use an address look-up in an Analytics dashboard to get the appropriate address and use it to create an address label for each parcel. This requires more significantly manual intervention by staff than Personal Delivery would if it could use it and introduces more potential for human error as well.
We would like users to be able to place requests for Personal Delivery using the out-of-the-box Alma functionality in our Primo environment, selecting their home address or term-time address according to preference. Those requests would go into Alma, where library staff would be provided with all the information they need, on the same screen, to pick the items from the shelves and create address labels for posting out to users.
Only addresses with an Address Type of 'Home' or 'Office' can be used for Personal Delivery. This is a problem for us because the addresses that come through into Alma for each user from our student information system integration are in Address Types ‘Home’ and ‘School’. We don’t use ‘Office’. We are unable to get the systems integration changed for local reasons. We would like to see all Address Types made usable for Personal Delivery, with options in the Request Terms of Use to enable us to show only the Address Types that we use and therefore that we want…
4 votes -
Improve user blocks functionality to prevent resource sharing requests for users who have resource sharing loans overdue
Within Alma, it is possible to configure blocks that ensure users who have items on loan and overdue are unable to place any more requests until the items have been returned. However, it isn’t possible to apply blocks in a more granular way, such as to prevent a user who has resource sharing items on loan and overdue from placing any more resource sharing requests. It is not our library policy to prevent users with items on loan and overdue from requesting anything else until they have returned their overdue items, so we cannot apply blocks to encourage people to return their resource sharing items by the due date either. This is unfortunate because additional fees can be payable to some resource sharing partners for late return of their items. We would like to be able to specify in Alma configuration that a user who has resource sharing items on loan and overdue will not be able to place any more resource sharing requests until the overdue items have been returned.
Within Alma, it is possible to configure blocks that ensure users who have items on loan and overdue are unable to place any more requests until the items have been returned. However, it isn’t possible to apply blocks in a more granular way, such as to prevent a user who has resource sharing items on loan and overdue from placing any more resource sharing requests. It is not our library policy to prevent users with items on loan and overdue from requesting anything else until they have returned their overdue items, so we cannot apply blocks to encourage people to…
39 votes -
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 not being applied properly because Alma is unable to recognise the two laptops as being related. We need to be able to define a reloan limit in the Fulfillment Terms of Use that affects Material Type in addition to title. We would want to be able to stipulate that a user cannot borrow another item of the same Material Type for a particular length of time.
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…
11 votes -
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 not to be able to borrow that specific material type, to which users being blocked could be assigned temporarily. However, that is not a workable solution for us because each of our User Groups has different entitlements to length of loan period, maximum number of items, and so on. We would like the ‘Blocks’ tab in a patron record to enable individual material types to be selected when creating a block for that user, determining the scope of that block.
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…
35 votes -
Enable sending of emails to non-preferred email addresses
Currently, when contacting users using the Update/Notify Users job in conjunction with the User Notifications Letter, the process will only send to the preferred email address in the patron record. For our former students whose patron records have expired in Alma, this means that the notifications go to their student email address to which they no longer have access.
To contact our former students once their Alma account has expired in line with university IT regulations, we have to take their unique identifier out of Alma and contact them using a separate external system. This entails a lot of extra work and means we are unable to provide information in the email about any outstanding loans, which they cannot access through My Library Card after their account has expired.
We would like to be able to select non-preferred email addresses or switch preferred email addresses for our expired students so we can still contact them about outstanding items on their account.Currently, when contacting users using the Update/Notify Users job in conjunction with the User Notifications Letter, the process will only send to the preferred email address in the patron record. For our former students whose patron records have expired in Alma, this means that the notifications go to their student email address to which they no longer have access.
To contact our former students once their Alma account has expired in line with university IT regulations, we have to take their unique identifier out of Alma and contact them using a separate external system. This entails a lot of extra…
6 votes -
Auto Populated Copy ID Number Added to New Item Records
I'd like to propose streamlining the Alma item record creation process by enabling automatic population of the Copy ID field with "1" for new items. The system should also allow for easy modification of this default value for subsequent copies (2, 3, 4, etc.).
Currently, the manual entry of "1" is often missed, leading to errors and requiring time-consuming batch corrections. Implementing this auto-population feature would significantly reduce data entry time and the need for monthly clean-up reports, ultimately improving efficiency and data accuracy.
This idea was previously suggested by Leona Hughes on June 24, 2020, but was closed: (Automatic Designated Copy ID Number Added to New Item Records: https://ideas.exlibrisgroup.com/forums/308173-alma/suggestions/40743703-automatic-designated-copy-id-number-added-to-new-i).
Given the ongoing impact of this issue, I believe revisiting this idea would be highly beneficial.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
I'd like to propose streamlining the Alma item record creation process by enabling automatic population of the Copy ID field with "1" for new items. The system should also allow for easy modification of this default value for subsequent copies (2, 3, 4, etc.).
Currently, the manual entry of "1" is often missed, leading to errors and requiring time-consuming batch corrections. Implementing this auto-population feature would significantly reduce data entry time and the need for monthly clean-up reports, ultimately improving efficiency and data accuracy.
This idea was previously suggested by Leona Hughes on June 24, 2020, but was closed: (Automatic…
13 votes -
Retrieve metadata available in MARC-XML also in JSON
When requesting "bib", all metadata should be available as JSON. Most fields are by now represented as a MARC-XML string, bundled into a field called "anies".
1 vote -
ADD RECORDS TO SETS
Be able to add selected records to a set that's already created. There is often multiple ways to find records that are part of a group. It seems there's no ability to do a search and select records to add to a set that's already in existence. This could also help if multiple people are trying to find a large number of records that could belong to one set for export or modification.
1 vote -
Increased efficiency thanks to new “Send externally” field in CZ update
The additional “Send externally” field in the CZ update increases efficiency and communication within the library and with external partners and is structured in the same way as the “Report to Ex Libris” field. This allows messages to be sent directly from ALMA, eliminating the need to copy information. This reduces errors, saves time, and minimizes manual effort. Faster processing of requests and better coordination between departments and partners increase service quality and satisfaction and make the library forward-thinking.
This option includes the following fields:
- Sender (automatically filled in by ExLibris based on the login)
- Field for entering the email address(es) to which the message should be sent
- Drop-down menu with various options, such as: No access – request title, etc.
- Free text field “Description”
- Additional information: automatically filled in as for “Send to Ex Libris”
The additional “Send externally” field in the CZ update increases efficiency and communication within the library and with external partners and is structured in the same way as the “Report to Ex Libris” field. This allows messages to be sent directly from ALMA, eliminating the need to copy information. This reduces errors, saves time, and minimizes manual effort. Faster processing of requests and better coordination between departments and partners increase service quality and satisfaction and make the library forward-thinking.
This option includes the following fields:
- Sender (automatically filled in by ExLibris based on the login)
- Field for entering the email…
15 votes
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