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1106 results found

  1. 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…

    30 votes
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    0 comments  ·  Resource Management - General  ·  Admin →
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  2. Enable additional types of requests via API

    The API documentation for the Create User Requests endpoint notes that "is currently NOT possible to create GENERALDIGITIZATION, MOVE or WORKORDER request." Enabling this functionality would facilitate batch processing of items for various workflows.

    2 votes
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    0 comments  ·  APIs and Integrations  ·  Admin →
    Closed  ·  AdminUri Beladev (Product Manager, Ex Libris) responded

    Hello all,

    This idea has been closed as part of a cleanup process for ideas older than two years with little few votes.

    This cleanup process is necessary to streamline our idea management process and ensure that the most relevant and impactful ideas receive the attention they deserve.

    If you still feel strongly about this idea, you may submit it via the CERV process.

    We value your feedback and encourage you to continue submitting and voting for ideas that you believe will enhance Alma.

    Alma Product Team.

  3. Work Orders: package of required enhancements

    Work orders are useful but often cumbersome and don't work as required. A package of enhancements/fixes would make them much more useful and useable:

    • Adding notes when creating work orders in bulk. This would enable having fewer work order types as explanatory notes could be used instead.
    • Makes notes more (immediately) visible when scanning in (pop up message?). Again would enable fewer work order types as items could be easily catergorised according to explanatory note upon receipt at managing department.
    • Select recall/not recall at work order placement (like pick from shelf), not baked into type (and in…

    224 votes
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    2 comments  ·  Fulfillment - Requests  ·  Admin →
    Closed  ·  AdminMoshe Shechter (Alma Senior Product Manager, Ex Libris) responded

    Thank you for sharing your idea and for the strong support it has received from others.

    After reviewing the proposal, I’ve found that it currently lacks the level of specificity we need in order to move forward effectively. While the concept is clearly resonating with many, we require more specific context, use cases, or technical requirements to properly evaluate and implement it.

    Given these constraints, I’m afraid I won’t be able to take this idea on . That said, if you’re able to refine it further or provide more clarity around the intended outcomes, I’d be happy to revisit it in the future

  4. IZ Level Opt-Out of Embedding the Knowledge Center's AI Assistant in Alma

    Background:
    The August 2025 Alma release embedded the Knowledge Center's AI Assistant in Alma. There is currently a way for an individual user to hide the Knowledge Assistant but there is not a way for admin users to opt-out their institution if the Knowledge Assistant is not an appropriate tool for their institution.

    Request:
    Add a new Customer Parameter which allows institution zone admins to opt-out of the Knowledge Center's AI Assistant so it is disabled for all users in Alma.

    Alternative option: Create a Knowledge Assistant role and only users with the role have the Knowledge Assistant embedded…

    232 votes
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    9 comments  ·  Other  ·  Admin →
    Closed  ·  AdminUri Beladev (Product Manager, Ex Libris) responded

    Dear Community,


    Due to the plans to move to a new knowledge center platform, the AI Knowledge Assistant will be removed entirely from Alma by May 2026 Release, thus, this idea is no longer relevant and is being closed.


    Thanks,

    Uri Beladev

    Platform, Product Manager

  5. Show barcode field of requests in Manage Patron Services

    Please add the ability to see the barcode of a requested item (where available) on the Requests tab of the Manage Patron Services screen. It is possible to see barcodes on the Monitor Requests & Item Processes screen but not this one.

    12 votes
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    0 comments  ·  Fulfillment - Requests  ·  Admin →
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  6. Allow institutions to export and import all configurations from Alma

    Ex Libris has the new policy of forcing a refresh of the sandbox for all customers on the premium sandbox twice a year. This presents a significant challenge for institutions that use the sandbox actively, because it means that before every refresh, we have to go through the largely manual process of exporting all configurations out of the sandbox so we can keep record of them. Then if we want to recreate the old configurations, we have to do this manually.

    Ex Libris offers no way to export or import these configurations in bulk. This policy change reduces the value…

    53 votes
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    3 comments  ·  APIs and Integrations  ·  Admin →
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  7. Position sensitive NRs (Normalization Rules) - ISBD punctuation

    ISBD punctuation is determined by the following subfield.
    For example:
    In 245 the subfield preceding $$b must end in one of the following:
    1. space + colon
    2. space + semicolon
    3. space + Arabic semicolon (if your cataloging language is Arabic)
    4. space + equal sign

    The NR syntax currently does not offer any straightforward solution for correcting ISBD punctuation.

    We request the development of an NR function that will suffix the subfield with a string based on the subfield that follows it, including the case in which a subfield is the last one.

    I think it would be…

    76 votes
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    3 comments  ·  Metadata Management  ·  Admin →
    Completed  ·  AdminErez Shabo (Product Manager, Ex Libris) responded

    Alma now supports XSL normalization rules, expanding its capabilities beyond the existing DROOLS support. This addition enables more advanced and intricate data normalization. This request can be addressed using the new XSL normalization rules. For detailed information on using XSL normalization rules, please refer to the May 2025 release notes available at: https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Release_Notes/2025/Alma_2025_Release_Notes

  8. Alert RS staff when Shipping a Lending Item that has also been requested by a library

    When there are two requests for a book: one for the RS library and the other for our patron, the RS library is able to ship the item with no limitation and the patron's request is cancelled!! The ides is for the RS staff to be alerted that the book is requested when they ship it, and to answer the question "Do you still want to Ship?" Yes/No? We have also sent a case about this and were told that changing the Pickup Location to "Pickup Anwhere" would prevent the cancellation, however, this is problematic as we do…

    6 votes
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    0 comments  ·  Resource Sharing  ·  Admin →
    Closed  ·  AdminErez Shabo (Product Manager, Ex Libris) responded

    Hello All,

    This idea has been closed as part of a cleanup process for ideas older than two years with fewer than 20 votes.

    This cleanup process is necessary to streamline our idea management process and ensure that the most relevant and impactful ideas receive the attention they deserve. If you still feel strongly about this idea, you may submit it via the NERS process.

    We value your feedback and encourage you to continue submitting and voting for ideas that you believe will enhance Alma.

    Alma Product Team

  9. Feature Request: Enhanced Reporting Capabilities for Alma Analytics

    Hello Everyone,

    I am reaching out to gather insights or suggestions regarding a feature enhancement I would like to see in Alma’s Analytics module. As an institution, we heavily rely on Alma for library management and its robust analytics capabilities. However, we have encountered some challenges with the current reporting options, particularly when it comes to customizing and automating reports.

    Currently, while Alma offers a range of predefined reports and queries, our team often needs to create customized reports that pull data across different modules or require specific filtering, which isn’t always straightforward. It would be incredibly helpful if there…

    2 votes
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    0 comments  ·  Analytics  ·  Admin →
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  10. Allow libraries to hide the "Date Needed By" field on Primo VE physical request forms

    The August 2026 release introduced two enhancements related to the "Date Needed By" field:

    Ability to make the field mandatory.
    Ability to automatically populate the field using the new "Date Needed By Period" policy in Request Terms of Use.

    While these enhancements are useful for some institutions, there is currently no way to hide the field entirely and rely solely on the default value provided by the Terms of Use policy.

    At our institution, staff would prefer to use a standard system-defined value (for example, 7 days) and prevent patrons from changing it.

    The current patron-entered field creates operational issues:

    …

    1 vote
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    0 comments  ·  Fulfillment - General  ·  Admin →

  11. Allow an IZ to be its own RS fulfillment network partner

    In order to limit the request links that users must choose from, we would like to use resource sharing requests and the automated fulfillment network to first check local holdings and use that if available, then go to our fulfillment network partners if not. The most straight forward way to do this would be to make our IZ a fulfillment network partner and create an ordered rota template that would be applied before the template with our other partners.

    12 votes
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    0 comments  ·  Collaborative Networks  ·  Admin →
    Closed  ·  AdminErez Shabo (Product Manager, Ex Libris) responded

    Hello All,

    This idea has been closed as part of a cleanup process for ideas older than two years with fewer than 20 votes.

    This cleanup process is necessary to streamline our idea management process and ensure that the most relevant and impactful ideas receive the attention they deserve. If you still feel strongly about this idea, you may submit it via the NERS process.

    We value your feedback and encourage you to continue submitting and voting for ideas that you believe will enhance Alma.

    Alma Product Team

  12. See the same information in Monitor Requests & Item Process menu that is seen in Borrowing Requests menu

    It would be helpful to see the same information in the different places a staff member might check to see the status of a patron request. In the attached document, you'll see that there is much more useful information in the borrowing requests menu, including the preferred pickup location which is a critical detail. Can we have the same info display in both?

    3 votes
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    0 comments  ·  Fulfillment - Requests  ·  Admin →
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  13. Ability to report on Note (5XX) fields - bibliographic details folder/dimension

    We request that the Bibliographic Details dimension in Alma Analytics have an entry added for Notes, wherever the Subject Area has "Bibliographic Details" presented. This Notes attribute should include all 5XX fields and subfields in the bib record. The data should use a separator (e.g., ;) to identify the information from different and repeated 5XX fields. This is useful information for libraries for reporting purposes.

    13 votes
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    1 comment  ·  Analytics  ·  Admin →
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  14. Filter Pick From Shelf List, Active Hold Shelf, and Expired Hold Shelf by Patron Physical Item Request or Ship Physically

    Currently, the Pick From Shelf list, Active Hold Shelf, and Expired Hold Shelf don't allow the items displayed in the list to be filtered. If Resource Sharing requests ("ship physically") and Patron Physical Item Requests must be combined, it would be much more useful to be able to filter out one or the other. It makes it difficult for Circulation staff to monitor the pick list and active and expired holds when we can't filter out the Resource Sharing requests that we don't work with, and the same holds for our Resource Sharing staff.

    4 votes
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    0 comments  ·  Fulfillment - Requests  ·  Admin →
    Closed  ·  AdminErez Shabo (Product Manager, Ex Libris) responded

    Hello All,

    This idea has been closed as part of a cleanup process for ideas older than two years with fewer than 20 votes.

    This cleanup process is necessary to streamline our idea management process and ensure that the most relevant and impactful ideas receive the attention they deserve. If you still feel strongly about this idea, you may submit it via the NERS process.

    We value your feedback and encourage you to continue submitting and voting for ideas that you believe will enhance Alma.

    Alma Product Team

  15. Remove the adding files process from Ship Item Digitally action for digital titles

    New Ship Item digitally action is great, but adding file process seems to be redundant when the requested title is already a digital title so it has at least one digital representation and its files. It would be much better if the user can select the representation and the files to send when the request is for a digital title, and the receiving partner gets an email containing the files or the links for downloading them.

    12 votes
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    0 comments  ·  Resource Sharing  ·  Admin →
    Already Supported  ·  AdminMoshe Shechter (Alma Senior Product Manager, Ex Libris) responded

    Hi,

    is also possible to to ship digital resources that are managed in Alma, regardless of whether the digital content is stored remotely (using a Remote Representation) or locally on Alma.

    On the Manage Resource Fulfillment Options page (Digital Services section), the following actions are available if there are Alma managed digital resources for the requested title:

    • View – View the digital representation. If the representation is a Remote Representation, you can also use a Ship action to ship the digital content.
    • View Files (if the representation is not a remote representation) – Choose one or more files to ship, if they are stored locally on Alma.
    • Deliver – View the files.

  16. Use article galaxy add-on to support resource sharing requests in Alma

    At a recent Ex Libris event I was made aware of the Article Galaxy add-on https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/appcenter/article-galaxy-add-on/

    The information provide on the page suggests that this is only used with Rapido however we would be interested in using this feature as part of the regular Alma resource sharing process.

    Currently we make most of our document delivery requests through Reprints desk but the user process means that library staff are alerted to a resource sharing request coming in from the user via Primo, they then manage this in Alma but have to then go to reprints desk separately to make…

    4 votes
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    0 comments  ·  Resource Sharing  ·  Admin →
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  17. Linking patron name to patron record

    I have noticed there are several ideas suggested in the ideas exchange regarding linking a patron's name and/or ID to their record in Alma.

    These include:
    - 'Link patron loan to patron record' (posted 25/05/2016)
    - 'Hyperlinking from request queue/holdshelf to patron record' (posted 21/09/2017)
    - Ability to view patron data via patron ID link in resource sharing' (posted 11/01/2018)

    I have one more to add to the list - linking within 'Manage item returns'.

    When an item is returned, the patron returning the item is displayed in the 'Patron' column, with a hyperlink to their record, and the option…

    197 votes
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    14 comments  ·  Fulfillment - General  ·  Admin →
    Planned  ·  AdminMoshe Shechter (Alma Senior Product Manager, Ex Libris) responded

    The solution approach will be to add a link from the user contact info pop up to the user record. This link will be available for users that have a role that allows viewing a full user record.

    By having this link added to the user information pop up we will have added to the many places where user information is displayed.

  18. Job for copying the configuration from the production environment into the Standard Sandbox

    Making testing and training in an Alma Standard Sandbox based on Ex Libris provided configuration is very difficult since this configuration may be very different from the one in the customer's production environment.

    Currently Ex Libris is offering two types of Sandboxes for Alma:
    (1) "Standard" - by default included in Alma subscription pricing. This sandbox contains Ex Libris provided data and configuration
    (2) "Premium" – for addition subscription fee – this sandbox includes a full copy of the customer's data and configuration

    Refresh of the Alma sandbox environment is possible up to once a quarter, upon request. In…

    194 votes
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    5 comments  ·  Other  ·  Admin →
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  19. Allow a NR to run with the PTC job

    TL;DR:
    We would like to have the ability to run a normalization rule whenever the PTC modifies a record.

    Background:
    In November 2024 Ex-Libris added a new functionality to the PTC job:
    MARC 21 Preferred Term Correction Can Flip Headings with Cross-Reference in Different Field
    https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Release_Notes/2024/Alma_2024_Release_Notes?mon=202411

    Problem:
    The PTC job only changes the first indicator correctly when the PTC job changes a field into 630.
    in all other cases, the existing indicators remain.
    We opened a case and spoke directly with Ex-Libris, but were told that the PTC job runs as intended, and that not handling the indicators is not…

    47 votes
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    3 comments  ·  Metadata Management  ·  Admin →
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  20. Add Job Category as an input parameter for the Borrowing Resource Sharing rule

    Why this is desirable:
    To facilitate personal delivery for a subset of a user group (online or distance learners, for example), Alma needs an additional input parameter in the Borrowing Resource Sharing rule. Due to additional cost implications for these patrons and the delivery of their requested items, we do not want to offer this service to all users with a certain user group. Giving these patrons a separate user group, where all other loan, request, etc. rules are identical other than the personal delivery setting adds an undesirable level of complexity to the existing fulfillment rules and…

    19 votes
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    0 comments  ·  Resource Sharing  ·  Admin →
    Completed  ·  Dana Moshkovits responded

    Completed as part of the February release.

    Alma has enhanced its borrowing resource sharing rules to include Job Category

    For more information please see Release Notes

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