Alma
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1733 results found
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Create an embeddable calendar of library open hours
I want to be able to create a calendar of library open hours which can embed on external websites.
2 votes -
ensure that when 'po_line_description_update_upon_bib_change' enabled, subfield A does not get overwritten by subfield L in 022
Sharing description from our Cataloger, CH:
We believe the following describes a defect.
Support indicates it is an enhancement request and suggests we propose on Idea Exchange.
Background:
1) We turned on the ‘polinedescriptionupdateuponbibchange’ enhancement in the sandbox.
2) The enhancement overwrote the $$l instead of pulling in the $$a from 022 – this behavior describes a defect
None of the following 3 options allow us to properly use the ‘polinedescriptionupdateuponbibchange’ enhancement:
1. Ideally, we want to enable the ‘polinedescriptionupdateuponbibchange’ function to auto-sync changes in the bib record to the POL bib description. This saves our Cataloging team from an additional step to manually edit the POL record.
However, we are unable to use this Alma function at all because when we do, it auto-reverts the POL bib desc ISSN from $$a to $$l.Less ideal, we use the Reload Bib Data button to sync changes in the POL bib desc to match the bib record (a more manual approach—it means our Cataloging team needs to click the ‘Reload Bib Data’ button).
However, again, we are unable to use this function because this option also changes the ISSN from $$a to $$l. Another Alma feature we are not able to use.Least ideal – Cataloging team manually updates every field in POL bib desc to match bib record updates. This is the most work for the Cataloging team, as it does not allow them to use the 2 previous enhancements in Alma to make their jobs easier. With this feature enabled, if the Cataloging team manually types anything into the ISSN field in the POL bib description, the system will auto-revert to $$l and override manual changes. Once the Cataloging team makes any change to the ISSN field in the POL bib description, they CANNOT revert it back to $$a. It's as though they lost control of that field entirely. This feels to our organization to be a major glitch - why doesn't the system allow the user to make and save a MANUAL change to a field?
Sharing description from our Cataloger, CH:
We believe the following describes a defect.
Support indicates it is an enhancement request and suggests we propose on Idea Exchange.
Background:
1) We turned on the ‘polinedescriptionupdateuponbibchange’ enhancement in the sandbox.
2) The enhancement overwrote the $$l instead of pulling in the $$a from 022 – this behavior describes a defect
None of the following 3 options allow us to properly use the ‘polinedescriptionupdateuponbibchange’ enhancement:
1. Ideally, we want to enable the ‘polinedescriptionupdateuponbibchange’ function to…10 votes -
Improve the Alma Link Resolver display logic to include conditions and thresholds (as they are available in SFX)
I would like to see the Alma link resolver have the same configuration options as the SFX link resolver.
The SFX link resolver offers the following conditions:
- sametarget
- threshold
- notimediffwarning
- samethreshold
See: https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/SFX/Product_Documentation/01_Version_4.0/SFX_General_User's_Guide/07_Configuration/05_Menu_Configuration/06_Display_LogicIn addition, I'd like the Alma link resolver to offer thresholds to further configure the threshold condition in a display logic rule.
See: https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/SFX/Product_Documentation/01_Version_4.0/SFX_General_User's_Guide/02_KBManager/07_Thresholds15 votes -
Allow Adjustments to Fines and Fees
Summary:
Currently, when staff members need to adjust a fine or fee (for example, to correct the replacement cost of a lost item), the process requires deleting the existing fee and creating a new one. This creates a significant issue: the newly created fee is not correctly linked to the associated item record.Problem Description:
When a patron reports a lost or overdue item and is unable to locate it, staff adjust the charge to reflect the actual replacement cost. However, because the system does not support direct modification of existing fees, staff must delete the original fee and manually create a new one.
As a result, the new fee is detached from the original item record. If the patron later finds and returns the item, the fee remains on their account because it is no longer properly tied to the barcode or item record.Proposed Enhancement:
Enable staff to directly modify existing fines and fees within the system, maintaining their link to the associated item record. This will ensure:Accurate and efficient fee adjustments.
Proper linkage between fees and item records.
Automatic removal of replacement fees if the item is later returned.
Benefits:
Reduces staff workload and manual errors.
Improves patron account accuracy and satisfaction.
Preserves system integrity by keeping all records properly connected.
Summary:
Currently, when staff members need to adjust a fine or fee (for example, to correct the replacement cost of a lost item), the process requires deleting the existing fee and creating a new one. This creates a significant issue: the newly created fee is not correctly linked to the associated item record.Problem Description:
When a patron reports a lost or overdue item and is unable to locate it, staff adjust the charge to reflect the actual replacement cost. However, because the system does not support direct modification of existing fees, staff must delete the original fee and manually…12 votes -
Display statistics note labels in Analytics
Controlling item statistics notes is optional in Alma. We have controlled our statistics notes and would like to have the option of displaying the more human-readable descriptions in Analytics reports rather than the raw codes. This is how for instance statistical categories work in Analytics--you can display the code or the description. Institutions that have not controlled statistics notes could have null descriptions, or the description could be the code.
3 votes -
Override and reset the maximum renewal date
We would like to be able to override and reset the maximum renewal date when renewing loans that has gone over the initial maximum renewal period.
The override option that we have today, only overrides the renewal blockage and not the maximum renewal period. When the new due date arrives, the "maximun renewal date" is still expired and the renewal has to be handled by a librarian.
As it is now, we have to return and reloan the material for the patron, a manual prosess that takes time and opens up for errors.
213 votes -
Enhanced customization for patron cards (contact information pop-up)
We suggest the option to customize fields in the patrons’ visitor cards to enrich the Contact Information Pop-Up with institutional relevant data from the patron’s account, for example the language of the patron. At this moment, the available fields cannot be edited nor can new ones be added.
11 votes -
Move API management into Alma admin functional area
Management of APIs is currently managed via the developers network portal, which does not support institutional SSO, and barely supports MFA (email-only tied to one email address).
Moving the management of the Alma/Exlibris APIs into the Alma/LMS admin interface would bring the management of the Exlibris APIs into an environment that supports SSO and more granular permissioning in line with current Exlibris/Alma best practice, and ensure access is consistent with each institutions authentication/authorisation requirements. This would also require Exlibris to create roles specifically for API management/administration.
This would provide a more secure and better experience for Exlibris customers, and provide a consistent UI experience. It would also ensure that provisioning of access to institutional APIs is managed by the institution itself
Management of APIs is currently managed via the developers network portal, which does not support institutional SSO, and barely supports MFA (email-only tied to one email address).
Moving the management of the Alma/Exlibris APIs into the Alma/LMS admin interface would bring the management of the Exlibris APIs into an environment that supports SSO and more granular permissioning in line with current Exlibris/Alma best practice, and ensure access is consistent with each institutions authentication/authorisation requirements. This would also require Exlibris to create roles specifically for API management/administration.
This would provide a more secure and better experience for Exlibris customers, and provide…
3 votes -
Alma Mobile App, pick from shelf, add edition
It would be great if edition/year could be added to the Pick From Shelf functionality within the Alma Mobile App
Currently you only see Title & Editor + Location, Call Number and # of Requests, we have multiple editions of items and often find the wrong one is picked, requiring the staff member to go back and get a different copy (after checking Alma Desktop for the correct edition)
If more data was shown, either on the pick list or by pressing the title to pick, it would improve the functionality of the app.
1 vote -
Make the physical_condition field in the item record available in the xml of the Loan Receipt Letter
We would like to display information in the Physical Condition field of the item record in the Loan Receipt email. To do so we would need this to be available in the XML. Can this please be included?
3 votes -
Link single or selected local portfolios in a CZ collection to the community instead of all local portfolios in a CZ collection
Currently, when linking local portfolios in a CZ collection to the Community Zone (CZ) using “Link Local Portfolios to Community”, it is only possible to run the job on all local portfolios in that collection, rather than just a single portfolio or a selection of portfolios. (Linking a single portfolio only works for stand-alone portfolios, not for local portfolios in a CZ collection).
It would be useful if an option could be added to link a single local portfolio in a CZ collection to the CZ. Also, it would be helpful if the "Link Local Portfolios to Community" option in the Electronic Service Editor could also be used for a selection of portfolios instead of all localized portfolios ("Link all local portfolios" vs. "Link selected local portfolios").
Currently, when linking local portfolios in a CZ collection to the Community Zone (CZ) using “Link Local Portfolios to Community”, it is only possible to run the job on all local portfolios in that collection, rather than just a single portfolio or a selection of portfolios. (Linking a single portfolio only works for stand-alone portfolios, not for local portfolios in a CZ collection).
It would be useful if an option could be added to link a single local portfolio in a CZ collection to the CZ. Also, it would be helpful if the "Link Local Portfolios to Community" option in…
9 votes -
Analytics : Add Website URL to Users subject area
On a user record there is a field called "Website URL" however this isn't included in Analytics.
It would be useful to have this as it would save the need to put URLs into other less appropriate fields just to get the data on an analytics report.
1 vote -
Wikidata URIs
We request that Wikidata be maintained within Alma as an authority vocabulary source. This functionality should include the ability to search against Wikidata as part of the Metadata Editor F3 linked data enrichment function. Cataloguers should be able to enrich bibliographic records by manually selecting the authority to apply the corresponding Wikidata URI to a name heading. This is useful for non-Library of Congress cataloguers and for those with Special Collections and archiving cataloguing responsibilities to use a more agile and international authority source in our cataloguing.
68 votes -
create a new item status for items "lost on shelves"
Currently items can be marked as Missing (if not found in the Library), or Lost (if long overdue on user's account). Missing books are regularly checked on, but some of them cannot be tracked within a reasonable time for users, and the search becomes more of an in-house task than fulfilment of an immediate customer need.
However, it is not possible to distinguish between items marked missing relatively recently and still actively searched for (e.g. because we could not find them immediately when requested by users), and those which were not found after several checks, for a long time, even if we think they should be in the library and we do not want to delete their record.
For that reason the missing books' list is ever growing, and working with it is frustrating because more often than not colleagues are checking for hundreds of items which are not urgent to find (e.g. users do not need them any more), and which are maybe not important to check on regularly as we could mark them available again as and when they re-surface.
I would like to see a separate item status for these books to make our work easier, to eliminate the need to put these items in some sort of Work Order as a workaround because those WOs expire and have their own sets of problems, and to improve our customer service by being able to focus on the missing books currently required by our users.
The new item status could mean an automatic supress from Discovery, would allow us to list these items if we have the need for that, but most importantly, would allow us to treat currently missing (and actively/urgently searched for) items separate from those long-term missing onesCurrently items can be marked as Missing (if not found in the Library), or Lost (if long overdue on user's account). Missing books are regularly checked on, but some of them cannot be tracked within a reasonable time for users, and the search becomes more of an in-house task than fulfilment of an immediate customer need.
However, it is not possible to distinguish between items marked missing relatively recently and still actively searched for (e.g. because we could not find them immediately when requested by users), and those which were not found after several checks, for a long time, even…5 votes -
Automatically waive fees when redating
Sometimes we can only deduct returned books from the user's account a few days later, e.g. if books are returned by mail. If fees have already been incurred, these must be waived manually. It would be nice if the fees were automatically waived when backdating the return date, so that we wouldn't have to calculate whether fees need to be waived or not.
6 votes -
Buffer periods for Last Interest Date for Borrowing Requests
ISSUE: Quite a few of our borrowing requests are getting cancelled automatically by Alma, because people are setting a Last interest date of the same day or the next day. Unrealistic expectations are being created by the Last Interest Date. Yet, staff find it useful to know the Last Interest Date for borrowing requests where the patron indicates a date some time into the future.
LOCATION: ILL request form, patron facing (e.g. in Primo VE).
SOLUTION: Allow buffer periods to be implemented on the Last Interest Date. For example, a library may choose to create a 10 day buffer for loans, so that loan requests can't have a Last Interest Date of less than 10 days from the borrowing request date. A shorter buffer period may be selected for copy requests. Flexibility in setting the buffer period should be provided to the Library. (This is exactly how this works in Relais ILL.)
ISSUE: Quite a few of our borrowing requests are getting cancelled automatically by Alma, because people are setting a Last interest date of the same day or the next day. Unrealistic expectations are being created by the Last Interest Date. Yet, staff find it useful to know the Last Interest Date for borrowing requests where the patron indicates a date some time into the future.
LOCATION: ILL request form, patron facing (e.g. in Primo VE).
SOLUTION: Allow buffer periods to be implemented on the Last Interest Date. For example, a library may choose to create a 10 day buffer for…
11 votes -
Create report in analytics for citations with no usage
It would helpful in the leganto student usage area of leganto to be able to generate a list of citations in a reading list with no engagement. Currently you can only report on citations with student usage.
3 votes -
Predicted Items - Add columns in Metadata overview
When opening predicted items in the Metadata Editor, the "Predicted Items" pop-up window appears. It would be very useful if the following columns could be added to the overview presented in this window.
Currently, the following columns are shown:
- Description
- Status
- Expected arrival datePlease add:
- First level of enumeration (= Enumeration A in the physical item editor)
- Second level of enumeration (= Enumeration B)
- First level of chonology (= Chronology I)
- Second level of chronology (= Chronology J)This addition would make it easier to verify whether all relevant fields are correctly filled by the pattern used in MARC 853.
Thank you
When opening predicted items in the Metadata Editor, the "Predicted Items" pop-up window appears. It would be very useful if the following columns could be added to the overview presented in this window.
Currently, the following columns are shown:
- Description
- Status
- Expected arrival datePlease add:
- First level of enumeration (= Enumeration A in the physical item editor)
- Second level of enumeration (= Enumeration B)
- First level of chonology (= Chronology I)
- Second level of chronology (= Chronology J)This addition would make it easier to verify whether all relevant fields are correctly…
50 votesHi all,
Please note that this idea was mistakenly closed. It has now been reopened, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused.
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Sending On Hold Shelf Letter
When scanning a barcode in Fullfilment - Checkout/Checkin – Returns items
• Printing the Ful Resource Request Slip Letter
• Change of document status in “Hold shelf”But no print On Hold Shelf Letter
The operator can place the request on the reservation shelf but the reader is not notified
Can the action “Returns items trigger the printing of the letter “On Hold Shelf Letter” ?
3 votes -
Flag AI created resources
As an electronic resources access manager, I would like to propose functionality be created to identify when a resources was created all or partially by artificial intelligence.
More content is being created by AI and it is getting harder and harder to detect. Gobi now has "AI-generated" as a tag under "interdisciplinary topics" when purchasing books (screenshot attached) and it would be great if Alma could do something similar to alert users when they are looking through institutions catalogs of resources.
I am not sure if this idea is for Alma only or Alma and Primo but it would be great to find a way forward in flagging know AI generated resources.
I also know this will not be a perfect fix but if resources can be flagged and the option to report/tag is provided it will help our users.
As an electronic resources access manager, I would like to propose functionality be created to identify when a resources was created all or partially by artificial intelligence.
More content is being created by AI and it is getting harder and harder to detect. Gobi now has "AI-generated" as a tag under "interdisciplinary topics" when purchasing books (screenshot attached) and it would be great if Alma could do something similar to alert users when they are looking through institutions catalogs of resources.
I am not sure if this idea is for Alma only or Alma and Primo but it would be…
21 votes
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