First round Alma Enhancements 21-22

All

Bridge Consortium

Expandable Text Boxes

The Internal Note Fields or Receiving Note Fields as well as Public note, Fulfillment note, Internal note and Statistical note in the Physical Items Editor are not expandable.  Often staff need to add further more information into these fields. Though staff can keep adding content in the fields, but the Text Box stays the same. A lot of times, staff need to move cursor around, in order to see all data for that particular field.

If the developer can make 'Text Box' expandable at our need, that will save a lot of trouble. 

Fulfillment

University of Haifa Library

User/Patron notes deletion

We would like to be able to delete all the notes in patron's library account on Alma at once. Now we have to delete them one by one

user notes, UX

Acquisitions

University of Liège Libraries

Enable configuring VAT on the purchase order line level

Libraries should be able to enable configuring VAT on the purchase order line level so that it can be taken into account for encumbrance calculation.

Acquisitions, POL, PO Line, VAT, Value-Added Tax

Fulfillment

Bond University

Prevent refunds for items with Lost and Paid status

When the close_paid_lost_loan is set to true, an items status is changed to Lost and Paid and the loan is closed from the patrons account when the last fees are paid or exported. If the TOU allows refunds and the item is returned even after the loan has been closed, the patron receives the refund. We would like the option to configure the Lost and Paid status not to initiate a refund if the item is returned regardless of the TOU refund policy. When lost loans are closed via the Close Lost Loans job the patron no longer receives a refund if the item is returned. We consider the Lost and Paid status to be the equivalent automatic method for the Close Lost Loans job so believe we should be able to configure it to not refund the patron. If an item with the Lost and Paid status was returned, we would also expect a pop-up message to display in Alma indicating the item has a Lost and Paid status. This would alert the staff not to re-shelve the book but follow internal library processes for the next steps for Lost and Paid returned items.

Resource Management

Harvard University Library - E

Scan in Items... Status / Done selections need to be sticky

The Scan in Items... Status field value is not sticky. This is a productivity issue and also leads to errors. Generally a given staff member frequently chooses a single value repeatedly, but the system always defaults to the first value in the list (alphabetically) and they have to change it every time. The same is true for the Done option. The last used option should stick.

Use Case: I am a staff member in Acquisitions technical services. I am an original cataloger and my workflow involves cataloging a piece, and then updating the status of the work order to "Shelf Prep." From the Metadata Editor, I complete my cataloging, save and release the bib record, then go to Scan In Items, change the status from the default value (first alphabetically) of "Cataloging" to "Shelf Prep," then Scan in the barcode. Now I work on my next bib record, finish cataloging in the MDE, save and release record, go to the Scan in Items screen, and now I have to re-select the status of "Shelf Prep" and scan in the item. I have to re-select this status all day long as I go about my cataloging work.

All

Harvard University Library - E

Add consistent shortcuts and more buttons to search results

In Alma search results there are keyboard equivalents to navigate but not to all options (e.g. Edit record, Full View then Edit Record...). There should be consistent keyboard shortcuts for navigation throughout the system. Specifically: 1) from search results, when physical tab is expanded, there should be a button (and shortcut) to edit a holding in the list, instead of the current method of opening the holding in View mode and then clicking Edit; 2) from search results, need a keyboard shortcut to invoke Edit of bib record. 3) From the search results, need a button and shortcut for going to list of items. 

Resource Management

Harvard University Library - E

Import Profiles: more mapping options (Material Type, Acq Method, E-Collection)

We need additional mapping options in Import Profiles. We need the ability to map to Electronic Collection, Material Type, and Acquisition method, based on field/subfield values in the input file. For example, we have several EOD profiles for Casalini, when we could have 1 if these values could be mapped. We have several because we load different material types (Books, DVDs, etc.) and have multiple Acq Methods, such as Approval, Purchase at Vendor System, etc. Similarly, for Import Profiles that load Portfolios, you cannot map to Collection. You have to have a separate profile for each Electronic Collection for which you want to load portfolios. These greatly increases the number of profiles we need to maintain. If we could map to Electronic Collection from a field/subfield value in the input file, we would need to maintain significantly fewer profiles.

Acquisitions

Harvard University Library - E

Editing items via Receiving, Save & Receive items

From the Receive Items List, add options to edit description, enum, and chron. Currently only the barcode is editable here. This will greatly improve productivity. Furthermore, when staff need to edit additional item fields during receiving, they need to be able to go to the Physical Item Editor and then Save & Receive. Currently they can only Save from the Physical Item Editor, meaning the Receipt of an Item and the Editing of an Item are two disparate workflows, even though staff need to do them at the same time. Without this feature, working with continuous items is time-consuming, awkward, and requires many extra keystrokes/mousing. 

Reset to new by Corinna Baksik on 2022024, because ExL has not confirmed via email yet that this will indeed be part of the Receiving Workflow enhancements planned for 2023. 

Resource Management

Harvard University Library - E

Preferred term correction: flip headings that change tag number

Alma authority control does not handle cases where the bib heading is linked to an authority via a cross-reference, but the preferred and non-preferred terms are in different fields, e.g. preferred term is in authority field 130 and cross-reference in authority is in 410. Alma should be able to handle this scenario. Currently when the bib heading matches the authority cross-reference, Alma won't correct these and instead puts them on this report: Preferred Term Correction - Bib Heading found no authorized term. This is a common scenario and the lack of this feature is a significant gap in the Alma authority control process. Handling these manually would require an unsustainable amount of effort by staff, because they can only be corrected through complicated norm rules, and it is not feasible to write a norm rule for every relevant heading and run jobs to update records. //

Example bib heading that Alma won't correct:

110/2_ $$a Allied and Associated Powers (1914-1920). $$t Treaties, etc. $$g Germany, $$d 1919 June 28.

The authority record that this heading links to (via its cross-reference)

130/0 $$a Treaty of Versailles $$d (1919 June 28)
410/2$$a Allied and Associated Powers (1914-1920). $$t Treaties, etc. $$g Germany, $$d 1919 June 28.

The bib heading in 110 links to the authority via the cross-reference in the 410, but because the preferred term in the authority is in 130 (and not 110), Alma will not flip the heading.

// This is also in Ideas Exchange with about 180 votes: https://ideas.exlibrisgroup.com/forums/308173-alma/suggestions/36030319-preferred-term-correction-should-flip-headings-tha

Administration

University of Haifa Library

Selection of fields displayed in the brief record view should be configurable by user

In the brief record view in Alma there is an option to add/remove various fields from the brief results view. The list of the fields is set and quite limited. It would be very helpful to have more flexibility to choose which fields will appear in the list and for the list to include local fields

brief results view, UX, local fields

Resource Management

University of Haifa Library

Enable creation of itemized sets of digital representations and files

There is no option to create a set of a list of Representation IDs (itemized set) as it is possible with MMS IDs or Portfolio IDs. This option is highly required when handling large digital collections. 

Itemized sets, digital files, digital representations

Electronic Resources

University of Haifa Library

Add MMS ID to any Export URL report

When running the Export URLs job there is an option to export URLs  from the bibliographic record, from digital representation or from the portfolios. When choosing to export URLs from set of electronic portfolios, the report contains only the Portfolio ID and the URL.

Export URL, job reports, 

Analytics

University of Haifa Library

Expand "Interested user" options in Analytics

When adding "Interested user" to a POL there are choice options to notify the user upon arrival or cancellation or create a hold (see attachment). These options do not appear in Analytics, only the existence of "interested user".

interested user, analytics reports

Resource Management

Harvard University Library - E

Fix gaps in Subject Browse (LCSH vs. LCNAME subjects)

The separation of subjects into these 2 separate browses is very problematic: LCSH vs. "LC name authority records for 651". Staff must check each browse separately to find all headings. This affects Primo VE customers as well, where the incomplete Subject Browse is a serious patron facing issue. For example, you have to use the LCSH browse to find "Michigan--Antiquities", but you have to use a different browse ("LC names for 651") to find "Michigan--Antiquities--Bibliography." There should be a single subject browse that contains both LCSH and LC names for 651. Geographic headings in "LC Names 651" are used as subjects and need to be in the same browse as LCSH terms. The fact that they are controlled by separate vocabularies is incidental for discovery and database management purposes. In LC practice, some subdivided geographic headings are established LCSH authorities, not LC Name authorities. Only the un-subdivided name is included in LC Names. Subdivided names are included in LCSH. (For an easier to read version of this request please see: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1spu9GJqeT1SOS45rlyy5qGe8Lg799rbbbPvZp4e_ucw/edit?usp=sharing ). FULLER EXAMPLE:

In LCSH browse you see:
Michigan--Antiquities;
Michigan--Biography;
Michigan--Guidebooks;

But in LC Names for 651 you see:
Michigan;
Michigan--Antiquities--Bibliography;
Michigan--Antiquities--Periodicals;
Michigan--Gazeteers;

What you should see is a single browse:
Michigan;
Michigan--Antiquities;
Michigan--Antiquities--Bibliography;
Michigan--Antiquities--Periodicals;
Michigan--Biography;
Michigan--Gazeteers;
Michigan--Guidebooks;

MORE BACKGROUND
There is a list of “free-floating subdivisions” that can be used under place names in the Subject Headings Manual, H 1140.  Most of these are not established in LCSH under individual places, unless a further subdivision that is specific to a place needs to be established. For example, $x Abstracting and indexing is a valid subdivision in the list, but United States—Abstracting and indexing is not in LCSH. On the other hand, $x History is a free floating subdivision, but United States—History is in LCSH because it is needed as part of the structure to add specific subdivisions, e.g. United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865. Sometimes a heading is in LCSH because cross references are needed for that combination. For example, $x National Guard is a free floating subdivision, but United States—National Guard is in LCSH because it has references from National Guard (United States) and United States—Organized militia, 1903-1916.

Fulfillment

Bibliotheque cantonale et universitaire â Lausanne 

Anonymize loans for a single patron and allow him to do it himself from his account

We need to have an option in the patron services page to allow our staff to anonymize a patron's inactive loans, if he ask to. We would like also that the patron could do it himself from his Primo account. This option should exist at the institution zone level and every institution could choose if activate it or not.

Patron, Loans Anonymization, Data privacy, Fulfillment

Acquisitions

Boston University

Received Items List - enhance functionality

Please add the ability to view Material type as a column, add a button to Open Predicted Items, and add a button to Withdraw items to the Received Items List in Acquisitions > Receive. Include a popup for the receiving note, similar to what exists for fulfillment notes (for an example, see Salesforce Case #00058981).

Use case for Open Predicted Items (added from 6668):
A user is responsible for receiving issues of print serials. While doing so via the Receiving List, they need to create additional predicted items for a title. They navigate to the List of Items for the correct holding associated with that title using a Repository Search, then use the Open Predicted Items function.
They then need to navigate back to the Receiving List to continue their work until needing to create additional predicted items for another title. 

Resource Management

Boston University

Reminders - enhance functionality

This area of Alma is incredibly useful, but could use some enhancements to make it better. If it behaved more like the E-Activation task list it would become much more valuable and popular. 1. Showing up on the homepage Task List/sends emails (most important); 2. Ability to assign the tasks; 3. The ability to filter by type or status better; 4. More useful filtering of due dates.

Resource Management

Harvard University Library - E

Subdivided LCSH headings should be flipped by PTC

Preferred Term Correction is not flipping all LCSH headings when the authority record changes. If there is an authority record that has a subdivision, it is only flipped by PTC if the heading in the bib has no additional subdivisions. This means there is a significant gap in the PTC process that requires manual attention and handling, which is unsustainable. The PTC process needs to be more thorough.

For example, this LCSH:

$a Germany $x Politics and government $y 19th century

was updated by LC to be:

$a Germany $x Politics and government $y 1789-1900

When the authority record changed, bib headings that had the original $a $x $y (only) were flipped by PTC to have the new $y. But any headings that had additional subdivisions were not flipped.

For example,  this bib heading was flipped to the new form:
BEFORE: $a Germany $x Politics and government $y 19th century
AFTER: $a Germany $x Politics and government $y 1789-1900

But this bib heading was NOT flipped:
$a Germany $x Politics and government $y 19th century $v Congresses.

More example of headings that were not flipped but should have been flipped:
651 0 $a Germany $x Politics and government $y 19th century $v Caricatures and cartoons.
651 0 $a Germany $x Politics and government $y 19th century $v Congresses.
651 0 $a Germany $x Politics and government $y 19th century $v Exhibitions.
651 0 $a Germany $x Politics and government $y 19th century $x In literature.
651 0 $a Germany $x Politics and government $y 19th century $v Periodicals.
651 0 $a Germany $x Politics and government $y 19th century $v Poetry.

Fulfillment

University of Haifa Library

Restart Automatic renewal if users' expiration date was extended

When Automatic loan renewal stops due to user expiry date, manual action is needed to resume it in case the expiry date is extended

Automatic loan renewal, fulfillment

Resource Management

University of Haifa Library

Populate 670 field in a new authority record derived from the bibliographic record

Please auto-populate the 670 field (Source Data Found) in the new authority record with Title, date in $a and MMS ID in $w.

inspired by IdeaExchange:\n
https://ideas.exlibrisgroup.com/forums/308173-alma/suggestions/18146107-authority-creation-populate-670-source-data-foun\n

Resource Management

University of Haifa Library

Improve Authority Control reporting on partially matched BIB headings in Alma and in analytics

We would like to have an ability to identify our partially linked headings in order to better prioritize authority control work.

Authority Control Task List, Reports, Analytics, Authorities

Fulfillment

Boston University

Send Courtesy Notices when Patron Loans are Auto-Renewed

When loans are successfully auto-renewed in the system, the patron does not receive an email notifying them that the loan has been renewed. Therefore, it is possible after a while that the patron forgets they have the item. We would like the option to have a notice to go to the patron when an item is auto-renewed, and have a letter that is customizable for this purpose so that we could expand our use of auto-renewals.

Fulfillment

University of Haifa Library

Resource Sharing: Add further Enhanced Search Options in the Resource Sharing tasks lists

In Resource Sharing, additional search criteria are required for the Lending and Borrowing search functions a) Add Creation Date to the search criteria. b) Add Partner Code to the search criteria

partner code; task lists; search options

Fulfillment

University of Haifa Library

Mapping chapter details fields in borrowing requests to partners

Currently Alma does not send the 'Chapter title' and 'Chapter author' fields in borrowing requests to partners using the ISO ILL protocol. This means that staff have to remember to edit requests to move this information into the Chapter Number field in order for it to be transmitted to partners. We would like Ex Libris to map these fields so that they are transmitted via an appropriate ISO field to the partner library.

resource sharing, chapter title, chapter author, chapter number, ISO protocol

Fulfillment

University of Haifa Library

Add status "On Waiting List" to resource sharing borrowing request status field

It would be beneficial a new status "On Waiting List" to the drop-down list for the Request Status field in a resource sharing borrowing request.

requests, statuses, borrowing, resource sharing

Fulfillment

University of Haifa Library

Retain the External ID even if the Resource Sharing request is canceled.

After a Borrowing Request is sent to a partner library, upon cancelling the request, the External Identifier will also be removed from the request. Only the Internal Identifier will be retained. As a result, when the partner library get in contact regarding the request, a search by External Identifier in the Borrowing Request queue will return with no request information. We would like the External Identifier to be retained.The reason we would like the Ex ID is because it is a patterned identifier and that makes it easy to limit down, where to us the internal ID is just a string of random numbers. Our goal is to be able to run reports on either the Lending or Borrowing Request subject areas in one set. If we need to run some on Ex ID to get the Borrowing and Lending sides to match up and then run more on the Internal ID just to get a full snap shot of our RS environment that is a lot of work.

resource sharing, external id, cancel, statistic report, analytics

Fulfillment

San Jose State University

Restricting the number of fields that show when manually creating new users via Register New User

Library staff regularly create a variety of new users in Alma. When we create these records via Register New User, there are a total of 34 text boxes to navigate. At most, only 16 are needed--not even half. This doesn't include the check box for 'Find user in other institution', the required checkboxes for the email, postal address, and phone # and the Yes/No radio button selection to designate 'Patron has institutional record', all of which we still need. Would it be possible to limit the number of available fields, by allowing the institution to customize the form in Alma to only relevant fields. For example, relevant fields for our institution would be: (under User Information) First Name, Last Name, Primary Identifier, User Group, Expiration Date, Purge Date; (under User Management Information) Password, Verify Password; (under Email Addresses) Email Address; (under Addresses) Address line 1, Address line 2, City, State/Province, Postal Code, Country; (under Phone Numbers) Phone number.

patron, patron record, text box, new user, Register New User

Fulfillment

University of Haifa Library

Improve functionality of Borrowing: Upload File function

When uploading a file, it should be possible to a) Preview a file before Sending it, and b) to write a Note to the Patron. 

Preview, Note

Fulfillment

University of Haifa Library

Improve functionality of Lending: Ship Item Digitally function

When shipping an Item Digitally, it should be possible to a) Complete a request after Dropping a file, b) Preview a file, and c) write a Note to the Partner. 

Ship digitally, Complete, Preview, Note

Resource Management

Hebrew University of Jerusalem - Library Authority

the facets for Archival materials is ignored  when LDR 008 a is defined.

According to MARC21 -  archival materials are cataloged as follows:
LDR pos. 6 = p
LDR pos. 8 = a
Currently, the facet in Alma show these kind of materials as "Undefined".
Adding a facet of "Archival Material" according to LDR pos.8 = a, will work according to MARC21 and will display the correct information.

MARC21 rules, LDR -08 - Type of control, Archival Material,

 there is an Idea Exchange link is:\n

Fulfillment

Tufts University

Grace Period for the Lost Item Replacement Fee refund in the Lost Loan Job

Currently, Alma has two configuration options related to refunding the Lost Item Replacement Fee: i) % of refund can be configured - at the point of returning the lost item, we can indicate what percentage of the lost item replacement fee is to be refunded. The problem with this is it doesn't have a date parameter and therefore we cannot say "...if an item is returned X days after being declared lost, then increase/decrease the % being refunded" ii) Delete Lost Loan Job - this job allows us to dissociate a Lost Loan from a patron record, so that even if a Lost Item is returned, the Lost Item Replacement fee will not be refunded. This job can be run manually or via a schedule. The problem is that the job does not take into consideration how long the item has been Lost. For instance, when the job is run, all items with a Lost status (irrespective of the amount of time it has been lost) will be removed from patron account. 

Fulfillment

Tufts University

Add expiration date and renewal options to Proxy User

Currently we are unable to tell by looking at a patron's account if they have a proxy. Further, we are unable to set an expiration date for a proxy relationship. Many of the patron to patron relationships at our institution are Faculty to Student or research. Further they are only for a set time. Having an expiration date for a proxy relationship would allow the relationship to expire on its own with any action from a staff member.

Fulfillment

Tufts University

Add Call Number and Location to the Excel columns exported from Reading Lists

When exporting citations to Excel from a Reading List, we would like the item's Location (Permanent or Temporary if applicable) and Call Number to each export to a separate column in the spreadsheet.  Our workflow is to export citations to create a list for pulling items from the shelves to process for reserve, so we need to be able to sort the sheet by location and call number.  Currently we have to add columns and then copy and paste this information (from the Availability column in the spreadsheet or from the citation information in Alma), which is inconvenient and time-consuming.

Fulfillment

Tufts University

Option to Return Items without registering an in-house use+E70

Currently, checking in an item in Return Items that is not checked out to a patron registers an in-house use count.  We would like a checkbox on the Return Items screen (similar to the one on Scan In Items) that we could select to not register in-house use if an item is not on loan.  Some libraries check all returns in twice to ensure they are removed from patron accounts, but this creates inaccurate in-house use counts.  We would like to maintain this workflow while also collecting meaningful in-house use statistics.

Fulfillment

Tufts University

"Restore" the reading list to its original location

We often have large amount of course reserve items that need to be moved from a permanent to temporary location and back again. We would like to be able to restore a reading list to its original location in ALMA by running a restore job on a defined set of reading lists or through adding a restore action to reading list functionality. Bulk restore would improve efficiency by removing the need to scan in items individually.

Fulfillment

Tufts University

Option to auto-populate Reading List Name and Code fields with identical values from Course Name & Code Fields

In course reserves, we use identical Name and Code values for a course and its corresponding reading list. We would like to auto-populate a Reading List's Name and Code values based upon its course.

Fulfillment

Bridge Consortium

Notification of cancellation for Move Temporary and Work Order requests

Resubmitting request 5122 as we've been informed by Ex Libris that this is still not supported functionality (3/2021): For the temporary move and work order request types in Alma, there is no notification that the request has been cancelled. For example: staff member uses either Move Temporary or a Work Order to request an item for a process because the item is either checked out to a patron or it is on the shelf. If the item is marked missing or the request is cancelled for some other reason before it arrives at its destination location or department, neither the person who placed the request nor (in the case of a work order) the department it was destined for is notified. Impact: Staff must spend time trying to identify items that have been requested but not supplied, then must figure out why the request was cancelled (i.e., was it missing? was it dropped in error?). In order to prevent a service interruption, staff must manually track each work order that they place. Examples: if a cataloger pages a volume from the stacks in order to perform cataloging maintenance, they must monitor the work order to make sure it is fulfilled, in order for them to complete the cataloging maintenance task. If a course reserve staff member places a temporary move on an item, they must track whether the item arrives (usually in a separate spreadsheet) to ensure it gets placed on Reserve. When ILL staff place requests for items to be shipped or scanned, they must monitor their Monitor Requests and Work Orders filters to look for items that have been in work order status longer than 48 hours. Then they must manually check each request in this filter to see if items are in transit and just delayed, or cancelled. This introduces an additional 48 hours (or more) into our turnaround time and is a poor use of staff time. Work orders are placed as part of a workflow. If the request cannot be fulfilled, the workflow cannot be completed. The system should be designed to automatically alert staff to breaks in workflows so that the breaks can be triaged; staff should not have to manually remember to monitor a workflow. Without notification that a request has been cancelled, staff may forget to complete a workflow.

Interoperability & Integration

Dartmouth College

NCIP request security 

Currently a valid NCIP request from anywhere can retrieve information about a given library's patrons. In order to exploit this, the attacker would need to know server address, institution code, code of the profile for ILL, all of the correct metadata, and the correct message type/formatting. It's not trivial to gather up all that information for a given institution, but much of the information is publicly available (e.g. NCIP message formatting is a public standard), and none of it is generally treated as a secret.

Given the continuously evolving state of library systems security, it would be good to prevent this type of attack before it happens. Protecting patron privacy is meant to be a top concern for libraries, and we need to embody that principle.

Also on Idea Exchange:  

Administration

Carleton University

Enable User Administrator role with "login/view as user" function

To assist with account troubleshooting and role management, we would like an enhancement that would allow staff with the 'User Administrator' role to be able to login as another staff user. When troubleshooting user account issues, admins would be able to log into Alma as the user experiencing the problem. Many systems offer this type of feature to allow administrators the ability to troubleshoot when confirming workflows and privileges when new roles, scopes, and parameters are added.

user accounts, roles, troubleshooting, admin

Fulfillment

Universite  IULM - Biblioteca

On hold items loan from the Active Hold Shelf page

We would like Alma to allow the desk operators loan on hold items directly from the Active Hold Shelf page, without having to go to the Patron services page.

Hold shelf loan Item

Fulfillment

Library of the Universiteit van Amsterdam

Enable requests of multiple items of the same BIB-record

In Alma, it is generally not possible to request multiple copies of the same record. This possibility only exists if items are differentiated by the item description.

When it comes to special collections, patrons regularly want to compare multiple copies, which may differ. Such differences have generally not been recorded (hence no item description), which is exactly why people want to compare them. For collections in closed stacks, requesting from the catalog is the only way to obtain an item. However, we can currently not offer the option of requesting more than one copy to our patrons. Neither can library staff create additional requests in Alma, unless some (temporary) description is added. To us, this is a serious shortcoming of the system.

As an example, we have three copies of a collection of poems, all located in closed stacks. The items have different call numbers, but no descriptions. One of the items, being part of the special collections, has a source of acquisition note in the holdings record. The note from the holdings record is visible in Primo. This may trigger a patron to want to examine this and one or both of the other items. At present however, no request can be placed if another request for the given title already exists.

fulfillment item requests multiple special collections

Fulfillment

Carleton University

"Ful Cancel Request Letter" sent when hold or digitization request converted to Resource Sharing request

When converting a general hold or digitization request to a Resource Sharing request, the "Ful Cancel Request Letter" is automatically sent to the patron. See: and the letter:

We do not want this letter to be sent to the patron in this situation - the request really isn't cancelled but is being fulfilled via another method. Queries arrive from patrons who think their request is cancelled when, in actuality, we are still processing it but via a different means.

In other situations, when we cancel a request a prompt comes up that allows staff to choose the cancellation reason and select whether or not to notify the patron. But this does not occur for the convert to resource sharing function - the cancel letter just automatically goes out when it's converted. The only available workaround solution is to change the text in the letter to ensure it doesn't only refer to 'cancel'/'deleting' and to request Ex Libris to add change the reason on their end to have it make sense to the user when the request type is converted in Alma.
There is a need and opportunity to have staff decide whether or not this letter is sent to the user when the request type is converted, in order to avoid access letters being sent to the user when internal action are taken (i.e. changing the request type) that don't really require the user to know.

Acquisitions

Oakland Community College

Allow User to Customize how many Issues are Predicted

Currently, Alma's 853 Predictive Patterns, and the ‘Open Predicted Items' function are only capable of predicting an entire year's worth of serial issues at one time. NERS 7721, submitted by Hong Kong Polytechnic University, was merged into this request.

Acquisitions, Continuous, Receiving, Serials, Periodicals, Predict, 853, Pattern, Issues, Efficiency

Acquisitions

Oakland Community College

Map item level fields, Pattern Type and Linking Number in Analytics

In order for 863/866 Automated Summary Holdings generation to work properly, each item record must contain certain information in the ‘Pattern Type' and ‘Linking Number' fields. Currently, these item level fields are not mapped in analytics, so there is no way to report on which records lack this info. 

Administration

University Library Basel

Staff user accounts -- allow proxies and duplication

Switching from Aleph to Alma the handling of staff user records is a big step back. We really miss 1) the proxy function for staff users; 2) the possibility to duplicate a staff user to create a new staff user account. //
This almost made it through NERS in 2021, with 2280 votes.  

staff user accounts

Fulfillment

The University of Western Australia

Ability to queue borrowing requests for a temporarily inactive partner

Hi,
For resource sharing, we use Alma partners with the ISO profile type that are part of the Libraries Australia Document Delivery (LADD) network.

When partner libraries suspend themselves from LADD services, their Status updates in Alma to Inactive.

However, sometimes a Library is the only possible lender of material. In these cases, we would prefer to wait until the Library becomes Active again, instead of trying to source a partner overseas (for us in Australia, time-consuming and much more expensive, plus challenges with postal delays). At present, we add a Note to the request that it is to be Sent to the partner Library at a later date. However, it would be great to have functionality to 'queue' the request against the Inactive partner, so that once the partner's Status became Active again, the request sent automatically.

resource sharing, active, inactive, partner, request, queue

Fulfillment

The University of Western Australia

Ability to edit barcode after receiving borrowing request

Sometimes after receiving a borrowing request, we have a need to change the barcode. This could be because the wrong barcode was scanned in, the barcode is not responsive or another reason. However, there is currently no way to change the barcode in the borrowing request record. Staff can update the item barcode (and we do) however this doesn't affect the original barcode that was scanned in against the borrowing request. We therefore have to add a lot of physical and electronic notes to the front desk staff and to the staff who will be returning the item to the partner library explaining which barcode to issue the book on etc.

barcode, edit, resource sharing, request

Resource Management

Oakland Community College

Seasonal Serials Prediction Patterns only work when beginning with Spring

Currently, when creating 853 predictive patterns, there are limitations to titles with a seasonal frequency. Attempting to create seasonal prediction patterns, whose enumerations begin with anything but Spring (21), results in errors, such as skipped issues, or improper numbering. 

Serials, Periodicals, 853, Predictive Patterns, Seasonal, Chronology, Enumeration

Resource Management

Oakland Community College

Bulk edit Pattern Type and Linking Number from Change Physical Items job

Pattern Type and Linking Number are not available in Change Physical Items job.

Change Physical Items Job, Pattern Type, Linking Number, Serials, Periodicals

Acquisitions

University of Liege Library

Add an optional note to patron when rejecting a purchase request

We would like to have a new free field text in the popup when rejecting a purchase request. This field would include a note to the requester, explaining the reject reason. This could be used by the library in several ways: providing a link to the Primo record for items already available, giving a link to an Open Access version that would not be in Primo, providing the requester with any personalized or detailed information about why the item cannot be purchased (out of print an very hard to find, etc.).

purchase request, purchase requests, patron services, acquisitions

Acquisitions

University of Liege Library

Provide an option to either suppress or unsuppress from discovery, when a bib record is created from a purchase request

When a purchase request is made for a title by the library, it is automatically suppressed from publishing to Primo. This requires the the purchasing team to then have to unsuppress the record during the approve and order process, which is an additional step in the workflow. This does not occur during our normal ordering processes, only when ordering via Manage Purchase Requests. We would ideally like items that are on order to be visible in Primo with their 'on order' status. It would improve the workflow if, as an institution, we could choose to have records automatically unsuppressed from discovery when triggered by a purchase request. This should be a configurable setting as opposed to forced upon us by default.

purchase request, discovery, suppress from discovery, unsuppress from discovery

Based on archived request  6787 (by Amin Hussain, Manchester)

Acquisitions

Pao Yue-kong Library, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

To delete Interested User information in POLs in batch 

In the 2019-01 release, Alma has released a schedule job "Delete Interested Users in Closed PO Lines". That means the Interested User information will be removed from all Closed/Cancelled POLs automatically by a scheduled job. Our Library is required to keep Interested User information for 7 years, but to delete these information after keeping them for 7 years according to audit request. We would like to draw the POLs within a time frame in one batch and purge Interested User information in one go.

Delete Interested User, Interested User

Fulfillment

SLU University Library

Make it possible to customize the cancellation reasons

When we choose to cancel a patron's hold or resource sharing borrowing request we have to select a cancellation reason from a drop-down list. The reason is then included in the letter to the patron. The available texts are currently not customizable by the library, which is a big problem. The texts should be customizable through a code table, just as the PO Line Cancellation Reasons.

Acquisitions

University of Salford

Automatic multi-match handling in imports

It is not currently possible to configure import match profiles to handle multi-matches automatically. We would like the option of automatically merging records and combining inventory based on the preferred record options. 

import matching multi multiple automatic merge preferred record

Acquisitions

University of Salford

Improve documentation and labelling -- Match profile tab

The labelling [of fields in the Alma UI] and online documentation for the Import Profile Details > Match Profile tab need to be reviewed and made more user-friendly. 

import profile user interface clarity documentation field labels form design

Fulfillment

University of Salford

Fulfillment: Enhance the configuration of physical item recall

This request seeks to enhance how Alma's request mechanism handles the recall of loans. 
Many libraries make multiple physical copies of key titles available to their customers, but the current request/recall system appears to be designed on the assumption that most titles only have one physical copy, and does not make best use of resources when multiple physical copies are available.
Currently in Alma when a request is placed on a title where there are, say, 10 copies all out on loan, and none available, a single real-time recall notification is sent to the patron who has the oldest loan, changing their loan status to recalled, but none of the other patrons with a copy are made aware of the potential demand for the item at that time.
The proposed change would be to have the ability to configure the recall rules, e.g. choosing to recall all items, 50% of items, 1 item, 0 items, etc. This would allow for greater flexibility in approach and would ensure the system increases the chances of the request being fulfilled more rapidly.

request recall multiple physical items

Electronic Resources

University of Salford

Ability to update electronic collection notes using excel file

The only way to update collection notes in bulk is by using the E Collection Quick Update Cloud app. This works well in cases where the changes we need to make are the same across all selected collections, however we would like to be able to add different note content to several collections at once. We would like the option of updating collection notes (and other information if possible) using an excel file upload. 

Resource Management

University of Salford

Change content type of set within Alma

The request is to create a function within Alma that can change the content type of a set within Alma from Electronic portfolio or Electronic collection to All titles.  Currently we have to export the set then re-import it to achieve this effect.

set change content type

Fulfillment

JULAC 

Add CSV Export/Import for Resource Sharing Restriction Rules

Currently, the only option to edit the Resource Sharing Restriction Rules on Network Zone will be by manually adding or removing one by one.  To facilitate easier management of the list, CSV export/Import function should be implemented for mass editing abilities.

Resource Management

Pao Yue-kong Library, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Provide ability to batch edit/update multiple electronic collections of same Service

Currently, it is not possible to batch edit/update Collections at Service level. We want such enhancement so that e.g. Proxy settings change, to have Ezproxy enabled from YES to No, could be done as a batch job at Service level rather than editing individual collections 

Batch edit, electronic Collections, Ezproxy enabled

Fulfillment

University of Wisconsin System

Allow Alma to create blocks on lost loans via automatated Overdue and Lost job

The ability to create blocks on lost loans is not currently supported. Since blocks are removed when items are marked as lost, it seems as though our ILLiad block profile would not be prompted to add blocks after the ILL Lost Rules profile runs the previous day.

Ex Libris has confirmed that blocks are removed as soon as items are moved to lost. Unfortunately, the option of using two Overdue and Lost Loan Profiles to run in conjunction to reverse this behavior (moving the item to lost first and then creating the block) is not supported.

Support recommended we submit an enhancement request.

Alma block lost loan automate overdue lost job

Administration

Bibliotheque cantonale et universitaire â Lausanne 

Add the ability to schedule the running of jobs

Running jobs require sometimes to be done later in the day, or even at night. However, Alma does not offer the possibility to schedule when one would like to have the job performed. In the same way, clients might also want to have jobs run regularly (weekly, monthly, etc.).

Jobs, scheduling

Electronic Resources

Pao Yue-kong Library, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Not to automatically remove non numeric characters Index or Supp during automatic update of electronic holdings

We use Automatic upload of electronic holdings for our customized holdings of Elsevier and Ovid and found that non numeric characters such as "Index" and "Supp" are automatically removed from the holdings file

Automatic upload of electronic holdings, holdings update, holding statements

Electronic Resources

Pao Yue-kong Library, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

To include deleted portfolios in the autoload holdings report after autoload of electronic holdings is run

After autoload of electronic holdings,  the job will list out the no. of portfolios “added”, “updated”, and “deleted” but without the deleted titles being listed out. Whenever a portfolio is deleted, we need to check if the deleted titles are removed correctly or not, such as whether  we have perpetual access right for the deleted titles and to follow up with claims for access right with the new publisher. The list of deleted portfolios is needed for these purposes.

Resource Management

University of Kentucky

Decouple bib-level Material Type: Music into "Score" and "Audio"

The bibliographic material type of Music incorrectly combines scores (Leader/06 c or d) and sound recordings (Leader/06 i or j) into a single facet. Sound recordings contain both music (Leader/06 j) and non-music/spoken word content such as poetry readings, interviews, etc. (Leader/06 i). Furthermore, music scores and sound recordings are cataloged using different work forms. For these reasons, the two formats should not be coupled into the same Material Type: Music category. This proposal requests decoupling of music scores and sound recordings in Alma and establishing separate material types for the two formats. Possible suggestions are Material Type: Score and Material Type: Audio.
For the purpose of this request, we are requesting that the Material Type field be customizable as follows:
Material Type: Score - LDR/06 ‘c’ & ‘d’
Material Type: Audio - LDR/06 ‘i’ & ‘j’

material types, facets, music, music scores, sound recordings

Fulfillment

University of Kentucky

Auto block patrons from placing requests if they exceed max cash limit

Patrons currently have the ability to place a request in Primo even if their total amount of active/remaining fees exceeds the max cash limit defined for their user group. Apparently, this is by design, with the logic being that patrons can still place a request even though they will not be able to check the requested item out, and will be notified by a circulation desk operator that they will need to pay their fees before checking the item out. This might make sense in theory, but in a real world setting this leads to frustration for both the patron and the circulation desk operator.

While it is possible to define a block can be applied to a patron's account which will suspend them from all borrowing activities, that process requires either placing the block on the patron's account individually or identifying a set of patrons that need the block and placing it on their accounts via an Update/Notify Users job; then removing the block either one-by-one in bulk. In either case, this involves unnecessary work when the system should be able to place an auto block on all patron activities when the max cash limit is reached.  

requests, patron limits, fulfillment, fines/fees

Acquisitions

Harvard University

Make POL clickable on holding list

When you are viewing a holding list in Alma, the POL column shows the POL number associated with the holding, but the number is not clickable. You cannot get to the POL from that screen. You have to copy/paste the POL and then conduct a new search. Likewise, if you click on a holding from the search result and it displays in view-only mode, the POL does not display at all if one is associated with that holding. It should display and be linked. (Screenshot included). 

Resource Management

Swiss National Library

Support for translating Representation Labels in Digital Representation Editor

Currently there is no feature that supports adding translations to representation labels within the Digital Representation Editor in Alma.

As a result, Primo displays the text from the individual representation and there is no possibility to translate this label according to the interface language of the user.

representation label translation

Resource Management

Swiss National Library

Ability to configure the subject list names of the Browse Bibliographic Headings

Currently, the Browse Bibliographic Headings subject list names the CZ vocabularies and is OTB provided and cannot be changed.

Browse Bibliographic Headings, vocabulary, Subject list

Resource Management

Swiss National Library

Add 689 Field in the Browsing Names (without MARC21 600/610/611) and Subjects (with MARC21 600/610/611)

Browsing Names (without MARC21 600/610/611) and Subjects (with MARC21 600/610/611) are currently not supported for 689 fields.
But as Alma provides support for German MARC cataloging with the 689 field, we ask for this field to be supported in the new index
The headings links are based on how the 689 field maps to the standard 6XX field. The mapping is identified as follows:
689 $D p is synonymous with 600
689 $D b is synonymous with 610
689 $D f is synonymous with 611
689 $D s is synonymous with 650
689 $D g is synonymous with 651
689 $D u is synonymous with 630

Browsing Names and Subjects, 689 field, GND

Fulfillment

SLU University Library

Make it possible to customize the order of pick up locations in the Resource Sharing Request Form

We would like to have the ability to configure the order of our pick-up locations in the Resource Sharing Request Form in Primo VE through Alma.

Fulfillment

Bibliotheque cantonale et universitaire â Lausanne 

Possibility to change the due dates at the time of the loan

The staff should be able to override the item policy and set a different due date when scanning items for loan.

fulfillment, due date, loans, library independance

Resource Management

Wirtschaftsuniversitaet Wien
Universitaetsbibliothek

Serials: Editing of Description Needed

When opening predicted items, the Description-Field is populated by the data provided in “Next Predicted Item´s information” and displays these data in a certain punctuation-logic. Unfortunately, this logic is not equal to the description- (and punctuation-) logic used in German speaking countries (which is following ZETA-Standard) – and there is no possibility to edit this. Since there has to be a correct description (for sorting etc.), the only way is to open and edit every single item once it is created by prediction pattern. This is causing a lot of unnecessary work to be done manually - we need the description template to be editable so that items with a correct description can be created automatically in the first place!

Acquisitions

Harvard University

Ability to duplicate invoice

It would be very useful to be able to copy an invoice and then edit it (invoice #s, dates, prices, funds, etc.), rather than having to rebuild the same invoice in the next fiscal year, or the following month/quarter, for the same exact titles. This would be great for lengthy invoices or standing orders that you receive frequently. For example, we have a vendor that sends monthly invoices for the same 5 serials, so a new invoice has to be created manually by staff each month. A duplication feature would enhance productivity in the acquisitions workflow, and would be an ergonomic improvement since less data would need to be added manually through clicking and typing.

Justification: There is an existing feature to export and then import an invoice, but that process is cumbersome and is not a time-saver for shorter invoices. The exported invoice contains much of the relevant information, but not in the proper format. There is overall data cleanup needed in the form of removing numerous columns from the export file, and to do things like separate POLs from their statuses, as well as the fact that the export includes fund names but not codes which requires knitting in data from Analytics to include the codes needed in the Import Invoice through file. While import/export process can save time on invoices over 25 lines, it is not worthwhile for briefer invoices.
 

Resource Management

University of Haifa Library

Remove set from collection

Just as there is an option now to add a set of titles to collection, there should be the opposite function - remove set of records from collection.

digitl collections jobs sets

Acquisitions

Harvard University

Receiving workbench - status value should be sticky

When staff use a specific status with "Keep in Department," that status value is lost when switching tabs or leaving, then returning to receiving. The status value resets to the first in the list and needs to be changed by the user every time. This creates significant room for error and requires additional mousing/keying.  Screencast: .

The list of statuses can be quite long, and some statuses are only relevant to some departments, but every user has to go through the list for the one applicable to their current work, and then choose that one every time they go to the list. It would be much more efficient, and users would make fewer mistakes, if the selection was sticky for each user. Mistakes can cause significant problems, where books are effectively lost for a time, because the status in Alma doesn't show where the item really is.

Resource Management

University of Haifa Library

Manual sort of files in representation

Sometimes in a representation that hold multiple files there is a need to move the files higher or lower in the list or to sort them. Currently there is no way to do that after the files are uploaded.

Acquisitions

University of Haifa Library

Add interested user to all volumes / items

When creating a POL for a multi-volume title, the "interested user" details appear only on the 1st volume item, and all other volumes are not marked as requested as weel by the same patron.

Fulfillment

Los Angeles Pierce College

Create a library rota for fulfillment requests

Currently, there is no way to control which library within an institution is chosen to fulfill a patron request. We are able to create a rota for resource sharing among institutions, but not for the libraries within an institution. Being able to set a fixed order on which libraries are chosen to fulfill a request will speed up our delivery times. This was a feature available in Sirsi, but not with ExLibris.

rota

Acquisitions

University of Minnesota Libraries

Facilitate multi-year license/renewal management by adding PO Line fields

There is currently no way to identify PO Lines with multi-year licenses/renewals. When a library and a vendor agree to a multi-year license or renewal (i.e., 3-year, 5-year license/renewal), the agreement includes the exact costs for the following years. As part of the fiscal year close process, it is customary to update the POL encumbrance to match the known renewal cost at the start of a new fiscal year. The current practice is to record all the information about the multi-year deal in the Notes tab of POL and to keep track of them separately using a spreadsheet.  We would like to see the following fields added to the PO Line Details section of the Summary tab and also to have these fields reportable via Alma Analytics: 1) Multi-year checkbox 2) Free-text field to record costs and other details 3) Calendar field to record the multi-year license end date. As there might be differences in acquisition practices among institutions, we request that these fields be added to both one-time and continuous POLs.

Resource Management

Universite de Caen Normandie - SCD

Check for existing barcode in import profile

There should be a parameter in the import profile to check the pre-existence of the incoming barcode, there should be a parameter in the matching tab that looks for this barcode and rejects the item if this barcode already exists. This would prevent the creation of duplicate barcodes when importing with inventory data.
cf. Request ID: 5186,
"

barcode import

Fulfillment

Universite de Caen Normandie - SCD

Postponement of the Due Date when the library is closed 

We would like, when the library is closed, that a TOU allow loans to be postponed for as many days as there are closed days. 
"

Analytics

Universite de Caen Normandie - SCD

Add Related Record MARC fields to Analytics

We propose that the 76X thru 78X Marc fields, associated data and UNIMARC fields 461 and 462 be indexed in Analytics to facilitate full reporting.

Acquisitions

Harvard University

More robust searching in the receiving workbench (all ISBNs, 246,...)

Currently, material in the receiving workbench can only be searched by bibliographic data available in the Description tab of the POL. This tab lacks important data from the bib that is necessary for receiving staff to find the right title. For example, only a single ISBN is included in the POL. If a bib has multiple ISBNs (paperback, hardback) only one of them can be searched, and the receiving operator has no way of knowing which. Searching for the "wrong" one yields no hits. In addition, a Title search for a variant form of a title from the 246 will likewise return no results. For example, for journal title $alary $urvey, if you search for Salary Survey you won't get the result, because the 246 is not included in the Description tab of the POL. The absence of this important metadata can make the receiving process frustrating and inefficient, where a user must perform multiple searches or leave the workbench entirely to find the title via a general search.

Acquisitions

Harvard University

Link an order to existing inventory directly from a POL

Creating an order for a title which already has inventory requires too many steps, as well as too much navigation. For example, when placing a new continuous order for a physical title that already has a holding (such as when a vendor changes), an operator must perform 7 seven separate steps (below). This  reduces productivity and requires too much mousing and clicking. We would like staff to be able to associate a POL with existing inventory directly from a POL via the ability to search and link a holding, item, or portfolio, as appropriate for the order type.

1. Create a POL using Assign Inventory Manually

2. Fill in the order details

3. Save

4. Navigate from the POL to the existing holding

5. Associate the holding with the POL

6. Navigate back to the POL

7. Use Save & Continue or Order Now

Acquisitions

Harvard University

Ability to link a holding template with an order template

Operators can use an order template when creating a physical continuous order to populate certain fields in the POL, reducing the need to key data. However, the associated holding that is automatically created at the time of order is sparse, requiring operators to edit the holding to add needed information, such as call number scheme, Receipt/Acquisition in the 008 (e.g. On Order), as well as standard notes (e.g. "Current issues in reading room"). This process reduces productivity by requiring the user to leave the Acquisitions process and go to the Metadata Editor. For physical continuous orders, staff should be able to associate an order template with a holding template, allowing information in the POL, as well as the associated holding to be populated, reducing the need to key data.
 

Analytics

Universite de Caen Normandie - SCD

Number of category types in Analytics

We can define any number of category types for users. However, only five of them are available to use in Analytics at any one time.
Could this limit of 5 be removed ?

Analytics

Emory University

Add portfolios and e-collection notes to Analytics

Please add e-inventory > Notes tab > General Notes to Analytics. That means both portfolios and e-collection notes.

Submitted on behalf of Kat Hart.

All

Dartmouth College

Add options for validating barcodes in Alma

Barcodes have long been used as unique identifiers within a library, and many library systems use barcodes that conform to a specific schema or format in order to catch human errors in keying barcodes.

Alma supports validation of barcodes only in a very limited way. The documentation describes this:

The methods described there consider some libraries' actual barcodes to be invalid, and so they are not workable for those libraries.

Because Alma can't validate certain barcode schemas, libraries using those schemas are left without any validation. This allows for bad data to be entered into the system. For example, a library using 14-digit barcodes that conform to the Luhn algorithm ( ) should never have non-numeric characters in a barcode field, there should be exactly 14 digits in each barcode, and the final digit of the barcode should be the checksum calculated by running the Luhn algorithm against the first 13 digits. Validation using the Luhn algorithm will reject barcodes that are entered incorrectly due to human error, as even transposing two digits will cause the validation to fail.

If the first 13 digits are 3331101016364, the final digit (check digit) must be 2, or validation will fail.

If we transpose the 12th and 13th digit but type the other 12 digits correctly:
33311010163462

...Luhn validation will fail, and the person entering the data will be prompted to recheck the data being input.

When a barcode is incorrect, it can show up at the circulation desk and require the patron to wait while staff figure out the problem. Searching for the correct barcode in Alma will fail, and it can become difficult to find the correct item. Implementing this validation scheme will prevent confusion and unnecessary work for library staff.

barcode validation

Resource Management

University of Queensland 

Add ability to see Publishing Information to Electronic Inventory Operator role and CDI Inventory Operator role

Visibility of the data published from Alma to other systems is vital for troubleshooting discovery and linking issues. This includes Central Discovery Index, Google Scholar, Primo, Libraries Australia, and General Publishing. The visibility is currently only available to full Administrator roles, despite the fact that it is read only. The outcome of this enhancement request would be that Electronic Inventory Operators and CDI Inventory Operators can see Publishing Information via Repository Search result pathways and via Resources > Publishing > Publishing Profiles. To cover sites which do not want to have this functionality, the visibility should be by granular privilege, able to be selectively disabled by Support case request.

Publishing ; CDI ; Role

Resource Management

University of Queensland 

Add ability to create a logical set in Alma with a dynamically updating connection to an Alma Analytics report

Currently it's possible to create a set in Alma directly from Analytics, but only for an itemised set. This functionality is great for skipping a few steps in exporting data from Analytics and then into Alma, but fails to take advantage of the dynamic nature of Analytics updates.  An option is needed also for a logical set in Alma, which has a connection to an Analytics report.  A use case for this functionality is Publishing Profiles for specific records associated to local License Terms, which need to be published externally.  We cannot create these sets directly in Alma due to very limited connections between License records and terms and the required electronic inventory information.  At the moment, we periodically export data from Analytics, load the data into Alma, adjust the Publishing Profiles to use the new sets, and manually run the Publishing Profiles.  If we could simply create a logical set pointing to an established Analytics report, we could completely automate and "set and forget".  It is understood and acceptable in this use case and likely many others that the data is known to be for the previous day, as publishing profiles do offer the option of weekly or monthly schedules for less frequent publishing, as well as daily publishing.  The outcome of this enhancement request would be that via Admin > Manage Sets > Add Set > Logical, there is the option to Add Contents from File to Set of From Analytics and choose an Analytics report, just as there is now when choosing Itemized in this flow.  Given some use cases and sites may desire daily publishing, there should be a visual indication added to sets which are dynamically connected to Analytics in this way, to display for staff viewing the set the last update point of the data by ETL.  See also more use cases and discussion:  

Logical set ; Analytics

Resource Management

University of Queensland 

Record bibliographic record suppression changes in Alma and Alma Analytics

It is not currently possible to know when a bibliographic record was adjusted in the MD Editor to Suppress from Discovery or Suppress from External Search, or when it is adjusted to remove this suppression, or who adjusted the record in this way.  This information is not recorded in Alma or Alma Analytics, which is an issue for use cases such as discovery troubleshooting, and targeting issues with staff training.  The outcome of this enhancement request would be via Alma at an individual record level with this change logged every time in the MD Editor View Versions, recording both types of changes to suppress or remove suppression, and who made the change by primary id, and via Alma Analytics for reporting in bulk with this information available in the Bibliographic Details table dimension for all subject areas with this table in Alma Analytics, at least for the last action by Suppress Modification Date and Suppress Modified By.

Fulfillment

University of Queensland 

Improve Requests management in Monitor Requests and Item Processes

Managing requests is made unnecessarily difficult by the current development of Resources > Monitor Requests and Item Processes (ie Resource Request Monitoring). 
Despite the label, the 'All' Activity Status filter actually does not show all requests. Requests which are Cancelled but not Completed (also known as Active Rejected Requests or Cancelled In Process Requests) disappear from Alma and are only discoverable in Alma Analytics. These requests only reappear in Alma when a Scan In is done, but this workflow is made more difficult to resolve because the Requests area of Alma Analytics does not include the item barcode. Adding further to the difficulties, the Resource Request Monitoring display in Alma fails to include the Request Completed Date, which requires again navigating into Alma Analytics to access this information. 
One of the outcomes of the current design is that sites may be completely unaware of a large-scale issue with incomplete requests. This may only be discovered when a site attempts to use the Requests area of Analytics to report KPIs for accurate productivity measures for their staff in processing requests, or if they want to delete a circulation desk or library, and find they cannot do either. Ex Libris planned in the May 2021 Release to fix this issue to add a Cancelled filter in Alma to include these now unhidden outstanding requests, but withdrew it during the Sandbox period, indicating reluctance to reveal the backlog of requests in Alma. They now consider this to be an enhancement or "design gap" rather than a defect, and opened this Idea Exchange entry: . The outcome of this enhancement request is for the Request Completed Date to be an available display field for every Activity Status filter in Monitor Requests and Item Processes, and the 'All' Activity Status filter will actually include all Requests, regardless of completion status.

requests

Administration

Jewish National and University Library 

Make widget size customizable

Allow user to resize the widgets on his Alma home page

Widget, Analytics objects, Size, Customize

Fulfillment

Dartmouth College

Lost and Paid (and then found)

When an item is reported to be lost, by a patron who had the item checked out, we set its status to Lost in Alma. If they then pay for the replacement of the item, the status changes to Lost and Paid.

At this point, the item can't be checked in normally, and there's work that needs to be done to get the item in a state where we can check it back in. Doing that (so that we can continue to circulate the found item) requires us to close out the loan, which means that the patron who paid for it is no longer connected to the item (making it harder for us to refund them the money they paid).

Resource Management

Murray State University

Role for Configuring SpineOMatic Templates in Cloud App

Currently, the General Administrator role is required for configuring templates in the SpineOMatic cloud app. It makes mores sense for users with the role of Catalog Manager and/or Repository Manager to be able to configure the templates since they will be the ones most likely to know what information is needed in a given template. Since SpineOMatic only affects creating spine labels, there is no risk of that configuration having an unforeseen impact in some other area.

SpineOMatic; Labels; Cataloging

Fulfillment

Dartmouth College

 "Fulfilment Configuration Utility" - include specific loan date for closed days

When setting up the Closed Library Due Date Management for short loan items, it would be useful to be able to test the configuration in the Fulfillment Configuration Utility. However, that utility always assumes that a transaction being tested is happening right now.

If the utility allowed the user to specify the loan date and time, it would make the utility much more useful as it would allow a user to test rules as they're working on them, instead of having to wait for a specific time to test.

For example, in order to test a rule for 24 hour loans when taking the weekend closed days into consideration, a user has to test it in the Fulfillment Configuration utility on Friday, which can mean having to wait 5 days to test the parameter.

If it were possible to select Friday 08:00 as the loan date and time, it could be tested at any time on any day.

This enhancement is based on an Idea Exchange entry submitted by Kate Webb ( ).

Resource Management

Harvard University

Ability to link unpredicted items to publication patterns in holding to generate automatic item descriptions

We need the ability to link unpredicted items to a specific 853/4/5 field in a holding, which would then be used to generate an accurate description. Some serials are unpredictable, and such a feature would allow staff to make use of the patterns coded in the holding instead of manually creating descriptions, which leaves much room for error. The existing item Description Template feature in Alma is inadequate for this purpose (explanation below) and generates too many incorrect descriptions. Linking to a pattern in the holding would generate correct descriptions. Currently there is too much redundant typing which is an ergonomic issue, and leads to inconsistency in item descriptions, which is also a usability issue in the public display of item data. Consistency is very important thus linking to a pattern in the holding, which is then used for the generation of the description, will ensure that the descriptions are consistent and accurate. When duplicating an item, the linked field should carry over to the new item. When duplicating an item, staff should be able to update the enum/chron, delete the copied Description, Save the item, and the system will create the Description based on the pattern in the holding. Item records in Alma do have a Pattern Type and Linking field, but when you fill them out, the Description Templates are still used to generate the description, rather than the pattern in the holding. This should be changed so that when a user fills out these fields (Pattern, Linking) manually in an item, the description is generated based on that pattern, and not based on the Description Templates.
 
Why are templates inadequate? Example: Some periodicals have a volume number and no issue number, and other periodicals have an issue number but no volume number; the enumeration for both periodicals will be (should be) in the Enumeration A field.  In the first case, we want the Description to show “v.1” and in the second case, we want the Description to show “no.1." If we have a Description template that tells Alma to insert “no. “ in front of the number in the Enumeration A field, Alma will insert “no.“ in front of everything, whether it's a volume number or an issue number.  If we have a Description template that tells Alma to insert “v.“ in front of the number in the Enumeration A field, Alma will insert “v. “ in front of everything, whether it's an issue number or a volume number. There is no way to use description templates to accommodate the variability in captions among serials. (There are numerous other examples).

Electronic Resources

University of St. Thomas

Make portfolio with POL local when deleted from auto active electronic service

Currently, a portfolio with an associated POL is deleted from an auto active electronic service automatically. Users can review the portfolios that were deleted in the Community Zone Updates Task List and filter by "Has order" to see if any had orders. The workflow to restore the deleted portfolio is to add the portfolio back into the e-collection as a local portfolio and re-associate the POL.

Fulfillment

Hillsdale College

Add "Date needed by" to Resource Sharing Borrowing Request page display

When first opening the "Resource Sharing Borrowing Requests" page, Alma shows a list of the first 20 requests by default; each request has various pieces of information, including the item's title, format, external identifier, creation date, etc. Each request also has an "Other details" button which reveals additional information like chapter title, volume, call number, etc.

However, neither the main information nor the "other details" fields show the request's "Date Needed By", which is part of the item's request form which the user fills out. The only way to view this information is by clicking "Edit" on the request, which is an inconvenience when examining every request to catch requests that are urgent.

Resource Sharing, Date Needed By, Details

Resource Management

Hillsdale College

Add option to Print bib record from MDE

We find it useful to have a printed bib record to reference on paper for various purposes, but Alma lacks the means to "Print" a bib record in the MDE. It would be extremely helpful to add Alma's print functionality as a button in the MDE menu options so that we can print specific records on physical sheets, as PDFs, etc.

Acquisitions

Hillsdale College

Add "Description" to list of available fields in the POL "Ordered Items" section

In the POL's Summary tab, the "Ordered Items" section near the top has entries for each item received on the order. These entries have the following viewable options by default, presumably drawn from the item record's data fields: Library, Location, Call Number, Copy ID, Summary, and Number of Items. Ex Libris notes that "Description" can't currently be added to this list of selections, even though this is also a field associated with the item, and visible alongside them when viewing the item record itself.

Fulfillment

San Jose State University

Advanced search and save query option for Citations.

Add an Advanced Search feature for Citations and enable "Save Query" option for searches for Citations.

Resource Management

Waseda University LIbrary

Change physical item information job -- adding notes

Make it possible to add to all note fields in the physical items information change job, not just replace the wording.

Idea exchange title and URL:
Change physical items job -- adding notes

Fulfillment

Universite Federale Toulouse Midi-Pyrenees - SICD

Have the ability to use calendars that meet the ISO 8601 standard and are in the local language.

The calendars, both in Alma and in Primo, are not usable in continental Europe: the week starts on Sunday, the names of the days are in English. It would be very useful if we had the possibility to use a calendar in a "local version".
It should be noted that this calendar does not respect the international standard ISO 8601, which states that the first day of the week is Monday

Fulfillment

Universite Federale Toulouse Midi-Pyrenees - SICD

Have the ability to activate an audible signal to indicate that loans and returns have been correctly done

Due to long response times, librarians regularly make the mistake of scanning an item when the previous loan or return has not yet been recorded. In order to avoid these errors, it would be useful to be able to activate an audible signal when a loan or return is registered.

Administration

Universite Federale Toulouse Midi-Pyrenees - SICD

Improvement usability of the Fulfillment Units and Loan Limits pages

Some of the administration menus are particularly painful to update, due to a lack of ergonomics. This is the case of the Fulfillmen Units page and the Loan Limits page. Instead of an arrow navigation, on which you have to click every time, it would be very useful to have a navigation by click and drag.

All

Universite Federale Toulouse Midi-Pyrenees - SICD

Have the ability to limit the display of reports in Alma based on the role AND the library

Alma allows you to make a report visible in the Analytics menu based on the role given to the user. It would be useful if this condition could be combined with the role scope (e.g.: this report is only visible to people who have the User Manager role for the Main Library). 

Fulfillment

Hbz Hochschulbibliothekszentrum des Landes NRW

Resource Sharing Partners: Additional fields/options

For users (patrons, staff), it is possible to set a preferred language in the user details so that the letters are composed accordingly. Also, it is possible to check all sent letters in the attachments.

Resource sharing partners are an exception. For them there is neither the option for setting the preferred language nor an overview of the sent letters. Nevertheless, there are templates for ILL letters in different languages in the letter configuration.

Our proposal is that both options (preferred language, list of sent letters) should also be provided for the partners. In this context, it is important that the language chosen in the letter is consistent. 

Resource Management

SUNY Buffalo

Enable case-insensitivity for indication and other rules

Indication (and other) rules in Alma are case sensitive by design. Case sensitivity of course is often desirable, to ensure most exact matching and prevent inadvertent data problems. However, in some instances, especially with indication rules, it would be very helpful and time-saving to be able to use case insensitivity, as is possible with regular expressions (ex: /i).

Indication rules; Rules; Case sensitivity

Acquisitions

SUNY Buffalo

Changing POLs at the item level

Needed Change: The ability to override a POL at the item level (change/delete) is imperative for the work done by Cataloging and Acquisitions staff.

POL

Fulfillment

Zentral- und Hochschulbibliothek Luzern

"Maximum renewal date" should be viewable on Alma

"Maximum renewal date" should be viewable not only Primo, but Alma. Patron can see his/her "Maximum renewal date" by him/herself, but staff can NOT check it.

Fulfillment

Zentral- und Hochschulbibliothek Luzern

Be able to edit comment field of an active fine or fee posted to a patron's account

Sometimes, when posting a fine or fee to an account, the barcode gets scanned before entering info into the comments field requiring the removal of the fine and then having to re-post it into the patron's account. Would like an edit option in the ellipses to be able to go back into the fine and edit the comments field.

You can find more information about this issue in a ticket on Idea Exchange:

(The Requester is part of the SLSP Consortium.)

Resource Management

Zentral- und Hochschulbibliothek Luzern

Related holdings displayed only after "direct" holdings in the brief results

Currently, only 5 holdings are displayed in the "Physical" tab in the brief results list in Alma. In many cases holdings and "related" holdings are mixed and displayed without any particular ranking.

You can find more information about this issue in a ticket on Idea Exchange:

(The Requester is part of the SLSP Consortium.)

Fulfillment

Zentral- und Hochschulbibliothek Luzern

Show Pickup location in the tables "Requests" and "Loans" in Patron Services

It would be helpful if the information “Pickup location” could be added as a column in the tables “Requests” and “Loans” in the “Patron services” in order to see the destination chosen by the Patron. Furthermore, the "Pickup location" should be displayed in Primo in the patron's account - also in the "Loans" not only in the "Requests".

You can find more information about this issue in a ticket on Idea Exchange:

(The Requester is part of the SLSP Consortium.)

Resource Management

Bryn Mawr College

Item Statistics Notes Fields Independence

We would like the ability to set each Statistics Note as either free text or as dropdowns independent of each other. Currently, they are all either one or the other, depending upon whether one sets “statistics_note_controlled” to true or false. There are instances where both scenarios would be useful to us.

Acquisitions

Zentral- und Hochschulbibliothek Luzern

Change currency in the order

In the order the currency can not changed when the order is saved already.

We need a possibility to change the currency after sending the order.

You can find more information (and also an attachment) about this issue in a ticket on Idea Exchange:

(The Requester is part of the SLSP Consortium.)

Acquisitions

Bibliotheque cantonale et universitaire â Lausanne 

Keep POL reclaim interval and grace period when changing vendor 

If we change a vendor for a given continuous orders  POL, the data previously entered for the grace period and the reclaim interval disappears. They are replaced by the default value from the vendor.
It would be much more efficient to keep the existing grace period and reclaim interval for the POL, as they depends on title periodicity.

Continuous order, POL, grace period

Resource Management

University of Washington

Option to publish new set with Publishing Profiles

Currently, when you change the set in a publishing profile, the previous set is first published as deleted, and then the new set is published by the job. The current publishing behavior severely limits the use of publishing to only regular, incremental jobs. We, like many other libraries, have a need of publishing profiles that we can set up and then use to publish large, newly-created sets in their entirety at irregular intervals - for example, to send to OCLC Green Glass, or for publishing metadata to experiment with BIBFRAME. We need the ability to use an existing publishing profile with an entirely new set without extra steps or lengthy processing times.

Administration

Sheffield Hallam University

Improve letter editing functionality

Editing of letters in Alma is a complex and difficult process, requiring substantial prior knowledge in order to do this effectively.  Improvements have been made during recent years (e.g. the ability to view impact of changes) but the editing functionality is still in need of improvement, including the following points.  We consider the priority order of these to be:

1. The built-in error checker is not helpful because it doesn't provide enough information about a supposed error to assist with identifying it, but it does prevent the template being saved, even when the user is confident they have not introduced any errors with their recent changes.

1. Use of XSL functions requires prior knowledge of those expressions.  It would be much better if the letter template included an XSL glossary function from which a general system administrator could choose the appropriate XSL expression.

1. It would be useful to have a 'Save draft' function to make it possible to save templates being worked on that are not yet finished, enabling users to stop their work as needed and pick it up again later without having to start afresh.

1. Introducing an integral accessibility checker would enable us to be certain that we are meeting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines at source, rather than having to run checks on the emails themselves after sending.

Letters; emails; errors; save draft; accessibility checker

Fulfillment

Sheffield Hallam University

Enable viewing of Requests history in Alma

Currently, within a patron record in Alma, it's possible to view current and previous activity for Loans, Returns, and Fines and Fees.  However, within Requests, it's only possible to view current requests.  It would be incredibly useful for Alma users to be able to view historical requests as well, this to assist with any request queries.  The ability to view request history in Alma Analytics has been very welcome and useful for reporting.  However, for troubleshooting purposes, it would be much better to be able to use live Alma straight away, rather than having to wait until Alma data refreshes into Analytics.

Requests; requests history; historical requests; troubleshooting requests; patron record

Analytics

Rowan University

Add All Vendor Data Fields to Alma Analytics 

Add full vendor details to Alma analytics, ideally as a stand-alone vendor subject area, with all fields in Vendor Interface Details including administrative information, access information, statistics information, addresses, contact information, inventory, and notes and all fields in the Vendor Details including contact information, usage data, etc. 

vendor

Resource Management

Rutgers University

Add support for dynamic collections that are automatically updated using logical sets

A collection (unrelated to an electronic collection) is a set of bibliographic records used to organize and showcase a group of related library resources (i.e., 1920's jazz recordings). Customers can create collections using itemized sets (a static group of selected records) or logical sets (the results of a saved query created dynamically each time the query is run). However, once you create a collection using a logical set, it becomes static, effectively negating its purported advantage and making it behave no different than an itemized set. In order to create collections that don't require ongoing curation and manual updates, we would like to be able to use logical sets in a way that would allow collections to update automatically every time new works are added to the repository that match the set's predefined criteria.

collections, logical sets

Electronic Resources

Rutgers University

Allow customers to bulk edit the status of items on the e-resources task list

When we order many ebooks, on the e-resources task list, we must select “Done” on each book individually to send the interested user notification and remove it from the e-resources task list. This is time consuming in seasons of heavy ordering. We need a way to select multiple task list items and apply the “Done” status in bulk.

electronic resources activation task list

Acquisitions

Rutgers University

Add portfolio Public Access Model field configurability at the Electronic Collection level (inherited by all portfolios in the collection), via the Portfolio Loader spreadsheet, and via the Change Portfolios Information Job.

"The Public Access Model field in Alma portfolios is an important field that displays the number of simultaneous users who may access a book, both to staff in Alma and users in Primo. It is automatically populated for individually purchased ebooks through Rialto, OASIS, or GOBI but must be manually populated for all other purchases. At present, Public Access Model is only configurable at the portfolio level. Support for collection-level configuration is needed in cases where all titles (portfolios) in the collection are purchased under the same access model. In​ addition, the Public Access Model field is not updatable using the Portfolio Loader spreadsheet, nor is it updatable using the Change Portfolios Information Job.  This makes it difficult for libraries to evaluate implementation of this field and identify and correct errors. This request would add the ability to configure and edit the Public Access Model field in the following ways: 1) at the Electronic Collection level (inherited by all portfolios in the collection), 2) via the portfolio loader spreadsheet, and 3) via the Change Electronic portfolio information job.
This request has been combined with a similar request from Vanderbilt University."

access model

Acquisitions

Rutgers University

Improve Public Access Model to support multiple copies of limited user licenses

The Public Access Model field in Alma indicates the maximum number of simultaneous users for a resource and can be made publicly visible in Primo. Ebook vendors typically offer a limited number of license models (1-user, 3-user, or unlimited). To achieve greater flexibility, it is common practice for libraries to purchase multiple copies of a limited user ebook. For example, if we need to acquire enough copies of a book for a course but cannot obtain an unlimited license, we may order several copies of the book under a 3-user license. However, access model does not currently accommodate this practice. For example, if we purchased 4 copies of a 3-user book, the public access model "3-user" displays, when in fact, 12 users can access the book. We suggest that Ex Libris improve the design of this field so that, in cases where we purchase multiple copies of a limited-user book, Alma multiplies the number of copies purchased by the purchase model to correctly determine the number of users who can access the resource. In addition, when we purchase additional copies of a limited user book we already own, Alma should add the numbers of copies in each order together to correctly determine the number of users who can access the book. 

access model

Acquisitions

Rutgers University

Add portfolio Public Access Model field viewability to Analytics and Extended Export. Add portfolio Public Access Model field editability to Portfolio Loader and the Change Portfolios Information Job.

The Public Access Model field in Alma portfolios is an important field that displays the number of simultaneous users who may access a book, both to staff in Alma and users in Primo. However, it is not reportable in Analytics, nor is it included in the Extended Export of portfolios.This makes it difficult for libraries to evaluate implementation of this field and identify and correct errors.

access model

Acquisitions

Wesleyan University

Receive New Materials columns - add Brief Level

Add Brief Level as a column to the Receive New Materials screen. 

acquisitions, receiving, cataloging

Fulfillment

SUNY Buffalo

Allow items in Lost status to be changed to Patron Claims Returned (PCR) 

Items in Lost status are unable to be changed to Patron Claims Returned (PCR) status. The only options available for Lost items are to mark found or delete the loan. 

Lost; Patron Claims Returned; PCR

Fulfillment

Hillsdale College

Clearer displays for different types of Borrowing Requests

Borrowing Requests could use some greater detail and variability in the information fields that display when viewing them in the overall list of current requests. For example, in Borrowing Requests for book chapters (typically "digital format" requests for items with a "book" type), the "Chapter Title" field is hidden in the "Other details" tab; this field would be more immediately visible and helpful to staff if it displayed alongside other standard fields (ex: MMS ID, External Identifier, Partner, Requested Format, etc.) before clicking into "Other details". In addition, when a request specifies an article from a journal, the request's title helpfully displays as "Article Title/Book Title"; having this same format with "Book Chapter/Book Title" would be much clearer as well, but these currently only show the book's title.

Borrowing Requests, display

Fulfillment

CARLI (Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois)

User Purge should be AFN aware and not allow the deletion of a user record from the user's home institution's IZ when the user has active transactions, or fines/fees at another AFN institution

The Alma User Purge job is not AFN-aware. It will allow the deletion of a user record from the user's home institution's IZ even when the user has active transactions or fines/fees at another AFN institution. These "orphaned" linked user records are confusing for both users and library staff and are not a best practice for user record management. 

user purge, AFN, deletes

Resource Management

Hillsdale College

Allow sorting by local call number (09X) MARC fields in Physical Titles and Physical Items searches

We and other institutions use the 090 and 099 for local call numbers, but Alma doesn't include 09X fields in its search indexes by default; as a result, they're not included in call number sorting in Alma or Primo, and we lack the ability to add them even after we enable them as search indexes. Adding these as options to call number sorting would enable fuller searches by staff and users respectively.

Resource Management

Hillsdale College

Add MARC labels to simple Record View and MDE

Both the simple Record View and the MDE lack MARC labels when viewing or editing bibliographic records; they only display the actual MARC numbers and their field contents. Having labels on the side of the numbers with names corresponding to OCLC standards and/or local labels would make it easier for catalogers to quickly find specific fields, especially when conducting advanced searches.

Analytics

CARLI (Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois)

Alma Analytics- Add Physical Item Details for Course Reserves subject area

It should be possible in Analytics to make a list of the physical items that are on reserve. Libraries need to be able to create reports that contain the name of the course (and the name of the reading list), along with the item barcodes for the physical items on reserve for those courses. However, the Course Reserves analytics area does not currently contain the “Physical Item Details” subsection, and the “Citation Metadata Details” section's barcode field is typically blank. 

analytics, reserves, physical materials

Fulfillment

CARLI (Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois)

Fulfillment Network (AFN)- Provide an Alma Fulfillment job to refresh AFN linked users

Alma should offer a scheduled job for refreshing AFN linked users from the patron's home institution record. Adding a scheduled job would ensure that the item's home institution has the most up-to-date information for linked users, even when the user is not performing a transaction in the system that would cause a linked user record to be updated. 

AFN, linked user management

Resource Management

Hillsdale College

Add Chronology K (day) field to Physical Item Editor's "General Information" tab

The Physical Item Editor's "General" tab includes Chronology I (year) and Chronology J (month), but doesn't include Chronology K (day).  Since many serials and other items use all three fields, it's odd and inconvenient to not have all three available on the same tab.

Fulfillment

Hillsdale College

Add a pop-up note to "Manage Patron Services" page when patron has an item on the Hold Shelf

Alma currently lacks an obvious notification to users if a patron has an item waiting for them.  Users can view a patron's User Notes after scanning their barcode or searching for them in "Manage Patron Services", but this is not a flashy or clear indication.

Fulfillment

CARLI (Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois)

Fulfillment Network (AFN)- Add AFN linked user's home institution to the fields available on the active and expired hold shelf

When an Automated Fulfillment Network allows users to pick up materials at any institution in the Fulfillment Network, the user may select an institution other than the user's home library or the item's home library as a pickup location. Currently, when a third institution is the pickup location, the user's linked record is not automatically saved to the pickup location's Alma institution zone. However, staff at the pickup location must know the user's home institution to complete a loan transaction in Alma. 

AFN, linke users, pickup locatons

Fulfillment

CARLI (Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois)

Fulfillment Network (AFN)- Allow fulfillment network aggregate user blocks 

It should be possible to automatically block users based on the combined total of their delinquent activity at all institutions in an Automated Fulfillment Network. 

AFN, user blocks, consortia

Resource Management

Keio University Media Center

Suppress bibliographic records of electronic collections in NZ automatically.

Currently bibliographies of electronic collections, which we select "Mark Bib as suppressed" on the page of "Activation Wizard: Electronic Collection and Services Setup" and activated from CZ, are suppressed in IZ. But these records are in NZ and can be searched with consortium scope of Primo VE. It would be great if it is suppressed not only in IZ but also in NZ automatically. The necessary workflow looks as follows:
If held by one institution in a consortium and suppressed, suppressed from NZ.
If held by some institutions, and only one of them suppresses, not suppressed from NZ.
If held by some or all institutions, and all of them suppress it, suppressed from NZ.
If held by some institutions, and one of them changed from suppressed to unsuppressed, not suppressed from NZ.

Acquisitions

Stellenbosch University

Ability to add notes to invoice lines from invoices that are paid and close

We are aware that one can edit notes on an invoice that is already paid and closed. However, for subscriptions, journals and continuations we often have the need to add/edit notes on the invoice lines of invoices that are already closed and paid. Manually putting the invoice back in Review to edit / add notes to the invoice lines doesn't solve the problem as this makes the payment information disappear which we then have to re-enter. We require the ability to add notes to invoice lines from invoices that were already paid and closed without having to re-open the invoice.

editing; notes; invoice lines; closed invoices

NERS request ID 7289 (2021)

Resource Management

The Library and Learning Resources Centre - The Open University 

Making it clearer when CZ records are being edited. 

This is a request for an addition to the user interface of the metadata editor area that flags CZ records and makes it clear to catalogers that their changes will affect all Alma institutions. We propose that a textual note be added to the header alongside the entity information. This would be a persistent note that does not require users to click on it to dismiss it. Additional notifications could appear in the Navigation pane and the associated hover over grey text box.

Community Zone ; Metadata Editor

This request has been developed collaboratively by library members of the IGELU - ELUNA Community Zone Management Group

Acquisitions

Stellenbosch University

Price update on the item record

In Alma, we require - for reporting purposes, inside the library and to our finance dept - that the final price that was paid for the item is converted to our local currency and automatically written to the item's Inventory price field. Currently in Alma, since the October 2018 release, the PO line's price is written to the item's inventory price field. If the PO line's currency is different than the institution's default currency, the total is exchanged and copied to the item. The amount is copied to the item with the currency for example: 10.00 USD. However, when an invoice is paid in Alma, the item's inventory price should be updated automatically with the final amount in our local (and default) currency. This part of the development is still outstanding. Most of the time there is quite a difference between the price from the PO line and that of the invoice (also because of exchange rates) and it has a huge impact on our financial reporting.

local price; inventory price

See also: and NERS request ID 7288 (2021)

Resource Management

The Library and Learning Resources Centre - The Open University 

New Community Zone Cataloger role

A new ‘Community Zone Cataloger' role be formed so that a trained group of catalogers who have additional privileges and responsibility for maintaining CZ records can be created.

The Community Zone Cataloger would involve extra training, with a prerequisite CZ Cataloger certification process being part of the solution.

The role could also be used to address the issue of incorrect edits to identifiers (such as 020 and 776) in CZ records by limiting ability to remove these fields to users with the new role. 

Community Zone ; Metadata ; User roles

Developed collaboratively and submitted on behalf of the library members of the joint IGELU/ELUNA Community Zone Management Group

Acquisitions

Stellenbosch University

Funds' Initial Allocated Amount & Transfers

For a complete picture of the initial allocations and amounts transferred, we require in Alma the Initial Allocation and Transfers to display as separate entries under Funds and Ledgers > Summary tab > Reports section as part the Display Report and the Balance Type table together with the Allocated Balance (already displaying).

initial allocated amount; transfers; fund balance reports; reporting

Fulfillment

Stellenbosch University

No overdue letters or fines for recalled items until after the original due date

Users get a letter saying that they may keep the item until the original due date if they so wish but then they are charged fines and get overdue letters between the shortened due date and the original due date.
For recalls, the system should prevent overdue letters and fines from generating until after the original due date.

Electronic Resources

Stellenbosch University

Add Statistics note 1-3 to portfolio Note tab

We make extensive use of our Statistics note 1-3 fields in the Statistics Notes section of the item record's Notes tab and use Analytics to harvest the data entered in each of these note fields for various reports required for operational and management purposes.

In the same way, the portfolio record's Notes tab can benefit from a Statistics Notes section with Statistics Note 1-3 fields. These notes must be harvestable in Analytics and via the Alma Advanced Search also.

statistics notes; portfolio; reporting; Analytics

Fulfillment

SUNY Buffalo

Add and edit barcodes for Resource Sharing requests

Once a borrowing resource sharing request is received the barcode cannot be edited and additional barcodes cannot be added. There should be the ability to edit or add additional barcodes for resource sharing requests within the resource sharing request; Received Items tab (Borrowing) or Items tab (Lending.)

resource sharing; borrowing; lending; barcodes

This request has some similarities to #7685, Ability to edit barcode after receiving borrowing request, with the difference that we would like to see this functionality for both Borrowing and Lending.

All

Sheffield Hallam University

Enable users to personalise Alma interface for accessibility

Alma has limited inbuilt, customisable accessibility options.  Previously, members of Library staff were using third-party browser extensions to improve the accessibility of Alma.  However, for security reasons, these are no longer available to us.  Consequently, we have colleagues for whom Alma is not accessible. 

Ideally, accessibility features would be made fully and easily configurable within Alma, enabling individual users to adjust their own view of the system to their unique needs.  Elements including background and text colour, font, and text size would be fully adjustable in all areas of Alma.  Also, we would like to see the Alma user community consulted about this issue, as we can only speak for the needs of our own staff.

Accessibility; text; background; font; font size; colour; visual adjustments; 

Analytics

Sheffield Hallam University

Add Analytics to Alma Sandbox

The Analytics environment that we have alongside Alma is invaluable for us and we make use of it very frequently for numerous purposes, across almost all of the subject areas.  The lack of Analytics for Alma Sandbox means we are unable to report on our configuration changes and testing in that platform, which limits our use of Sandbox.

Analytics; efficiency; configuration changes; testing; reports; dashboards

Fulfillment

BIBSYS Consortium

Borrowing request with status Ready to be sent - should appear in task list

We would like borrowing requests with status Ready to be sent to appear in task list under Borrowing request heading. 

borrowing task-list 

Electronic Resources

Swiss Library Service Platform SLSP AG

Activation of e-resources in the Network Zone based on IMGs

E-Resources in the NZ can be activated only for the whole IZ or every member of the network. IMG-specific or library-specific activations cannot be made from NZ and can only be made at IZ-level. For us as consortia with centrally purchased licenses it is important to make IMG-specific activations via the NZ so we can activate for specific IMG and also configure different proxies per IMG if necessary. 

Resource Management

Boston University Libraries

Persist Physical Item Sort Routines

We would like an individual user's physical item sort routine selection to remain “sticky” across sessions. We would like it to work so that the person doing the claiming can always have sort by receiving date in place when she opens an item list.

Acquisitions

Universite Grenoble Alpes - DGD BAPSO

Allow the POL automatic packaging for PO Lines with different source types

Problem : the source type of a POL must necessarily be identical for Alma to group automatically PO lines into a PO. So for a same vendor/library, Alma always generates 3 distinct POs for POLs created by import EOD, or by manual entry, or by purchase request (the 3 methods are currently in use and needed in our institution).
This has no meaning neither for librarians, nor for vendors, and generates too many different and useless orders and then invoices.
Solution : we ask the Source type to become an optional parameter for automatic POL packaging.

Purchase Order Lines, Purchase Order, Automatic packaging

Administration

Universite Grenoble Alpes - DGD BAPSO

Order Fulfillment unit rules more easily

In the fulfillment unit rules tab, after adding a new rule, it appears at the end of the list and we have to use the move up arrow to set the order of the rules. Moreover,  each time we click on the  move up arrow, we are positionned at the top of the screen and we have to go down (and find the new rule that has moved up) to move it up row by row. As we have 96 rules, for each new rule we have to click up to 96 times et scroll up 96 times also !
It will be highly appreciated to click and drop a new rule directly at its right  place or create it directly at its right place.

Fulfillment

Swiss Library Service Platform SLSP AG

Invoice e-mail address and address in the patron user account

For some patron users it is important to have the possibility to enter a separate mail address and address to which the invoices are sent. Therefore it would be important to store an e-mail address and address with type "invoice" (new type might be created) in the patron user account and that this e-mail adress is also included in the bursar export. 

Analytics

Virginia Commonwealth University

Ability to Request Non-MARC fields be added as local parameters in Alma Analytics

This enhancement would allow for fields other than MARC that are not currently available in Alma Analytics, such as certain histories, notes, and information from tabs that are visible in the Alma interface, but are unreportable from Analytics 

Resource Management

Virginia Commonwealth University

Include damage information about items in Alma.

Make the damage dropdown field customizable.

Resource Management

Virginia Commonwealth University

"Has Note" indicator column in Physical Items

On the "List of Items" display, add the ability to display a column indicating the presence of a note on an item record. 

Resource Management

Liberty University

Adding "Does not contain" and "not" search option in Alma

Add “does not contain” as an additional search parameter and “not” as an operator in Alma's advanced search.

Alma currently allows text-field-based searches using “contains keywords,” “contains phrase,” and “is empty”.  However, there is no option to narrow search results by excluding known unwanted results (for example, books with a certain keyword not from a certain publisher, or books with a certain local note that do not also contain another local note).  There is an option to search by multiple criteria, but the only available operators are “and” and “or”; there is no option for “not”.  The only way to exclude records from search results is to save the search results as a set, create one or more indication rules, filter the set by the rule, and then view the results.  This is very time-consuming and unintuitive for what seems like it should be a simple search option.

search, advanced search, not, does not contain

Resource Management

University of Minnesota Libraries

Make all Analytics default column headers for identifiers work for set creation in Alma

The ability to create an itemized set from Analytics requires that the Analytics report column header for the identifier used in set creation match Alma's expected column headers. We have identified 4 cases where the default column header in Analytics does not match Alma's expected value for the relevant identifier, making set creation from Analytics impossible without manually editing the Analytics column header to match a value accepted by Alma. The 4 cases are:

--For creating All Titles, Physical Titles, and Electronic Titles sets, Alma expects "OCLC number," but Analytics uses the column header "OCLC Control Number (035$a)
--For creating All Titles, Physical Titles, and Electronic Titles sets, Alma expects "035 field," but Analytics uses the column header "Network Number"
--For creating Physical Items sets, Alma expects "Item Id," but Analytics uses the column header "Physical item Id"
--For creating Electronic Collections sets, Alma expects "PID," but Analytics uses the column header "Electronic Collection ID"

Alma should accept Analytics default column headers for identifier columns that can be used for set creation. Also, Analytics default column headers should not be changed without also updating acceptable column headers for Alma set creation.

Fulfillment

PALS - A program of the MNSCU

Expand Library specific customizations for Aggregated notices

When receiving aggregated notices, for patrons with item/interactions at multiple libraries the notices appear as duplicate emails since it arrives with nearly identical information sent at the same time in their email; as the time stamp, subject, header and address from are all the same.  We'd like the ability to customize these fields for all notices but are especially interested in having the ability to update them for these aggregated notices so specifically that the subject and address can be different for each library.

Notices, xsl customization, library independence, fulfillment, patron experience

Acquisitions

Mount Royal University Library

Ability to connect Licenses to Digital Representations

We would like to be able to attach Licenses to representations in Alma Digital. The Access Rights field is useful for brief information but the License term fields would allow for more detail in describing permitted uses to patrons in Primo. 

Electronic Resources

Haverford College

Add option to make Authentication Note field visible to logged in users only

Currently the Authentication Note field displays to everyone in Primo, which means anyone in the whole world can view the information in it, which renders it useless for sensitive information such as authentication information.

authentication, authentication note, logged in users

Fulfillment

University of Minnesota Libraries

Mailing Address Label Printing for Personal Delivery

Alma does not provide the ability to print a mailing label for delivery when users make a Personal Delivery request in Alma. (Delivery to home or office)

The expected workflow in Alma is that the address is provided on the screen and that library staff will transcribe this information so that the item can then be mailed to the requestor.

This process is inefficient. Instead of being able to print the information that is on the screen, the expectation is that it will need to be manually copied.

Recently the Developer Network added a Cloud App that allows for a label printing for Resource Sharing Partners. Similar functionality should also be available for printing user requests. Additionally, the Cloud App uses European paper size formats, while Alma should support standard formats used worldwide.

printing, requests, personal delivery, home, office

Acquisitions

IGeLU Leganto PWG

Use separate columns for price and currency in Excel exports and Analytics reports.

Please use separate columns to export the price information and the currency indicator. The price field should be formatted as a number rather than as text. 

currency, price, Excel export

Electronic Resources

IGeLU Leganto PWG

Add number of users as a configuration option for Order of Online Services (View Online section). 

We often have multiple Alma portfolios activated for a title that have different user limits in the Public access model field. We would like to add an option in the Additional Preferences section of the Online Services Order page that will prefer resources with the highest number of users (e.g., unlimited users over 3, 3 users over 1, etc.). 

public access model, display logic

Acquisitions

IGeLU Leganto PWG

Order Line Renew Button Functionalty

For CONTINOUS orders in Waiting for Manual Renewal status, there is a "Renew" action option in the Purchase Order Line Details page. For orders that are set for "MANUAL RENEWAL", it would be a time-saver if this Renew button would recalculate the renewal date instead of requiring staff to manually recalculate it. For instance, if the current renewal date is 02/01/2022 and we click the renew button, the date will then change to 02/01/2023. 

Renew, PO Lines, Renewals, Renewal Date

Acquisitions

IGeLU Leganto PWG

Renewal Date Populates to Invoice Line

When the PO Line is added to an invoice line, we would like the subscription dates range field to automatically populate based on the order renewal date. The default would be one year. For instance, if the renewal date is 02/01/2022, the subscription coverage would populate as 02/01/2022 - 01/31/2023. There might still be instances where staff would need to manually adjust the dates (prorated dates or multi-year), but in most cases, subscription payments are for a year and mirror the renewal date. 

Subscription Dates Range, Renewal Date

Acquisitions

IGeLU Leganto PWG

Renewal Date Facets

In the Renewal Date facet on the PO Lines to Renew page, we would like the ability to filter by specific dates instead of or in addition to the existing "in a week", "in 2 weeks", etc. 

Renew Task List Facets

Administration

IGeLU Leganto PWG

Roles/Permissions Granularity

We are needing more granularity with roles we assign to users. For instance, in order for a user to be able to create an Import Profile, they have to have an Administrator role. This is a problem from a Systems & Security perspective. We should have the ability to add functions to users without having to give them an Administrator role.

Analytics

IGeLU Leganto PWG

Job Outputs need to be available in Analytics

I regularly check the Monitor Jobs section within Alma and manually record the output of several of the jobs so we can have an accurate statistic of things such as:
Number of new users added
Number of new titles sent to OCLC
Number of CDI records modified
However, I have learned from Ex Libris that this information is not available in Analytics - that it is only available in the Job output. We would really appreciate including this data in Analytics so that 1) we'll have one spot to find the data; 2) it will be easily outputted (the Job output varies based upon the job); 3) this can be easily aggregated when included in Analytics.

Analytics, Jobs

Fulfillment

San Jose State University

Bulk Change Process type using a job and a set

We have a lot of clean up projects going on in tech services, being able to set a whole set of records to process-type tech services (i.e. damaged, relabel, in transit, etc.) would be really helpful. Also, sometimes steps in the scan-in process get missed, or done in the wrong location and it's really cumbersome to get the status fixed and changed back to "Available" in these cases. It would be great if process type could be an added field in the "Change Physical items information" job

Process Type, Item status, bulk change job

Acquisitions

University of Nebraska Consortium of Libraries

Fiscal Year Rolling Over PO Lines 

Consider creating a historical inflation factor rather than the current FPC factor (%). Not all lines have the same inflation, so the current process requires a lot of adjustments. Instead, create an option to determine the latest inflation, per line, and apply that inflation rate to determine the New Year encumbrance.    Current Year payment / Prior Year payment x Current Year payment = New Year encumbrance.  (Borrowing the process from our prior system.)

This would give a more accurate picture of the New Year encumbrance and require fewer adjustments to individual lines. 

acquisitions, inflation rate, PO Lines 

Resource Management

St. Olaf College

Physical Item Editor Templates

When we add new items with the same info (i.e. copy no., receiving date, status if it is a gift, or internal note 1 of Donor info, etc.) it would be nice to select an item template and auto-populate the necessary values without manually adding each value accordingly.

Physical items, templates

Resource Management

St. Olaf College

Enable bulk updating of items from spreadsheet based on barcode

Allow bulk editing of item records from an uploaded spreadsheet of physical items.

Physical items, update, bulk

Acquisitions

University of California- Irvine

Automatically reload bibliographic data to reflect the latest version of the record in the POL description.

Based on Req 6564 from 2021 submitted by University of Haifa Library.) The description fields in the POL details are based on a static version of the bibliographic record that existed when the POL was created. If that record gets edited or overlaid via an import profile, the POL description can be updated manually through the "Reload Bib Data" function, but this is time-consuming and inefficient. The latest version of the bibliographic record should be reflected automatically.

Acquisitions

University of California- Irvine

Request to add a new "payment method" of "Recharge" to our invoices

Please add a new "Payment Method" of "Recharge" to our invoices. This would be helpful to have more accurate post only payments

Resource Management

Emory University

Generate and store institution-specific URI identifiers for description aspects that support expansion to linked data or other services, and populate 758 Resource Identifier MARC tags with these identifiers.  

We ask Ex Libris to provide a process that will generate unique URI identifiers that:
 
  -- May have a domain belonging to the customer institution that will be maintaining ("owning") the URIs, if requested, or may have a stable/persistent Ex Libris domain.
  -- follow a numbering or other identifier scheme that's not dependent on relationship to a particular local Alma record (although it could be linked to that record internally in Alma)
  -- utilize a program or algorithmic process to generate URIs for relationships between entities that span multiple records (e.g. BIBFRAME Work, RDA Work and Expression) and manifestations/instances/individual publications.  Note that the current "dedup" and "frbr" processes for Primo are not adequate and would need to be re-calculated to take into account certain authority links as well as more of the record data.
  -- Can be called to operate on an individual Alma record or on batches of records
  -- Will be stored in individual records in 758 tags that identify the schema relationships
  -- Can be edited by customers if errors or problems occur.
 -- Can be utilized by Primo or other discovery layers to provide services based on the relationships. 
  -- Follow URI/IRI best practices, are supported for long term stability and persistence, and are unambiguous as to reference to an entity vs. a web document. 
  -- Eventually, should be dereferenceable on the web as well and provide contextual RDF accessible data or browser display about the entity. This could be a separate enhancement request.
Mockup example 758 fields are attached.

URIs, identifiers, unique, works, relations, 758, linked data

This enhancement was discussed and supported by the IGELU-ELUNA Linked Open Data Community of Practice Working Group

Electronic Resources

Tufts University

Add an Active/Inactive Indicator for Electronic Collections

We propose an indicator - e.g. a yes/no radio button set - to indicate whether or not an electronic collection is active. This will make it easier to exclude inactive electronic collections from searches and Analytics reports. Current methods of indicating this status aren't comprehensive. The bib can be suppressed, and/or the URL removed, but there are other reasons to suppress bib records and remove URLs (such as when we want only portfolios to display in our discovery layer). In aggregator and selective packages, we can delete the service or mark it inactive, but this doesn't apply to database-type electronic collections. 

Electronic Resources

Tufts University

Choose which Portfolio Material Types can be Set to Auto-Active

We propose that the "Activate new portfolios associated with service automatically?" setting for portfolios in an electronic service be more granular. In electronic collections that contain multiple material types, we would like to be able to select which material types be activated automatically. We've found the bib records for some material types aren't as good as others, and prefer to obtain them from other sources. But for some material types, such as journals, we would like to use the CZ records.

Electronic Resources

Tufts University

Prevent Deletion of Portfolios with Access Type Perpetual or Current plus Perpetual

When deleting portfolios individually or through a batch process, add a feature to flag/warn about portfolios set to “perpetual” or “current plus perpetual” for the access type before they are deleted. It could be similar to the message and process you run into upon trying to delete a portfolio with an active POL or a physical holding with an active POL. Libraries, for various reasons such as legacy procedures, can have portfolios that are not connected to POLs.

Fulfillment

Tufts University

Add preferred pronoun field that displays in Fulfillment Manage Patron Services display

We need a configurable field (i.e. we can add the categories of preferred pronouns) that displays in the patron info section of the Fulfillment Manage Patron Services display. Much like the preferred names functionality, this is a companion piece that should be implemented. 

Fulfillment

Tufts University

Change due dates when patrons expire

We would like the due dates of a patron's books to be changed to their account Expiration Date if this is reduced.

Fulfillment

University of Haifa Library

Add "Sponsor for" tab to user card

Currently there is no easy way to know how many proxies a faculty member have, and who are they. the only way is to search by the sponsor email address.

user card, proxy

Fulfillment

University of Haifa Library

Add "Sponsor primary ID" field to Contact Information Pop-Up configuration

It will be beneficial to the circulation staff if the Contact Information Pop-Up will contain a "Sponsor primary ID" field. This will save time searching for the sponsor in case the iser is a proxy.

user card, Contact Information Pop-Up, mapping table

Resource Management

Hong Kong Baptist University Library

Move browse bib headings and shelf listings function away from MD editor

Currently the Browse functions stick to MD Editor. And this poses too many restrictions to browsing. Please consider making browsing easier, and make it independent from MD Editor, and instead, incorporate browsing into normal simple and advanced repository searching.

Browse bib headings, Shelf listings, MD editor

Resource Management

Hong Kong Baptist University Library

Add Find and Replace to MD Editor

Add Find and replace editing command to MD Editor. This helps a lot when editing simple corrections, and saves the time to create normalization rules if the number of bib records to correct is just one or two.

MD Editor