Alma Announcements

The Alma Announcements is a system-level interface that allows Ex Libris to update users about Release announcements, new feature rollouts, important issues, unusual occurrences, as well as ad-hoc announcements.

To open the Alma Announcements, select the loudspeaker icon  on the Persistent Menu Bar in Alma. 

Please read the Q&A below to learn more:

• Is there no other way of notifying Alma users of these types of announcements?
  There are a number of channels for communicating with our Alma community. However, most of these channels have various limitations, which prevents us from reaching the widest audience possible – for example only one email per institution is sent from SalesForce; not all users subscribe to the list-serv.
   
• Will the current communication channels still be available?
  The current Ex Libris communication channels are still in place and have not changed.
   
• Do I have to do something to turn Alma Announcements on?
  No. Alma Announcements is turned on for all users.
   
• How will I know if there is a new announcement?
  The Alma Announcements icon on the Persistent Menu Bar will display a number, indicating the number of new messages that have not been viewed. As soon as you open the Announcements pane, the New Announcements indication no longer displays.
   
• Will these announcements always show up in the Announcement panel?
  Announcement can be defined with an expiry date. Once the date has passed, the announcement will no longer display.
   
• What type of announcements are there?
  Currently announcements are categorized as follows:

• Announcement
• Issue
• New – Major functionality

• How often will there be new announcements?
  There are periodic announcements – once a month (release announcement), twice a year (sandbox refresh), yearly. There are also ad-hoc announcements.
   
• Are announcements linked to roles?
  While some announcements are relevant for all users, the aim is to filter other announcements by roles, so that only relevant staff users see these announcements.
  For example, an announcement reminding users to activate fiscal rollover only displays for users with an Acquisitions role.
   
• Can announcements be specific for a region?
  Yes. In the same way that announcements are filtered by roles, they are also filtered by region.
   
• Can I search for a specific announcement?
  Yes. There is a search function with the option to filter by announcement type or by keywords included in the message.
   
• If I want to keep the Announcements panel open, will it hide part of my Alma screen?
  If you pin the Alma Announcements pane, Alma automatically moves to the, left so that no part of your Alma screen is hidden.
   
• What languages are supported for Alma Announcements?
  Alma Announcements is currently available only in English. 
   
• Can I turn off seeing Alma Announcements?
  Alma Announcements are enabled on the institution level.
  The staff user has the option of hiding the Announcement icon by customizing the Persistent Menu Bar.