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    Configuring Fulfillment Services Between Libraries Within an Institution

    To configure fulfillment relationships, you must have one of the following roles:
    • General System Administrator
    • Fulfillment Administrator
    Fulfillment relationships define the services that one library is able to perform for another library within the same institution.
    You configure fulfillment relationships on the Organizational Units Relationships Setup page (Configuration Menu > General > Libraries > Relationships).
    Organization Unit Relations Setup New UI.png
    Organizational Units Relationships Setup Page
    Ensure that you are within the context of the institution/library whose relationships you want to configure by selecting the required institution/library from the Configuring filter on the Fulfillment Configuration page.
    The following actions can be performed on this page:
    • Adding Organizational Unit Relationships (see Adding Organizational Unit Relationships)
    • Editing Organizational Unit Relationships (select Edit from the row actions list)
    • Deleting Organizational Unit Relationships (select Delete from the row actions list)

    Adding Library Relationships

    You can add organizational unit relationships.
    To add organizational unit relationships:
    1. On the Organizational Units Relationships Setup page (Configuration Menu > General > Libraries > Relationships), select Add Relation. The Add Library Relationship dialog box appears.
      Add Relation New UI.png
      Add Library Relationship Dialog Box
    2. From the Library drop-down list, select which library or libraries will receive services from the library that you are configuring.
    3. Select the services that the library you are configuring can provide to the library selected above:
      • Acquire for (available on both the library and institution levels) – The library that you are configuring is able to acquire items for the specified library.
      • Circulate for (available on the library level only) – The library that you are configuring is able to check in and check out items for the specified library. If this option is not chosen and a loan or return is attempted by a different library, a block on the action may be applied. For more information on block preferences, see Configuring Block Preferences.
      • Deliver to (available on the library level only) – The library that you are configuring is able to deliver requested items to the specified library.
      • Supply from (available on the library level only) – The library that you are configuring is able to supply items to the resource sharing library. The libraries for which you configure a Supply from relationship display in the Availability information for lending requests on the Resource Sharing Lending Requests Task List page (see Managing Resource Sharing Lending Requests), and on the Manage Resource Options page when managing fulfillment options for a request (see Managing Fulfillment Options).
      For details on configuring a library to perform services for another library in an institution, see Configuring Fulfillment Relationships.
      Selecting All for any of these service options indicates that the library/institution being configured can provide the service for all libraries or receive the service from all libraries in the institution. If All is selected for a service but an individual library has a different value, the library’s selection will take precedence.
    4. Select Add and Close to close the dialog box. The relationship you defined is listed under Library Relationships on the Organizational Units Relationships Setup page.

    Configuring Transit Time Rules

    To configure transit time rules, you must have one of the following roles:
    • General System Administrator
    • Fulfillment Administrator
    Transit time rules enable Alma to calculate the feasibility and expected delivery times for fulfillment requests. When an item request is received, the fulfillment transit time rules are checked to determine the expected transit time based on the location of the item requested, the pickup location and, in some cases, the material type of the item (for example, moving an oversized item from one library to another may take longer than moving an average-sized item).
    There is a default transit time rule that defines the delivery time when none of the transit time rules is met. This default rule can be modified, but out-of-the-box it is set to a 12-hour delivery time. When you define a new transit time rule, you can test the rule by calculating the estimated time of arrival (ETA) for a scenario in which the rule is applied. For details, see To calculate the estimated time of arrival for a resource below.
    Each transit time rule can be either enabled or disabled. By default, each new rule is enabled.
    You configure transit time rules from the Transit Time Rules page (Configuration Menu > Fulfillment > Library Management > Transit Time).
    Transit Time Rules New UI.png
    Transit Time Rules Page
    Transit time rules can be configured at the institution level only. Select the required institution from the Configuring filter on the Fulfillment Configuration page.
    The following actions can be performed on this page:
    • Adding a transit time rule (see Adding a Transit Time Rule)
    • Editing a transit time rule (select Edit from the row actions list)
    • Deleting a transit time rule (select Delete from the row actions list)
    • Editing the default transit time rule (select Edit from the row actions list for the default rule)
    • Enabling or disabling the transit time rule
    • Moving transit time rules up or down in order of preference. The order of the rules within the list of rules is significant because Alma applies the first (enabled) rule whose input parameters are satisfied.
    • Calculating the ETA for a Resource (see Calculating the Estimated Time of Arrival For a Resource)

    Adding a Transit Time Rule

    You can add a new transit time rule, which can be either enabled or disabled. By default, each new rule is enabled.
    The delivery time that is determined during a particular request can have an effect on how and when the service is provided to the requesting patron. In some cases, the patron may not be interested in the service after a particular time or date. In such a case, longer delivery times can eliminate certain fulfillment options altogether. In other cases, the calculated delivery time may give an estimated indication of when the item will arrive at the pickup location.
    The material type of the physical item requested and the source (From) location of an item can also limit the fulfillment scenarios available for a given request, as they, too, may affect the feasibility and speed of the transfer.
    To add a transit time rule:
    1. On the Transit Time Rules page (Configuration Menu > Fulfillment > Library Management > Transit Time), select Add Rule. The Transit Time Rules Editor page appears.
      If you want to create a copy of an existing transit time rule, select Duplicate from the row actions menu. Once you have copied the rule, you can modify it as needed.
      Transit Times Rules Add New.png
      Transit Time Rules Editor Page
    2. In the Transit Times Rules Editor section, specify a name (required) and description (optional) for the new rule.
    3. In the Input Parameters section, specify an operator and enter values for the following parameters:
      • From – The source organization unit—that is, the library or institution from which the item will be transferred.
        You can add several source organization units to be included in the rule by pressing Ctrl on your keyboard while selecting the relevant values.
      • To – The destination—that is, the library to which the item will be delivered. The To drop-down list includes only those libraries that have a Deliver to relationship with the source location. For details on fulfillment relationships, see Configuring Fulfillment Relationships.
        You can add several destinations to be included in the rule by pressing Ctrl on your keyboard while selecting the relevant values.
      • Material type – Select the type of item that is to be delivered.
      • Item location – Select the physical location inside the source location from which the item will be transferred.
      • Start time – Enter the time of day at which items are dispatched from the source location to the specified destination.
    4. In the Output Parameters section:
      • Delivery time (in hours) - time that it will take to deliver the item when the specified input parameters are fulfilled.
      • Use for Hold Request Pickup Calculation - select this check box for the item to be considered for a request on a different campus. The check box is displayed only when the From and To library fields are configured and the Material Type field is Any. By default, the check box is not selected.
        When a hold request is created and the holdings to fulfill the request is not available in the selected pickup location, Alma matches the holdings to the request using additional parameters as follows:
        • Alma attempts to locate a holdings belonging to another library on the same campus as the pickup location.
        • If no holdings is found on the same campus, more than one holdings exists in different locations on the campus, or if no campuses have been defined, Alma checks the Transit Time Rules. If a rule exists for this holdings and the new check box, Use for Hold Request Pickup Calculation, is selected, Alma chooses this holdings. The check box is displayed only when the From and To library fields are configured and the Material Type field is Any. By default, the check box is not selected. See Adding a Transit Time Rule.
        • If more than one holdings has a transit time rule, then the holding with the shortest transit time is selected.
        From and To libraries are the only input parameters on the transit time rule considered for the location calculation.
    5. Select Save. The rule you defined is listed at the bottom of the list of rules on the Transit Times Rules page.

    Calculating the Estimated Time of Arrival For a Resource

    You can calculate the ETA of a resource that is to be transferred from one location to another. The ETA indicates in how many hours the resource will arrive at the destination location, and is based on the transit time rules that are defined for the source and destination locations. If none of the defined transit time rules is satisfied, the default transit time rule is applied. Calculating the ETA is useful in testing the rules that have been defined.
    To calculate the estimated time of arrival for a resource:
    1. On the Transit Time Rules page (Configuration Menu > Fulfillment > Library Management > Transit Time), select Calculate ETA. The Calculate ETA page appears.
      Calculate ETA New UI.png
      Calculate ETA Page
    2. In the Transit Time - Input section, enter the input parameters for the calculation. See step 3 in Adding a Transit Time Rule for details on the input parameters.
    3. Select Calculate ETA. The calculated ETA is displayed in the Delivery time field.

    Configuring Reshelve Without Transit Rules

    To configure reshelve without transit rules, you must have one of the following roles:
    • General System Administrator
    • Fulfillment Administrator
    You can set relation rules between libraries, departments and circulation desks so that transit for reshelving will not be required between certain libraries. This reduces redundant work effort by not automatically putting items in transit for reshelving when the libraries are close to each other. This does not affect other transit types, such as hold shelf, work order, and processing. For more detailed information and an example of this functionality, see Transit for Reshelving Rules and “No Transit".
    The default rule has no input parameter and an output parameter set to false to put all items into transit when reshelving.
    Each rule can be either enabled or disabled. By default, each new rule is enabled.
    You configure reshelve without transit rules from the Reshelve Without Transit Rules page (Configuration Menu > Fulfillment > Library Management > Reshelve Without Transit Rules).
    Reshelve Without Transit Rules.png
    Reshelve Without Transit Rules Page
    Reshelve without transit rules can be configured at the institution level only. Select the required institution from the Configuring filter on the Fulfillment Configuration page.
    The following actions can be performed on this page:
    • Adding a reshelve without transit rule (see Adding a Reshelve Without Transit Rule)
    • Editing a reshelve without transit rule (select Edit from the row actions list)
    • Deleting a reshelve without transit rule (select Delete from the row actions list)
    • Editing the default reshelve without transit rule (select Edit from the row actions list for the default rule)
    • Enabling or disabling the reshelve without transit rule
    • Moving reshelve without transit rules up or down in order of preference. The order of the rules within the list of rules is significant because Alma applies the first (enabled) rule whose input parameters are satisfied.

    Adding a Reshelve Without Transit Rule

    You can add a new reshelve without transit rule, which can be either enabled or disabled. By default, each new rule is enabled.
    To add a transit time rule:
    1. On the Transit Time Rules page (Configuration Menu > Fulfillment > Library Management > Reshelve Without Transit Rules), select Add Rule. The Reshelve Without Transit Rules Editor page appears.
      If you want to create a copy of an existing reshelve without transit rule, select Duplicate from the row actions menu. Once you have copied the rule, you can modify it as needed.
      Reshelve Without Transit Rules Editor.png
      Reshelve Without Transit Rules Editor Page

    2. In the Reshelve Without Transit Rules Editor section, specify a name (required) and description (optional) for the new rule.

    3. In the Input Parameters section, specify an operator and enter values for the following parameters. For all of the input parameters, multiple selections may be chosen:

      • From Library – The source—that is, the library from which the item is sent. Select the operator (In List or Not In List) and one or more libraries of this institution.

      • From Department - Select the operator (In List or Not In List) and the department. If one library is selected in From Library, all departments within that library are displayed. If no libraries are selected in From Library, all departments in the institution are displayed. If two or more libraries are selected in From Library, the field is disabled and no departments can be chosen.

      • From Desk - Select the operator (In List or Not In List) and the desk. If one library is selected in From Library, all circulation desks within that library are displayed. If two or more libraries are selected in From Library, the field is disabled and no desks can be chosen.

      • To Library – The destination—that is, the library to which the item is delivered. Select the operator (In List or Not In List) and one or more libraries of this institution.

      • To Location – This field is disabled by default. If a single library is selected in the To Library field, select the operator (In List or Not In List) and one or more locations of the selected library.

    4. In the Output Parameters section, specify the following parameters:

      • Reshelve Without Transit – Select True to set the rule to reshelve an item without transit when the specified input parameters are fulfilled. Select False for all items to reshelve with transit.

      • Time to reshelve (hours) – Specify the period of time in hours (or portions of hours, such as 10.5) that is allotted to place an item back on the shelf after it has been returned. During this time, Alma and Primo will indicate to patrons and librarians that the status of the item is available and awaiting reshelving. When this period of time expires, the status will show that the item is in place on the shelf.

        Watch the Reshelving Items Time video (2:07 min).
    5. Select Save. The rule you defined is listed at the bottom of the list of rules on the Reshelve Without Transit Rules page.

    When an item is scanned in to a location other than its owning library, Alma checks these rules. If there is no transit relation between the current location of the item and its destination, the item is set to In Transit. Otherwise, it is set to Item In Place.

    Configuring Parameters of a Resource Sharing Library

    To configure parameters of a resource sharing library, you must have one of the following roles:
    • General System Administrator
    Libraries within an institution or campus may be configured to have relationships where they enable patrons to check in or check out resources at another location, send items back and forth, or acquire (purchase) items on behalf of each other. If a library is configured to do this for libraries at other institutions (and not only within the institution), it is known as a resource sharing library.
    See Adding a Library for more information about configuring libraries.
    To configure resource sharing library information:
    1. On the Summary tab page (Configuration Menu > Fulfillment > Library Management > Opening Hours), modify the Organization Unit Name and Description fields, as necessary, and enter your ISIL code (see ISIL Code for more information).
    2. In the Resource Sharing Information section, select Is Resource Sharing Library. The Resource Sharing Information section fields appear.
      Alma can be configured to show preference to electronic format articles in the lender side locate process. If a requested article is found in electronic format then that resource will be considered the only option for the lender. Other potential physical options are considered only if no electronic resources are found.This behavior is activated by the "Prefer Uresolver locate results" option that can be selected at the Lending Setup section of the resource sharing library.

      Electronic resources are considered a match only if their coverage matches the details of the request.This affects both the automatic and the manual locate process on the lender side.
      Organization Unit Details Resource Sharing Lib New UI.png
      Organization Unit Details Page – Resource Sharing Information Fields
    3. Select Itemless to designate the library as an itemless resource sharing library (see Configuring an Itemless Resource Sharing Library).
    4. Enter the ISO symbol of your resource sharing library in the ISO symbol field to indicate that the library works with ISO.
    5. To set up borrowing requests:
      1. When Cancel request on locate failure is selected, Alma automatically cancels requests for which the borrowing locate process was not able to find a potential partner (see Borrowing Locate Process).
      2. Select Automatically activate locate profile to indicate that when a rota assignment rule is met, a locate profile is assigned to the activated rota, based on the rota assignment rule. For details on rota assignment rules, see Configuring Rota Assignment Rules.
        When selecting this option, the borrowing locate process is automatically triggered when a borrowing request is created from any interface – Alma, Primo or API (see Borrowing Locate Process).
        The automatic locate may be activated only if the Automatic Rota Assignment Rules have also been activated to automatically attach a rota to the request. The locate process then runs on the automatically attached rota.
      3. Select Temporary inactive for borrowing to indicate that this library is blocked for borrowing requests.
        1. When selected, the field, Inactive dates range, is displayed. Select a date range to specify that the block is only applicable during the specified time period. If the date range is left empty, the library remains inactive until the Temporary inactive for borrowing check box is deselected. This inactive status will block borrowing requests for this library whether they are created via the UI, an API, or in Primo. For Primo users, the resource sharing request link will be hidden. For Alma UI users and API processes, when requesting an item, a block message will display. The block message may be overridden in the Alma UI.
      4. In the Default location field, select the default temporary location to which designated inventory will be moved for fulfillment of the borrowing request.
      5. In the Default pickup location field, select the library that is to be the default pickup location for resource sharing requests. If the default pickup location is left blank, the resource sharing form will have a blank pickup location field.
        If the default location is left blank, the Pickup Location field must be configured as mandatory in the Resource Sharing Request Form. 
    6. To extend the loan due date of an RS loan:
      When a lender is asked to renew a RS loan that is about to become overdue, the loan due date can be extended by a configurable short period (up to 9 days after the request renew date). This will prevent the loan from becoming overdue and accruing fines while the lender is contacted to arrange a renewal and new due date. Once the renewal has been confirmed with the lender, the loan and the borrowing request will be renewed to the agreed upon due date (using the existing workflow).
      1. Activate this option by selecting the "Extend due date when renew requested" checkbox and populating the new ''Extend due date by (days)' field on the resource sharing library configuration page.
    7. To set up lending requests:
      1. Select Automatically locate resource for Alma to attempt to locate the requested resource locally. (For more information on this process, see Lending Locate Process.)
        When selecting this check box, four additional check boxes will appear:
        1. Select the Reject request when locate fails check box to reject a lending request when the locate did not find any matching items.
        2. Select the Reject request when no available items check box to reject a lending request when there are no items that are available in place.
        3. Select the Reject request when no requestable items check box to reject a lending request when there are no items that are requestable for resource sharing, according to the applicable policy.
        4. Select the Reject request when only electronic available check box to automatically reject items that are only available electronically. When Reject request when only electronic available is selected, set the Electronic Rejection Rules to control automatic rejection rules based on the resource's license terms.
        5. Use the Electronic Rejection Rules to set the license terms used to determine when a request is rejected and when a request is approved. Available options are:
          Watch the Electronic Rejection Rules video (5:27 min).
          • Interlibrary Loan Electronic
          • Interlibrary Loan Print Or Fax
          • Interlibrary Loan Record Keeping Required Indicator
          • Interlibrary Load Secure Electronic Transmission
      2. Select Ignore electronic resources for the locate process to only consider physical items.
      3. Select Automatic creation for the partner field to be visible on the shipping items page. For details on automatic creation of lending requests from shipping items, see Shipping Items.
      4. Select Temporary inactive for lending to indicate that this library is blocked for borrowing requests.
        1. When selected, the field, Inactive dates range, is displayed. Select a date range to specify that the block is only applicable during the specified time period. If the date range is left empty, the library remains inactive until the Temporary inactive for lending check box is deselected. This inactive status will block lending requests for this library.
      5. In the Default location field, select the default temporary location to which designated inventory will be moved for fulfillment of the lending request.
    8. Select the Locate by Fields check box to filter the search in the resource sharing library. This process narrows the results available for the locate process. The page refreshes and displays the new search fields.
      The page displays the search fields, as follows:
      Select the fields by which you want resources to be searched for in the resource sharing library.
      • Title
      • Author
      • ISBN/ISSN
      • OCLC Number
      • Edition
      • LCCN
      • Other Standard ID
      • Barcode
      • DOI
    9. Select Yes in the Locate only if all fields match field if you want the locate to be successful only when all selected fields match. If set to No, then:
      • If the request has identifiers (such as ISBN, OCLC number, or LCCN), locate is successful if any of the selected identifier fields finds a match. Other fields such as Title and Author are not used for the match.
      • If no identifier fields exist on the request, locate is only successful if all of the other selected fields match.
    10. Select the Default printer to define the printer that will be used for this resource sharing library when a user performs an action that can be done while not at a desk (such as shipping). When the user is at a desk, the default printer is based on the desk.
    11. Select Save.
    For information on configuring a library for SLNP, please see the Developer Network.

    Configuring an Itemless Resource Sharing Library

    To create an itemless resource sharing library, you must have one of the following roles:
    • General System Administrator
    • System Administrator
    To use an itemless resource sharing library, you must have one of the following roles:
    • Fulfillment Services Operator (for the resource sharing library)
    • Fulfillment Services Manager (for the resource sharing library)
    An itemless resource sharing library does not handle items. This library serves as a broker for other resource sharing libraries, transferring requests from a lending library to a receiving library, without an actual inventory of items.
    A resource sharing process that is managed by an itemless resource sharing library has the following special attributes:
    • Items received as part of a resource sharing request process are not cataloged as temporary items.
    • Shipping lending requests is possible without attaching a real inventory item to the shipped request.
    All other aspects of the resource sharing process, such as the exchange of messages between the borrowing library and the lending library, are identical to the process that is managed by regular resource sharing libraries.
    To designate a resource sharing library as itemless, select the Itemless check box on the Organization Unit Details page (see step 3 in To configure resource sharing library information:).
    To use an itemless library as a broker for resource sharing requests:
    1. Create a resource sharing borrowing request (Fulfillment > Resource Sharing > Borrowing Requests, select Add > From Search or Add > Manually). Ensure that you select Pickup at = Resource Sharing Library and that you assign partner to the request.
    2. Select Send. The Request Status = Request sent to partner.
    3. To receive the requested resource, select Receive for the request. The Received Items page appears.
    4. In the Internal Note field, enter a note to indicate information that describes the purpose for which the resource is requested. The request’s status changes to Physically Received by Library.
    When shipping an itemless lending request, ensure that the Scan Item Barcode field is blank on the Shipping Items page (see Shipping Items).
    For more information about itemless broker requests, see the More Information About Itemless Broker Workflow video (14:44 mins).

    Configuring Circulation Desks

    To configure circulation desks, you must have one of the following roles:
    • General System Administrator
    • Fulfillment Administrator
    A circulation desk is the place where items may be physically checked out or in, and where circulation services are rendered. Each circulation desk is associated with a library and serves particular locations in that library.
    For information on Circulation Desks configuration, watch Circulation Desks (5:21).
    You configure circulation desks on the Circulation Desks page (Configuration Menu > Set “Configuring” to library > Fulfillment > Library Management > Circulation Desks).

    Config_Library.png 

    Circulation desks New UI.png
    Circulation Desks List Page
    Ensure that you are within the context of the institution/library whose circulation desks you want to configure by selecting the required institution/library from the Configuring filter on the Fulfillment Configuration page.
    Select the circulation desk code or name headings to sort the list alphabetically—in ascending or descending order.
    The following actions can be performed on this page:
    • Adding a circulation desk (see Adding a Circulation Desk)
    • Editing a circulation desk (select Edit from the row actions list)
    • Deleting a circulation desk (Delete from the row actions list)

    Adding a Circulation Desk

    You can add a circulation desk to a library.
    To add a circulation desk:
    1. On the Circulation Desk page (Configuration Menu > Set “Configuring” to library > Fulfillment > Library Management > Circulation Desks), select Add Circulation Desk. The Circulation Desk – General Information page appears. This is the first page of a five-page wizard.

      Config_Library.png 

      Circulation desk.png
      Circulation Desk – General Information Page
      You can create a new circulation desk by creating a copy of an existing circulation desk. Select Duplicate from the row actions list and modify the new circulation desk as needed.
      1. Enter the circulation desk code and name (both required) for the new circulation desk.
      2. Enter information in the remaining optional fields, as described in the following table.
        Circulation Desk – General Information Fields
        Field Description
        General Details:
        Primary Select this check box if the circulation desk can perform check-out and check-in services for another library. For details, see Configuring Fulfillment Relationships. 
        For the request option to display in Primo, a library must have at least one primary desk configured.
        Reading room desk Select this check box if the circulation desk serves a reading room.
        • When a patron checks out a resource from a reading room, the patron is not permitted to remove the resource from the reading room.
        • When a patron checks a resource in to a reading room, the patron must specify the check-in mode:
        • Final – The patron no longer requires the resource, and the resource can therefore be returned to its permanent location.
        • Not final – The patron still requires the resource. The resource should therefore be stored on the reading room’s hold shelf.
        If a circulation desk serves as a reading room, regular loans and returns (check-in/check-out) cannot be performed at this desk.
        If a circulation desk serves as a reading room and has a self check profile attached, items that are checked out via self check at this desk will not get desensitized.
        Location to move items to When configuring a reading room desk, select a location that will temporarily store the loaned items. The locations drop down box is populated by the list of locations that have a reshelving relationship with this desk. Populating the Location to move items to box is optional and blank by default. Only one temporary location may be selected at a time.
        Picks from shelf Select this check box to indicate that the circulation desk can pick up items from the shelf. When this check box is cleared, the circulation desk cannot pick up items from the shelf.
        For example, you can clear this check box for an unmanned circulation desk that provides return bins for reshelving but does not handle pick-up-from-shelf requests.
        In order to place a request, the item's location must be attached to a circulation desk that is configured with both Picks from shelf and reshelve capabilities.
        Supports personal delivery Select this check box to indicate that the circulation desk can process personal delivery requests for users.
        If personal delivery is configured for a patron and the desk at which the Receive action is performed does not have this check box selected, Alma searches for another circulation desk in the library which supports personal delivery, and the item is sent there. If no such circulation desk exists, Alma searches for a library which supports personal delivery and has a Deliver To relationship with the receiving resource sharing library. If no such library exists, the item is moved to the hold shelf.
        Supports registering new users Select this check box to indicate that the circulation desk can register new users that do not exist in Alma. If selected, the Register New User button appears in Manage Patron Services.
        Supports overriding return date Select this check box to have the Override return date and time option available on the Return Items page.

        Time to reshelve (hours)

        		 The period of time that the item is considered as available, but shows as being reshelved in Alma and Primo so patrons and librarians know not to search for it on the shelf. This value overrides a library level configuration and may include decimals.

        Delay for hold notification (minutes)

        		 Define how long Alma waits before sending a hold notification to a patron. When the delay is complete, Alma checks to see if the request is still active and if so, sends the hold notification to the patron. If the value is populated for both the circulation desk and the library, the value in the circulation desk is used.
        Additional Information:
        Description A textual description of the circulation desk.
        Map Not in use.
        Printing Information:
        Default Printer The default printer that is associated with the circulation desk can be selected from the Default Printer list. If only the default printer is selected, this is the printer used for all non-automated print jobs. If more printers are selected in the Additional Printers field, each user has the option of where to print. 
        Select a printer from the drop-down list.
        Additional Printers After the Default Printer is selected, this field is made available to select one or more additional printers that users may set for their printing. Selecting one or more printers here will display an additional drop-down list on the Currently At drop-down window. 
        Creates return receipts Select for return receipts to automatically be printed at the circulation desk. The Return Receipt Letter is generated. For details on customizing the letter, see Configuring Alma Letters.
        Return receipt destination Displayed only when Creates return receipts is selected. From the drop-down list, choose the destination for the return receipt:
        • User preferred email
        • Circulation desk printer

        If User preferred email is selected but no email exists for the user, the receipt will be printed to the printer instead.
        Creates loan receipts Select for loan receipts to automatically be printed at the circulation desk. The Loan Receipt Letter is generated. For details on customizing the letter, see Configuring Alma Letters.
        Note that the receipt is triggered at the circulation desk when selecting Done to terminate a session with a patron. The Creates loan receipts also affects loans from self-check machines. Because there are no sessions at self-check machines, every loan action triggers the sending of receipt.
        Loan receipt destination Displayed only when Creates loan receipts is selected. From the drop-down list, choose the destination for the loan receipt:
        • User preferred email
        • Circulation desk printer
        If User preferred email is selected but no email exists for the user, the receipt will be printed to the printer instead.
        Hold Shelf Information:
        Has hold shelf Select this check box if the circulation desk has a hold shelf. The following fields are then displayed:
        • Hold shelf sorting – The criteria by which hold shelf items are sorted. Choose from the following options:
          • Call Number
          • Hold Shelf Expiry Time
          • Hold Shelf Placement Time
          • Requester ID
          • Requester Name
          • Title
          The value you select displays as the default option in the Sort by field on the Active Hold Shelf items page (see Managing Active Hold Shelf Items).
        • Maximum time on hold shelf (Days) – The maximum number of open days that an item can stay on the hold shelf.
          When earlier than the Policy Type = Hold Shelf Period setting, this setting takes precedence. For example: Maximum time on hold shelf (Days) = 3 Policy Type = Hold Shelf Period >= 5 The item can stay on the hold shelf for 3 days.
        • Has hold shelf processing – Select to indicate that the circulation desk can store items that need to be processed before arriving at the hold shelf. Selecting this option displays the Place directly on hold shelf field in the following locations:
        • Manage Item Returns page (see Returning Items)
          When using a self-check machine to return an item, if Has hold shelf processing is selected, the item goes directly to hold shelf processing. If Has hold shelf processing is not selected, the item is registered as returned and its status appears as Item In Place. It remains in the self-check machine’s bin and must be scanned in by an operator to activate the request.
        Notify patron of canceling expired hold Select to notify the patron when their item on the hold shelf has expired.
        Digitization Department:
        Supports digitization Select this check box if the circulation desk supports digitization. The Work time (days) field is then displayed; the value of this field indicates the number of days for which the item is unavailable (field is for informative purposes – this value is not binding).
        Payment Information:
        Credit card Select to indicate that the circulation desk can accept payment by credit card.
        Cash Select to indicate that the circulation desk can accept payment by cash.
        Online Select to indicate that the circulation desk can accept payment performed online.
        Check Select to indicate that the circulation desk can accept payment by check.
        Print receipt? Select whether the circulation desk can print a receipt.
        Receipt copy email Enter the e-mail address to which you want receipts for payment to be sent.
        Self-Check Information:
        Has self check Select this check box if the circulation desk allows patrons to check in and check out resources using a self-check machine without the assistance of a circulation desk staff member. The following fields are displayed:
        • Integration profile
        • Terminal password
        For details on configuring a self-check integration profile and associating a profile with a circulation desk, see Self-Check Machines.
        RFID Information
        IP Address The RFID IP address of the relevant RFID reader. This is relevant if using Nedap RFID, or using the Other RFID type with a central RFID server that communicates with the RFID reader. If the department is managed by a circulation desk, enter the IP address here. If the department is not managed by a circulation desk, enter the IP address in Work Order Departments (See Adding a Department).
    2. Select Next. The Circulation Desk – Physical Locations page appears. This is the second page of the wizard. Use this page to specify which locations are served by the circulation desk.
      Circulation desk physical locations New UI.png
      Circulation Desk – Physical Locations Page
      1. From the Physical location type filter, select to display all locations, or only closed, open, unavailable, or remote storage locations.
      2. Select Attach Location. From the Physical location name drop-down list, select the name of the location to be added. Note that a location may be served by more than one circulation desk.
      3. Specify the services — Check in, Check out, and/or Reshelve — that are performed by the circulation desk for the selected location.
      4. Select Attach Location to add the selected location to the list of locations that are served by the circulation desk.
    3. Select Next. The Circulation Desk – Work Order Types page appears. This is the third page of the wizard. Use this page to define work orders types to be associated with the specified circulation desk.
      1. Select Add Work Order. The Add work order dialog box appears.
      2. In the Work order type field, specify a work order type to be handled by the circulation desk.
      3. In the Work order time (days) field, enter the number of days for which you want the work order to be handled by the circulation desk.
      4. Select Add to add the work order and enable adding another work order, or select Add and Close to add the work order and return to the Circulation Desk — Work Order Types page.
        Circulation desk work order types New UI.png
        Add Work Order Dialog Box
      5. Select Save. The circulation desk serves as a work order department for the indicated work order types.
    4. Select Next. The Circulation Desk - Operators page appears. This is the fourth page of the wizard. Use this page to define which operators have permission to perform circulation activities and handle patron requests at the circulation desk.
      1. Select Add Operator. The Add Operator dialog box appears.
      2. Select an operator (required) who performs functions at the circulation desk.
      3. Specify the roles — Circulation Desk Operator, Circulation Desk Manager, and/or Requests Operator — of the operator (see Adding Roles to Users for details on operator roles).
      4. Select Add and Close to close the dialog box. The selected operator is added to the list of operators of the circulation desk.
    5. Select Next. The Circulation Desk – Automatic Printing page appears. This is the fifth and last page of the wizard. Use this page to specify the rules for automated printing of request slips from the circulation desk for items that need to be fetched from the shelf. (Note that when an item is not on the shelf and its request processing starts when it is scanned in, the printing occurs at the desk at which it is scanned in.)
      Circulation desk automatic printing New UI.png
      Circulation Desk – Automatic Printing Page
      1. Select Add Rule. The Automatic Printing Rules Editor page appears.
        Add Automatic Printing Rule New UI.png
        Automatic Printing Rules Editor Page
      2. Enter the Name (required) and Description (optional) of the rule you are defining.
      3. Specify the input parameters for the rule, by Location and/or Material Type. For example, specifying Location = Archive and Material Type=Book indicates that when the item’s location is the archive and the requested material is a book, automatic printing is invoked according to the setting in the Output Parameters section.
      4. Select Add Parameter. The set of input parameters is added as a row in the list of input parameters for the circulation desk. Note that all the parameters in the list must be satisfied in order for the output parameter to be applied.
      5. In the Output Parameters section, select the printer to which you want to automatically print the items that satisfy the input parameters, or select No Printing to disable automatic printing for the items that satisfy the input parameters.
      6. Select Save on the Automatic Printing Rules Editor page to save the rule.
    6. On the Circulation Desk - Automatic Printing page, under Default Rule, select Edit. The Automatic Printing Rules Editor page displays the default printing rules.
      1. In the Automatic Printing Rules Editor section, modify the default rule name and description if required.
      2. In the Output Parameters section, select the printer on which you want to automatically print the items that do not satisfy the previously defined rules, or select No printing to disable automatic printing for the items that do not satisfy the previously defined rules.
      3. Select Save to save your changes to the default rule.
      4. Select Save on the Circulation Desk – Automatic Printing page to store all the circulation desk detail information that you entered and return to the Circulation Desks page. The new circulation desk appears in the list of circulation desks defined for the library.

    Configuring SIP2 Bin Configuration

    To configure rules for self-check machine bin usage, you must have one of the following roles:
    • General System Administrator
    • Fulfillment Administrator
    You can configure rules that determine the sort bin field for SIP2 machines (self-check). SIP2 is the Standard Interchange Protocol v2, which provides a standard interface between a library's automated circulation system and a self-check machine. The sort bin is field in the protocol that determines into which bin (a phyiscal bucket inside the SIP2 machine) that a returned item is placed.. You can set the field according to rules based on various values, such as the destination library and the call numbers.
    For more information on self-check machines, see https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/integrations/selfcheck.
    You configure rules for self-check machine bin usage from the SIP2 Bin Configuration Rules page (Configuration Menu > Fulfillment > Library Management > SIP2 Bin Configuration).
    SIP2 Bin configuration rules New UI.png
    SIP2 Bin Configuration Rules Page
    Self-check machine bin usage rules can be configured at the institution level only. Select the required institution from the Configuring filter on the Fulfillment Configuration page.
    The following actions can be performed on this page:
    • Adding a SIP2 bin configuration rule (see Adding a SIP2 Bin Configuration Rule)
    • Editing a SIP2 bin configuration rule (select Edit from the row actions list)
    • Deleting a SIP2 bin configuration rule (select Delete from the row actions list)
    • Enabling or disabling the SIP2 bin configuration rule

    Adding a SIP2 Bin Configuration Rule

    You can add a SIP2 Bin Configuration Rule.
    To add a SIP2 bin configuration rule:
    1. On the SIP2 Bin Configuration Rules page (Configuration Menu > Fulfillment > Library Management > SIP2 Bin Configuration), select Add Rule. The SIP2 Bin Configuration page appears.
      If you want to create a copy of a SIP2 bin configuration rule, select Duplicate from the row actions list. Once you have copied the rule, you can modify it as needed.
    2. In the upper Input Parameters section, enter a name and description of the SIP2 Bin Configuration rule.
    3. In the lower Input Parameters section, specify the components of the input parameter (Name, Operator, and Value). A set of input parameters may look like this: Destination Library=ArtLibrary.
      The available Name field values (that is, the criteria which determine when the SIP2 Bin Configuration rule is to take effect) and their respective values are described in the following table:
      SIP2 Bin Configuration Rule – Input Parameter Values
      Name Value
      Destination library The libraries in the institution. For details on adding a library, see Configuring Libraries.
      Destination circulation desk The circulation desk. For details on configuring circulation desks, see Configuring Circulation Desks.
      Destination service units The departments within the institution, such as work order departments and digitization departments. For details on configuring work order departments, see Configuring Work Order Departments.
      From call number The call number from which you specify the rule to take effect when the item’s call number is numerically greater than the indicated value.
      Is requested Indicates if the resource has been requested (Yes or No).
      Lexicographical From call number The call number from which you specify the rule to take effect when the item’s call number is lexicographically (in other words, alphabetically) greater than the indicated value. For example, 2 > 10 > 1 in lexicographic order.
      Lexicographical To call number The call number from which you specify the rule to take effect when the item’s call number is lexicographically (in other words, alphabetically) less than the indicated value. For example, 1 < 10 < 2 in lexicographic order.
      Reshelf item location The library within the institution where you want to reshelve the item. For details on adding a library, see Configuring Libraries.
      Self check circulation desk The circulation desk where you want to perform the self check. For details on associating a self-check machine with a circulation desk, see Self-Check Machines.
      To call number The call number from which you specify the rule to take effect when the item’s call number is numerically less than the indicated value.
    4. Select Add Parameter. The set of input parameters is added to the list of parameters for the SIP2 Bin Configuration rule.
    5. Repeat the previous two steps to add all of the required parameters for the rule.
      All the input parameters must be fulfilled for the rule to be applied.
    6. In the Output Parameters section, enter a bin number – the number of the bin in which the self-check machine is to place the item. Ensure that the number here matches the number of a bin configured on the SIP2 machine.
    7. Select Save to store the new rule. The rule displays on the SIP2 Bin Configuration Rules page.
    8. If you have defined more than one rule, use the Move Up and Move Down arrows to set the order of the rules. The order of the rules is important, as the system will apply the first (and only the first) appropriate, enabled rule.