Skip to main content
ExLibris

Knowledge Assistant

BETA
Back
Alma

 

Ex Libris Knowledge Center
  1. Search site
    Go back to previous article
    1. Sign in
      • Sign in
      • Forgot password
  1. Home
  2. Alma
  3. Product Materials
  4. Roadmap and Themes
  5. Alma Roadmap Highlights: 2025 - 2026
  6. User Experience, Accessibility, and Infrastructure

User Experience, Accessibility, and Infrastructure

  1. Last updated
  2. Save as PDF
  3. Share
    1. Share
    2. Tweet
    3. Share
  1. User Experience, Accessibility and Infrastructure
    1. Overview
      1. User Experience
      2. Accessibility
    2. Roadmap
    3. 2025 H1
      1. Accessibility: Annual Conformance Report (VPAT)
      2. Enhanced Multiple Facet Save Management on Manage Sets Page
      3. Configurable Session Timeout
      4. 2025 H2
      5. AI Knowledge Assistant in Alma
      6. Enhanced Keyboard Shortcuts for Improved Accessibility
      7. Menu Simplification: Customized Menu
      8. Menu Search Enhancement: Support 'Similar Terms' Functionality in Additional Languages

Return to Alma Roadmap Highlights Overview

User Experience.png

User Experience, Accessibility and Infrastructure

Overview

User Experience

Alma is designed to have a modern and intuitive interface. We aim to allow the user to be efficient and to ensure that workflows are as simple as possible. We also take accessibility into consideration, with the goal of enabling people with disabilities to easily use the software.

Accessibility

At Ex Libris, we make every effort to ensure that Alma can be used by everyone. Alma is designed and developed to meet Level A and AA of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) and Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act for features and functions. See the Alma Accessibility Statement.

Roadmap

2025 H1 2025 H2
  • Accessibility: Annual Conformance Report (VPAT)
  • Enhanced Multiple Facet Save Management on Manage Sets Page
  • Configurable Session Timeout
  • AI Knowledge Assistant in Alma
  • Enhanced Keyboard Shortcuts for Improved Accessibility
  • Menu Simplification: Customized Menu
  • Menu Search Enhancement: Support 'Similar Terms' functionality in Additional Languages

2025 H1

Accessibility: Annual Conformance Report (VPAT)

What's New Highlights Impact

An updated Conformance Report on the newest compliance with WCAG 2.1 Levels A and AA, covering the current and new layout.

  • A new Conformance Report for WCAG 2.1 based on a third-party leading accessibility company audit.
  • Update compliance after enhancements. 
  • Report on existing exceptions.
  • Covers the new layout.
  • Transparency regarding accessibility compliance.
  • Easier to use by individuals with disabilities.

back to User Experience & Accessibility Roadmap

Enhanced Multiple Facet Save Management on Manage Sets Page

What's New Highlights Impact

Users can now save multiple combinations of facets under different names on the Manage Sets page. This enhancement simplifies facet management by allowing users to quickly access their preferred facet configurations.

  • Save multiple facet combinations with unique names for easy retrieval.
  • Access saved facets via the new "Saved" drop-down list. 
  • Utilize new "Save" and "Save As" buttons for improved facet management.
  • Remove saved facets using the new recycle bin icon.
  • Set default facets when saving new combinations using the "Set as Default" checkbox.
This feature empowers users with greater flexibility and efficiency in managing facets, reducing the time spent on repetitive filtering tasks. By providing easy access to customized facet configurations, users can streamline their workflows and enhance their overall experience.

back to User Experience & Accessibility Roadmap

Configurable Session Timeout

clipboard_e4c42bcbea8e2fa88440629798b728696.png

What’s New Highlights Impact

Institutions will be able to configure Alma's session timeout duration, allowing greater flexibility for staff who require longer active sessions. Administrators can set institution-wide defaults and enable user-level overrides to suit individual needs.

  • Additional session timeout configuration options will be introduced (15, 30, 60, 90, 120 minutes. Default remains 60 minutes).

  • Institution-wide configuration via a new "Session Timeout" page.

  • The option for administrators to allow users to override the institution’s default settings will make this option visible for user-level customization under "User Details".

This enhancement provides institutions with greater control over session durations, improving staff efficiency by reducing frequent logins while maintaining security. Institutions can tailor the session timeout to meet operational needs, ensuring a better user experience.

back to User Experience & Accessibility Roadmap

2025 H2

AI documentation logo no background.png AI Knowledge Assistant in Alma

What’s New Highlights Impact

The AI-powered Online Help Knowledge Assistant will be embedded directly in Alma, enabling users to access instant, natural-language responses to documentation-related queries without leaving the platform.

  • Seamless integration with Alma for quick access to documentation information assistance.

  • AI-powered responses to natural language queries, enhancing user efficiency.

  • New and easy access points from the Alma UI.

  • Opens in a right-side panel similar to "Recent Entities" with an option to pin for continuous use.

This enhancement empowers Alma users with immediate access to relevant documentation, streamlining workflows and improving overall efficiency. The intuitive AI assistant minimizes search time, ensuring users can focus on core tasks with greater ease.

back to User Experience & Accessibility Roadmap

Enhanced Keyboard Shortcuts for Improved Accessibility

What’s New Highlights Impact

Align keyboard shortcut behavior between the current and new layout pages and introduce new customization capabilities.

  • Supporting shortcuts in the new layout pages, similar to current pages.
  • Additional shortcuts for common actions.
  • Users will have the ability to customize predefined shortcuts within the provided framework.

These enhancements will significantly improve accessibility within Alma, reducing the reliance on mouse interactions and enabling users to perform tasks more efficiently using familiar keyboard shortcuts. By offering greater customization and consistency across the platform, users will benefit from a more streamlined and accessible experience.

back to User Experience & Accessibility Roadmap

Menu Simplification: Customized Menu

Workflow Simplification Theme

What’s New Highlights Impact

In addition to the existing main menu, the librarian will have a simplified menu and will be able to choose entries commonly accessed.

  • A new simplified menu will be implemented by default with the most common entries.
  • Easy ability to customize the simplified menu.
  • An easy access to the full menu when needed.

The menu will be customizable according to your needs, allowing quick access and improved usability focusing merely on the menu entries you actually need, based on your selection.

back to User Experience & Accessibility Roadmap

Menu Search Enhancement: Support 'Similar Terms' Functionality in Additional Languages

Workflow Simplification theme

 

What’s New Highlights Impact

Support "similar terms" functionality in additional languages.

Search-matching capabilities for non-identical terms in additional languages.
Note: The additional languages will be coordinated with the relevant Alma user community.

The librarian will be able to find relevant entries in the menu based on a standard term in the same language as the interface language.

back to User Experience & Accessibility Roadmap

 
View article in the Exlibris Knowledge Center
  1. Back to top
    • Resource Management
    • Collaborative Network
  • Was this article helpful?

Recommended articles

  1. Article type
    Reference
    Content Type
    Documentation
    Language
    English
    Product
    Alma
  2. Tags
    1. Alma Roadmap
    2. Alma Roadmap Highlights
  1. © Copyright 2025 Ex Libris Knowledge Center
  2. Powered by CXone Expert ®
  • Term of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
2025 Ex Libris. All rights reserved