2020 RN 08 Main
Cloud Apps
Cloud Apps is an open framework that allows developers to write apps that run inside Ex Libris higher education products such as Alma, Primo VE back-office, Esploro, Leganto and Rapido. It adds new features beyond core Ex Libris functionality, which can integrate with other systems, or can provide shortcuts and efficiencies for institution-specific workflows. Once enabled by an institution, Cloud Apps can be searched and installed by end users. Cloud Apps can respond to the context of the user's session, offering additional functionality depending on the current page. Cloud Apps can also be blacklisted or whitelisted.
- Description
- App developer
- Link to the code on Github
- Link to the App in the Ex Libris App Center
- App’s license
- Any external sites the app uses
Metadata Editor Functionality Improvements
Metadata Editor Additional Actions for Records Management
As part of the Metadata Editor improvements initiative, the following functionality was added to the new Metadata Editor in the current release:
| New Metadata Editor Menu Option | Functionality |
|---|---|
| Record Actions | Show Linkage Information |
| Add Note | |
| Assign Record to Another Cataloger | |
| Release Assignment | |
| Suppress from Discovery | |
| Contribute Record to Central Catalog | |
| Align Record Version with Central Catalog | |
| Copy to Catalog | |
| Manage Location Information | |
| Share with Network | |
| Validate in Network | |
| Change Authority Placement | |
| See Also (For Authority record only) | |
| Delete Record |
| View Related Data | View Collections |
| View in Search | |
| View Versions of Original Record |
New Metadata Editor - Catalog Set Improvements
In addition to the above, the visibility of sets in the Metadata Editor was improved. A new tab Sets was added on the Metadata Editor toolbar. Clicking the tab displays the sets sent for cataloging by the Manage Sets page. This tab is displayed only if it has records. The tab displays the count of total sets in it.
Also, now when opening a record from a set and switching to another format, the set name is displayed as a badge in the set header in the Records list. This notifies you that the record being edited belongs to a set. Another badge, also new, displays the set's content type.
In addition, now you can perform filtering in the Metadata Editor by set name or record name. This is useful when you have many catalog sets, or many records under a set.
New Metadata Editor - Community Zone Draft Loading
The following functionality was added to the new Metadata Editor in the current release: Community Zone Draft Loading. The previous behavior of this option is maintained.
This option is now available at the bottom of the Metadata Editor Navigation pane.
Refresh Alma Screens upon Updates of New Metadata Editor
In the new layout of the Metadata Editor, when you click
Minimize the Metadata Editor, the changes you made in the Metadata Editor are immediately reflected in Alma lists and displays. Previously, minimizing the Metadata Editor did not refresh the information in Alma lists and displays, which could result in the display of outdated information. When you delete a record in the Metadata Editor, upon selecting Minimize, Alma displays the "deleted holding" message.
This covers edits made to bibliographic, authority, and holdings records.
New Metadata Editor - Drill Down in Right-hand Pane
In addition to the above, now when you work with two records in the left-hand pane of the Metadata Editor, then when switching from one record to the other Alma collapses the details of the first record in the right-hand pane and opens the details of the second record. You can expand the collapsed record ,and switch between the two records in the right-hand pane.
For example, when searching for resources in the Metadata Editor, you can select one bib record to view its details in the right-hand pane. If you select a different record, the details of the record will open in the right-hand pane, and the details of the first record will collapse in the right-hand pane. If needed, you can click on the collapsed pane to open it, in which case the currently-opened record will collapse.
New Alma Layout Enabled
Continuing the rollout of the new Alma layout, and starting from the July release, the new layout will be available for Alma users. Alma Administrators can turn the new functionality on for a specific user (Opt-in). Ex Libris will introduce the new layout gradually over several Alma releases (See Rollout Plan), giving users enough time to understand, experience, and get used to the changes. As part of the rollout plan, we encourage as many users as possible to get themselves familiarized with the new layout. For instructions for the Alma Administrator, see Turning On the New Layout for Users.
The new layout increases your working area, improves navigation, gives you more options to customize your menus, and facilitates improved user workflows. For a full list of changes, see Layout Improvements.
New Alma Layout Configuration Menu
In June release, the new Alma layout was introduced. As part of it, the Alma Configurations navigation was integrated to the Main Menu. Now the Alma Configurations navigation was improved to make it clearer that the user is located in Alma Configurations:
- The bar color of the Alma Configuration Menu changes to the default primary color in the user interface to distinguish it from the Alma menu.
- Its icons feature a cog wheel to distinguish them from the regular Alma icons.
- The persistent search bar disappears.
New Alma Layout - Ability to Collapse the Summary Panel
In the new Alma layout, you can now collapse and expand the right-hand Summary panel on demand. This allows you to get more screen real-estate when you need to work in the page.
To collapse the section, select the 
icon located on the bottom of the Summary panel.
| Expanded State | Collapsed State |
|---|---|
 |
 |
SAML Certificate Expiration Notification Letter
A new letter called SAML Certificate Expiration Notification Letter was introduced to Alma letters list. This letter reminds Alma administrators that their SAML certificate is nearing expiry date and recommends that they consult with their IT department regarding the potential need to replace it. The letter is sent to users with the General Systems Admin role.
The reminder is sent twice. The sending is triggered by a weekly job that checks if the number of months left till expiry is less than two or one month. If so, the reminder is sent. Thus, the reminder is sent approximately 2 months and then 1 month before SAML expiration.
See Letter List.
Patron-facing Column in Letters Configuration
The Patron Facing column in the Letters Configuration table is now available to all institutions. Previously, it was available only for multilingual institutions.
Edit PO Line from View Mode
Idea Exchange URM-120353When reviewing a PO line in view mode, an Edit option is now available. The visibility of the edit button depends on PO line status, PO line assignment. Additionally, the user must have a Purchasing Manager or Purchasing Operator role.
- In Review
- Deferred
- Waiting for renewal (Manual or Auto)
- Waiting for Packaging (Manual or auto)
- Ready
- Sent
- Waiting For Invoice
Portfolio Availability Marked as 'not available' when Activated from the Community Zone via Real Time
Portfolios which are activated from the community zone as a result of orders coming into Alma from OASIS/GOBI via API will enter Alma as not available and require the institution to make the portfolio available in order for it to appear in the discovery system.
Control Access to Item Loan Renewal
Loan renewal options are now controlled by a new privilege, Renew Loan Privilege. The privilege is added by default to the following roles:
- User Administrator
- User Manager
- Circulation Desk Manager
- Circulation Desk Operator
- Circulation Desk Operator - Limited
To maintain current behavior, the role is automatically enabled for existing customers. For new customers, it will only be enabled for circulation desk roles.
On the Manage Patron Services Loans tab, the Renew Selected and Renew All links, as well as the Renew row action, only display if the new privilege is enabled.
If the privilege is disabled, when a loaned item is re-scanned in the Loans tab of the Manage Patron Services page, the loan is not renewed.
CDI: 'In CDI' Label Change
August 2020 Resource Management URM-131710
In order to improve the understanding of the CDI information and labels, the label for In CDI: Yes has been changed to Available for CDI search activation. Additionally, an information icon has been added indicating: This collection can be activated for search independent from its full text activation status.
CDI: Activate For Search - Improved Warning Messages Upon Activation
When activating a collection from the Community Zone which is already Active for Search in CDI in the Institution Zone, the following warning message appears:
CDI: History Tab Changes
Previously, CDI changes recorded in the History tab of the Electronic Collection only included modification dates. The history records will now include changes for the following fields:
- CDI Search activation status
- Do not show as Full Text available in CDI even if active in Alma
- Local Notes
New Indexes for UNIMARC Bibliographic Records
New search indexes were added for UNIMARC Bibliographic records:
- 214 $$a - Place of Publication.
- 214 $$c - Publisher Name.
- 214 $$d - Date of Publication.
Local Control Number as a Local Extension for Community Zone Records
It is now possible to update bibliographic records that are linked to the Community Zone with a local control number as a local extension.
This allows synchronizing bibliographic records that originated in the Community Zone with third-rd party catalogs that depend on a local system number.URM-123286
You can now add a local 035 field as local extension to a record that is linked to the Community Zone. Local fields are marked with the
institution icon in the Metadata Editor.
For details, see Working with Local Extension Fields for Community Zone Records.
In addition, a normalization task was created that generates a local control sequence that is stored in the 035 field when, for example, Edit > Enhance the Record is selected while editing a record in the MD Editor. See Working with Normalization Processes.
UNIMARC Authority Control field 620
August 2020 Resource ManagementURM-129453
The bibliographic record UNIMARC field 620 $$d is now controlled by the Authority field 260 $$d. F3 is now active on the field 620 $$d of the bib record.
Identify Records Matching to Alma Records
Institutions often get a list of record identifiers used in external systems (e.g. in a vendor system). Now you can load this list to Alma and easily check what you already have in Alma and what you don't have in Alma, in order to facilitate your purchasing decisions.
To enable this, the Create Itemized Set job was modified. This job adds members to a set based on an input file of identifiers (see Creating Itemized Sets). Now the report produced by this job includes the following options:
- Download a file of records for which a match was not found with Alma records
- Download a file of records matching Alma records
See Identify Records Matching to Alma Records Based on Itemized Set.
Search for Titles by Call Number Range
The range operators <, >, <=, >= were added to Advanced search when searching for Titles (All Titles, Physical Titles, Electronic Titles, Digital Titles). These operators were added to the below bib call number indexes:
| Index | MARC 21 fields | UNIMARC fields | CNMARC fields |
|---|---|---|---|
| NLM-type call number | 096 a,z | ||
| Dewey Decimal Class Number | 082 a, 092 a | 676 a | 676 a |
| Other classification number | 084 a | 686 a, 69X | 686 a, 69X |
| LC call number | 050 a, 055 a, 090 a | 680 a | 680 a |
| UDC | 080 a | 675 a | 675 a |
| CLC Classification Number | 690 a | ||
| CAS Classification Number | 692 a | ||
| RUC Classification Number | 694 a | ||
| Other Domestic Classification Number | 696 a |
These operators add the ability to search for ranges of call numbers on bibliographic record level. This can be useful, for example, if you want to find all titles belonging to a specific subject or range of subjects.
For example, you can search for a range of call numbers across the Dewey Decimal Class Number index:
Currently, sorting the results of range searches by any type of call number is not supported.
Viewing one of the titles that came up in the search, we see that its Dewey Decimal Class Number, displayed in 082 field $$ a, is included in the specified range.
Alma Link Resolver - ISTEX Full Text Service
Alma link resolver can now check ISTEX for the existence of an article, based on OpenURL DOI. If the article is available at ISTEX, the patron will receive a link to the full text.
To enable article lookup at ISTEX, activate Community Zone collection ISTEX.