2021 RN 11 Main
OpenID Connect (OIDC) Integration Profile Enhancements
- New fields were added to the OpenID Connect Integration profile to enable you define additional OIDC information: "Scopes", "Additional Claims", "Matching claim", "UserInfo Endpoint".
- You can now populate the integration profile by using the .well-known URL.
- More than one OIDC profile can now be configured in Alma.
Job Results Displayed on the Monitor Jobs Page
Link Resolver ViewIt Online Service Order - Preference to Electronic Resources with Orders
NERS Enhancement (ID #6941)When presenting Electronic Services via Alma Link Resolver, Alma now gives the library the option to prefer services of collections/portfolios that have a linked PO Line (i.e., subscribed services or owned ). Once enabled, services for portfolios that have a PO Line, either at the level of the collection or at the level of the portfolio itself, are displayed above all the other services. This preference overrides both the default alphabetic sorting order and the list of services listed in the Top Services section.
To support this feature, a new option "Prefer Ordered Resources Option" was added to the Online Services Order page (Configuration > Fulfillment > Discovery Interface Display Logic> Online Services Order).
Holdings Search Introduced
A new search option "Physical Holdings" was added to Alma repository staff search. The holdings search provides the ability to search holdings based on title, holding, and item information. The retrieved results provide the list of holdings records that match the defined search criteria, along with the titles for these holdings, and the items that are associated with these holdings. This search option allows librarians to have direct access to multiple titles and provides more accurate results for holdings-level records by library.
Although physical inventory does not exist in a Network institution, the Physical Holdings option still appears in Network Zone (similarly to the existing Physical Items option).
The "Physical Holdings" search option and the search results panes are based on new-generation infrastructure, which offers more convenient and user-friendly user interface, and quicker performance.
In the November release, only the simple search is available for this search option. The advanced search will be introduced in upcoming releases.
Viewing Items per Holdings Record
To view the list of items associated to a particular holdings record, select the holdings record. The Details pane opens that displays the information for that holdings record, including the list of all items associated with it.
To view the information for a particular item, select View Items. A sliding pane opens above the search results where you can sort the items, search for items, and perform the different actions on the list of items (for details, see Working with the List of Items). The sliding pane allows you to view and work with items, and then resume your ongoing work without interrupting its context. The items list displays up to ten items. There is a pagination option if there are more than ten items.
When you add a new item from the sliding pane (by selecting the Add Items option), the new item is immediately added to the list of items on the right pane of the search results.
Enhanced Staff Navigation in Alma for Related Records and Inventory
In the Physical Title search results, all possible inventory is now accessibleto the Inventory Operators. This allows the Inventory Operator would like to check possible availability in holdings and items in its hierarchy, and also in related holdings or items. This improves the staff user’s ease of use and efficiency.
The Inventory Operator can navigate to related items for the specific title and see them as physical items search results. Navigation links to related records and associated inventory were now added similarly to the links that appear for the main record.
Similarly, the related holdings are displayed as search results using the new Holdings search.
In addition, the navigation between the related record and the main records items and holdings was enhanced, such that when a specific item or volume or issue are being referenced in the related record (the 77X field contains a $g with specific item information, or even when $g is unspecified), only the relevant holding or item record is shown when using these new navigation links.
See Searching in Alma.
MARC21 Updates
The following MARC 21 updates (for bibliographic, holdings, classification, and community information formats) have been added to Alma:
Authority records:
- Profile updates - New fields were added: 147, 447, 547, 747
- Display - New fields were added: 147, 447, 547, 747
- Search - New fields were added: 147, 447, 547
- Headings - New fields were added: 147, 447
- F3 functionality for "See Also" (5XX) fields in authority records used for linking between two authority records now applies to 547 as well
Bibliographic Data and functionality:
- MARC21 Bibliographic Profile updates:
- Field 335 was added.
- Field 345 was renamed.
- Search - New field was added: 647
- Headings - New field was added: 647
- Browse bibliographic headings - New source code 'Even Name' was added to heading types Names and Subjects.
- Browse bibliographic headings - Name / Subject - Field 647 was added.
Authority Control:
- Field 647 was added to the list of authority-controlled fields.
See MARC 21 Search Indexes, Browsing Bibliographic Headings, Working with Authority Records.
UNIMARC / CNMARC Updates
UNIMARC and CNMARC updates (for bibliographic, holdings, classification, and community information formats) have been added to Alma in the November 2021 release to keep them up to date with the latest (same updates to both formats).
These updates include, among others (not an exhaustive list):
- New values e-j were added to the position 1 of subfield a of bibliographic CN/UNIMARC 135 field.
- New value '2' was added to the second indicator of the authority 801 field.
- Authority fields 231, 431, 531 with all subfields were added to the CNMARC profile.
Support for Lithuanian Alphabet
Alma now supports the Lithuanian language, including repository search, user search, browse bibliographic and authority headings, using F3, and sorting results.
As part of the release of this functionality, re-indexing is automatically triggered for the customers that use the Lithuanian search settings. Until re-indexing completes, inconsistencies may appear.
See Lithuanian Characters, Browsing Bibliographic Headings and Configuring Institution Languages.
Semi Annual Re-indexing
During November, the semi-annual re-indexing (described in greater detail in Updates) will be run. Features or resolved issues that require re-indexing to be fully functional will be addressed by the November semi-annual re-indexing. See the list below.
Change the CDI Option 'Do not show as full text available in CDI even if active in Alma' for Alma Consortia
In the CDI tab of the Electronic collection editor, in case on ‘Available for’ activation exists for a member institution, campus or library, the option 'Do not show as Full text available in CDI even if active in Alma' is disabled for this member institution, campus or library. In addition, when hovering over the option checkbox, a message is displayed stating: 'This option cannot be used because there is no corresponding 'Available for' activation for this collection'.
Metadata Editor Accessibility Improvements
- Level A - The correct HTML tags were set on Records/Template/Rules items and on the buttons of the Browse Bibliographic Heading form to improve Metadata Editor readability to screen reader users.
- Level AA - Color-contrast issues were fixed for icons and on the frames of the Browse Bibliographic Heading form and the indicators and fields in the Editing area.
Darker frames on the Browse Bibliographic Heading form
Alma Accessibility Improvements
The following improvements were done with the purpose of making Alma 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:
Visibility:
A high-contrast color scheme was added to aid users with eyesight disabilities who have difficulty using the standard color scheme. A high-contrast color scheme helps users better distinguish between different visual elements.
This is currently available in the following browsers:
- Chrome - standard extension both on Windows and MacOS
- Firefox on Windows
- Issues in main pages such as home page, search, and editors.
In future releases, this will be made available for Safari on MacOS as well.
Facets:
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Text was added to the below button for screen reader users to know whether the facets area is open or closed.
- Colors were changed to increase the contrast ratio between text and its background to at least 4.5:1.
Default Display Now Configurable in Internet Archive Book Reader
You can now configure the default display for the Internet Archive Book Reader (Configuration > Discovery Interface Display Logic > Viewer Services > Internet Archive Book Reader) to be Single-page, Two-page, or Thumbnail view:
Run "Filter Set by Indication Rule" Job from API
Alma's API now enables filtering a set by indication rule(s). This feature is helpful when you need a set that is based on metadata elements that are not indexed.
For more information, see https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/apis/docs/conf/UE9TVCAvYWxtYXdzL3YxL2NvbmYvc2V0cw==/ in the Developer Network.
API for Circulation Desks
A new API enables retrieving a list of circulation desks for a given library.
For more information, see https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/apis/conf/ in the Developer Network.
RFID Connector Popup Now Served Over HTTPS (Secure) Protocol
Following recent security related modifications in Chrome and Edge, the RFID connector popup is now served over https (secure) protocol.