July Sneak Preview
The features below are currently planned for the next release. However, some of these features may, for various reasons, not be included in this month's release, but rather in a future Alma release.
Acquisitions
- Addition of "Default" PO line type - The existing configuration screen for PO line types will be enhanced to handle cases where an order is created with a PO line type that is disabled. Institutions will have the option to select a 'Default PO Line Type'. The default type will be used:
- When PO lines are created via an API and the PO line type value defined in the API is disabled
- When PO lines are created via a purchase request and the PO line type, based on the user selection within the Purchase Request is disabled.
- **Ideas Exchange **Enhanced interested user functionality - Institutions will be able to define which 'interested user' parameter will be set on PO lines created from the following workflows:
- Purchase requests
- EOD (New Order Import Profile)
In addition, a new job will enable modifying the 'Interested users' parameters on a set of PO lines.
Administration and Infrastructure
**Ideas Exchange ** Configurable genders list - It will be possible for the institution to control the list of genders to choose from when updating a user record.
Metadata Management
Better support for Swedish and Norwegian diacritics – Alma’s support for Swedish and Norwegian diacritics for browsing and searching will be improved.
Resource Management
Refine repository advance search - the ability to filter a set with indication rule - Following a NERS request of Refine repository advance search results by marc tags and subfields it is now much easier to perform set filtering using an indication rule on any metadata tag for a bibliographic record. It is easier for the user to navigate to the result sets from the original set.
Digital Resource Management
Download files of a digital title set - A new job will support a bulk file download of a defined set of digital titles.
Fulfillment
- Add or renew patron role from circulation desk - Currently, privileged circulation desk operators working at the circulation desk can grant or assign a patron role only when a loan action is blocked due to a missing or expired patron role. With this new feature, the circulation desk operator will be able to add or renew a patron role directly from the circulation desk page. The role will automatically be added as per the attributes that have been defined in the User Registration Rules.
- Library input parameter for User Registration Rules - The User Registration Rules will be enhanced with a ‘library’ input. It will therefore be possible to set the attributes (such as scope, expiry date and fee) of patron roles that are assigned at the circulation desk, based on the library (‘currently at’ location) from which the add or renew role was activated. This way, different libraries will be able to set different expiry dates and fees for patron roles that are assigned by circulation desk operators at the library.
- Creating fines and fees at the library level - When manually creating patron fines and fees, it will be possible to assign the specific library by which the fine or fee should be owned. This is relevant only if the fine or fee type is a library level fine or fee.
Resource Sharing
- ’Rapid requests’ task in the Tasks List - Resource sharing staff will be able to use a new ‘Rapid Requests’ link in the Tasks List, linking directly to pending RapidILL requests. Separate links will link to borrower requests and to lender requests.
- **Ideas Exchange** Option to convert personal delivery hold requests to resource sharing requests - The current restriction that does not allow converting personal delivery hold requests to resource sharing requests will be removed. It will now be possible to (manually or automatically) convert personal delivery hold requests to resource sharing requests even though they are requested for personal delivery, provided that library polices allow this service.
- Automatically push user records to ILLiad - The ILLiad integration will be enhanced so that user records will not need to be preloaded to ILLiad in order for Alma to be able to push borrower requests into ILLiad for further processing. Instead, Alma will use the ILLiad APIs to check ILLiad first, and automatically create a user record in ILLiad if the user record does not already exist there.
- View digitized content in Primo’s My Account - A library may be set up so that when an article that has been requested via resource sharing is received in digital format by the library the requesting patron receives a notification email with a link to the document. In this case, the link will also be available from Primo’s My Account requests list for a default period of 30 days after the document has been received. This feature will be available in Primo VE.