November 2024 Feature Sneak Preview
The Sneak Preview of the Alma November 2024 Feature Release focuses on the main developments of the release. The content detailed below might be subject to change in the deployed release.
Introducing the new Titles Search experience!
Alma's repository search is being upgraded with new UI concepts, resulting in faster, simpler searches and streamlined workflows, saving time and boosting productivity - starting with the title searches. The new search will offer more actions that can be performed directly from the search as well as enhanced navigation options, bringing your workflows into the search page and allowing you to perform them while in the original search context. A new approach to loading the search results will also be introduced; the new search will not only offer improved search performance, but will also load gradually, showing information as soon as it is available, adding more details as they become available, thus allowing users to start processing the results more quickly.
Learn more about the new Titles Search here.
Manage Patron Services New UI
The Manage Patron Services UI will be completely redesigned in order to leverage new layout capabilities to support a more streamlined workflow at the circulation desk.
The new Manage Patron Services design improves the efficiency of the circulation desk staff's work. The new design and the technology it utilizes will make the work at the desk quicker and more efficient, reducing the work load of the library staff as well as reducing the time it takes for the patron to receive the required service at the desk.
Learn more about the new Manage Patron Services here
General view -
The new UI for both the New Titles Search and the new Manage Patron Services will be a gradual rollout. In the November release it will be turned off by default, but users will be able to turn it on if they wish to try it out.
AI Metadata Assistant in Metadata Editor
The Phase I AI Metadata Assistant, one of our most exciting upcoming features, is currently undergoing intensive early access testing with encouraging results. We're aiming to include this in the November release, if testing goes well. Check the November Release Highlights, and the November Release Notes for updates.
For more information on the coming AI Metadata Assistant, see our recent blog post about the AI Metadata Assistant, take a look at our new Alma AI Metadata Enrichment for Libraries roadmap theme, or watch this short silent demo to see the planned workflows.
The release schedule may be subject to change based on testing outcomes.
NERS Enhancement - Linking to Authorities from a dropdown menu in the MDE
A new actions, "Open Authority Headings", will be added to the "Editing Actions" menu in the Metadata Editor. The new action will open the same look up that can be accessed by the F3 key.
This is especially useful for catalogers that don't work with function keys.
Permanent Linked Data Enrichment Configuration for MARC Records
Linked Data enrichment configuration will be available for permanent enrichment alongside the on-the-fly enrichment. Users will be able to activate permanent enrichment of their MARC records as part of the linked data configuration. If the permanent URI enrichment is activated for an authority in the enrichment configuration, the URI will be added permanently to the record in the selected subfield.
Due to the semi-annual indexing process, this feature will be postponed to the February 2025 Feature Release.
Institutions will be able to permanently add the URI of the linked authority to the records and have the information saved as part of the record and not only on the fly.
Idea Exchange - MARC 21 preferred term correction will flip headings that change tag number
Currently, the Alma preferred term correction does not handle cases where the bib heading is linked to an authority record via a cross-reference, but the preferred and non-preferred terms are in different fields. For example, the preferred term is in authority field 130 and cross-reference in authority is in 410.
With the November feature release libraries will be able to configure Alma to handle this scenario. When a bib heading matches the authority cross-reference, Alma will correct it to the preferred term and update the tag in the bib record accordingly (e.g. from 610 to 630).
This will increase cataloging automation and efficiency, and help keep the library's data up to date, matching authority records' preferred terms.
Open Access Workflows: new license type for Transformative Agreements
A growing number of publisher agreements present possibilities for open access publication. Furthermore, some institutions assign libraries the task of supervising allocated funds for covering article and book processing charges related to open access publication.
It will be possible to create a license, representing a "transformative agreement". This license will contain all the license fields available for other license types, as well as the ability to indicate the number of tokens – if the license is limited, and “unlimited” else.
This will allow institutions to keep track of their open access workflows, and identify if they utilize all tokens. Future negotiations with providers will be able to benefit from this information.
Idea Exchange - Update a PO line’s currency after it was sent
A new "change currency" action will be added to PO lines, allowing users to modify the currency of a PO line after it was sent.
This will be useful when the user accidently adds the wrong currency when creating the PO line, or, for example, when the vendor updates their currency.
Idea Exchange - Network Zone Managed Electronic Resources - Library/Campus Level
Currently, central office operators can manage electronic resources in the Network Zone and make them available for the entire network OR member(s) Institution Zone(s).
The central office operator will now be able to assign electronic resources to specific libraries or campuses within a member (IZ) institution.
When defining a group in the NZ institution, a new option will allow the inclusion of libraries and campuses from within a member institution.
NZ electronic resources can be marked as "Available For" this group, and the link resolver will automatically recognize this NZ "Available For" library/campus definition, streamlining resource access management.
The central office will operate more efficiently by centrally managing electronic resources for libraries and campuses within a member’s Institution Zones. This streamlined approach will greatly benefit libraries and campuses that are managed independently, offering them seamless resource management and improved coordination.
Idea Exchange - Consortia Authority Control Task List enhancement
With the November feature release, consortia catalogers will gain a powerful tool for collective authority control, that streamlines workflows, significantly saving time.
The enhanced Consortia Authority Control Task List will include reporting of record changes processed in the Network Zone in the Institution Zone level Authority Control Task List, allowing corrections or modifications of such records and pushing them to the entire Consortia members' Authority Control Task List.
This enhancement will improve the experience for consortium member catalogers working with authority records. As NZ linked records reporting will now be reflected in each Institution Zone Authority Control Task List, when one of the Consortia members corrects a Bibliographic record based on such reporting, this action will be reflected in all Consortia members’ Authority Control Task List.
Authority catalogers' workflow will be streamlined, as they will no longer need to repeat the same process for each institution.
Conditional automatic forward of document delivery
Borrowers will be able to set up rules which determine whether a digitally received resource should be automatically shared with the requesting patron or wait for library staff handling before being forwarded to the requesting patron. For example, the document may require to be processed to increase its accessibility for a requester that requires increased accessibility.
The library will be able to offer better services to patrons who require special handling of digital files, particularly for improved accessibility.
Idea Exchange - New notification letter when hold shelf expiry date is updated
It will be possible to configure notification to patrons when the expiry date of an item on the hold shelf has been changed.
Patrons will be informed of any changes to the hold shelf period made by library staff.
Idea Exchange - Automatic renewal notices when loans automatically renewed
It will be possible to configure to send notices to patrons when loans are automatically renewed by the automatic renew process.
This notification will inform users of the item's new due date, in addition to the courtesy reminder sent before the due date.
More granularity to roles
To increase privacy and security, two additional Designs Analytics roles related to patron information will be added. With these additions, the new Designs Analytics roles recently introduced to support Acquisition, Fulfillment, and Resources will not include access to patron user data and system administration data unless these new roles are assigned to the user.
This feature will ensure privacy and data security while supporting more granular design roles. These roles can be assigned according to the responsibilities and information the analytics designer is permitted to access.