If you have an end of the quarter due date for any materials you will have to update the value at a set time each quarter. When exactly depends on your patron behaviors, registration dates, finals length, and term break length. Changing the Due Date value at end of Finals is common, in order to get everything returned and laptops re-imaged before new term check outs start.
Most schools choose this method. It requires minimal changes in Alma Configuration. This method allows you to keep Fulfillment configuration static while only updating the event date in Library Calendar Management.
Configuration > General > Libraries > Add a Library or Edit Library Information
Calendar Management tab
Find the End of Term event and click the end of row button to Edit Event to bring up Record Details page.
Change the date in the Date field to the new term end date. Then hit Save.
It will direct back to the Calendar Management page.
APPLY CHANGES
This method creates a historical record within Calendar Management that may be useful or necessary. This method allows you to set up a full year's worth of term and holiday/closure dates at one time, then make changes only in Fulfillment configuration on a quarterly basis.
Configuration > General > Libraries > Add a Library or Edit Library Information
Calendar Management tab > Add Record
Create a description and set the date, then click Add and Close.
APPLY CHANGES
Configuration > Fulfillment > Physical Fulfillment > Advanced Policy Configuration
Find Due Date Policy for End of Term (use Policy Type filter)
Edit End of Term, change the Value in the dropdown menu to the desired Event title
All technology-based methods of doing inventory with Alma involve comparing a list of what is actually on the shelves with what Alma thinks is on the shelves.
Each inventory method has a mechanism for comparing those lists, and presenting the results. Library staff can then work to reconcile the differences, by marking items as LOST, reshelving items to correct shelving mistakes, and resolve items currently marked as LOST but actually on the shelves.
All three methods below can accomplish this task.
The most "bullet-proof" method, and the least likely to break or become obsolete over time, is the as-designed Alma method, listed first below. But it's also the most complex, detailed method. And has the disadvantage of not reporting out-of-order items.
The Purdue Method is the simplest and easiest to use, and generates the most succinct report to work. If The Purdue Method gives you adequate and accurate results, then no need to go further. But if you still have inventory concerns after using the Purdue tool, you can move on to one of the other methods.
This method of inventory represents the out-of-the-box workflow for performing inventory.
Managing Physical Item Inventory Using Shelf Reporting
This method of inventory was well-presented at ELUNA 2018 in Spokane, WA by Tennessee Tech University.
This tool was developed by Purdue University as a PHP-based API program, whose use is documented here:
Shelf Inventory using Alma APIs - Ex Libris Developer Network (exlibrisgroup.com)
A customized implementation for WACTCLC institutions can be found at:
http://wactc.alwaysdata.net/inventory/
As presented at 2018 (Spokane, WA) ELUNA Conference, Chemeketa College developed this method of inventory, which involves an analytics report and custom Excel spreadsheets.
Before you start:
In order to activate an electronic collection from the Community Zone, you must have the following roles in your User Details:
If your institution uses Alma Acquisitions these steps will not fully apply.
1) Look up the collection in the Community Zone. Find the collection that best matches your purchase or the open collection you want. Click on the "Activate" button.
Tips:
2) Fill in the Activation Wizard
Use Local Electronic Collection Information fields to customize display details
Complete the Full Text Service selections.
Click blue "Next" button
3) Activation Wizard will have you confirm Linking Information.
Check that Proxy status is correct.
Click blue "Next" button
4) Activation Wizard will ask you choose an Activation Method
Click blue "Next" button
5) Review Activation Summary and click blue "Activate" button to complete Wizard.
Depending on the number of portfolios processing time may vary from several seconds to several hours.
6) Review the collection in your IZ.
"Edit Collection" will allow you to change the following:
You can also add acquisitions and license information, like POL and expected activation date if you're setting up the Collection for a future purchase.
You cannot edit CDI Institution Settings from the Edit Collection tabs.
The document above provides instructions for front-line staff circulating equipment from a satellite circulation location, such as an IT help desk.
The document is in MS Word, and is suitable for editing and re-use.
Deduplication (dedup, or deduping) - the act of presenting identical record citations a a single record in Primo VE search results
FRBRization, or FRBR (from Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records) - the act of grouping record citations referencing similar or the same works, for more streamlined presentation in search results.
To deal effectively with the topics of Dedup and FRBR in Alma, be aware that:
1. Dedup and FRBR only apply to records in Alma
2. CDI citation merging is accomplished through the CDI match-and-merge process
You can use the "library catalog" and "articles" scopes in Primo VE to separate Alma and CDI citations, so that you can analyze issues more effectively (Note that Primo VE scope names and configurations vary among institutions.)
To evaluate why two Alma records are or are not deduping or FRBRizing as you expect, you can use the Dedup and FRBR Analysis Tool for Primo VE - Ex Libris Knowledge Center (exlibrisgroup.com documentation).
To re-evaluate a record in Alma to fix a FRBRization issue, you can recalculate dedup and FRBR groups for a record.
If you want to customize dedup and FRBR configurations, to change the way records are deduped and FRBRized, that can now be accomplished with the newly released Dedup/FRBR Complete Key Combination functionality. However, that option should be approached with caution, as modifying dedup / FRBR logic can have a broad impact on search results.
The CDI-Match-and-Merge process is fully automated, and not configurable by the customer.
If you feel you have identified errors in the matching and merging of citations in Primo VE search results, you should open a SalesForce case. In the case, include the Primo VE permalinks of the citations not behaving as you expect, as well as EZProxy credentials for your institution, so that ExLibris can fully analyze the issue.
To help with evaluation of a CDI citation in Primo VE, you can use the newly released CDI Analysis Tool. This tool can be used to determine which collection and portfolio / title activation in Alma is resulting in a CDI citation being included in Primo VE search results.
How to Test Dedup and FRBR (3 min video)
Become an Expert on Dedup and FRBR in Primo VE (Youtube, 55 min)
Match and Merge in the CDI (Informational only, not configurable by customer)
Duplicate Detection Vector - Ex Libris Knowledge Center (exlibrisgroup.com)
Primo VE Dedup and FRBR | CARLI (illinois.edu)
CDI Activation Analysis (exlibrisgroup.com)
Match and Merge in CDI - Ex Libris Knowledge Center (exlibrisgroup.com)
The Washington Community and Technical College Library Consortium provides on-going support for the Ex Libris ILS Alma and Discovery Index Primo VE.
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