2. Alma@UEL: Overview
What
Alma is software as a service, posted in a cloud environment. An
ExLibris product
Replaces Aleph, ARC, Adam, Verde and SFX
Why
Reduces total cost of ownership
Return on Investment
Empowering staff to offer innovative services
Linking our collections & expertise to the globe
Enabling us to harvest and integrate high quality resources
Enable us to magnify UEL’s reputation
When
August 2012 – to date
3. Alma@UEL: 2012 Timetable
• Kick-off meeting 20 March
• Access to Sandbox 10 April
• Alma Functional Training WebEx 10 Apr – 2 May
• Aleph & SFX test migration 28 Apr – 4 May
• Access to Production environment 8 May
• Functional Workshop, part 1 10 – 11 May
• Functional Workshop, part 2 17 – 18 May
• Alma Reports & Analytics training 20 June
• Workflow & Integrations testing June -26 July
• Cutover period 27 July-12 Aug
• Go Live 13 August
4. Alma@UEL: Implementation
• Training staff
– Project groups (Fulfilment, Acquisitions, ILLs,
Resource Management)
• Clear identification of responsibilities
• Communication and repetition
5. Alma@UEL: Technical aspects
• Primo V4 upgrade & Alma integration into Primo – Undertaken
on staging environment
• Using Primo front end after integration
• Administration Certification training after go live (limited to
Systems staff)
6. Alma@UEL: Post Implementation
• Still too early to give a definitive response
• Communication and flexibility very important
• Understanding of changing functionality and
revised workflows
• Some unexpected issues needing resolution
• Patron loader, E-resource activation, Serials
check-in
• Potential exploitation of functions available
• Digital possibilities, analytics
7. ALMA@UEL: What went well
• Data migration
• SFX migration
• Core functionality for most processes
• Configuration of Alma
• Integration with Primo
8. ALMA@UEL: What did not go so well
• Self service – blocked by IT because of security
concerns
• E-mail notifications – courtesy notices, hold notification
and activity reports
• Hold requests could not be placed by patrons
• Automatic renewals – user policies could not be
applied retrospectively
• British Library interloans – no request form in Primo
we have to use Google forms
• We have not yet been able to charge for fines
• Patron configuration not working with self service and
Primo
9. ALMA@UEL: How was this resolved
• December 2012 - 13 day meeting with
ExLibris project team and developers
• Weekly post-implementation project calls
• Fortnightly top 5 calls with project
manager and developers
• Fixes in monthly releases and hot fixes
10. ALMA@UEL: What is next
• New Stratford Library
• Self service and automated book sorting
• SMS
• Manual editing of patron records
• Import data for bulk updates
• BL ILL request form in Primo to make
requests in Alma
11. Alma@UEL: Live overview
• Overdue notices
• Now reintroduced Fines
• Working towards implementing claims
• Self-service is improving
• ILL loans solution expected in next release
Maximising ROIEnhancing student experience and attainmentsEmpowering staff to offer innovative services Linking our collections & expertise to the globeEnabling us to harvest and integrate high quality resourcesEnable us to magnify UEL’s reputation
Change in IT senior managementData Security concernsIT environment security /PCI compliancy Alma issues – patron data, self-serviceLoss of control / Limited customization
Change in IT senior managementData Security concernsIT environment security /PCI compliancy Alma issues – patron data loader, self-serviceLoss of control / Limited customization
ongoing problem with thousands of overdue books dating from last year. To rectify this, a few days ago every single book on loan from the library (even to expired users) was renewed until 18 March.
