Alma User Management

Owned by Thomas Meehan
Last updated: Jan 10, 2024 by Jonathan Fowles
7 min read

Creating a new Library membership record on Alma

 

  1. Click on ‘Fulfilment’ and then ‘Management Patron Services’:



2. Search for the user by name in the ‘Scan patron ID or search for patron’ box:

  • Enter surname and initial. If there is no record on the system for the applicant click on ‘Register New User’.
  • If the applicant already has an existing record go to ‘Updating a Library membership record on Alma’.


3. Record the applicant’s details in the relevant ‘User Information’ fields as follows:

    • First name and Last name.
    • User group – from the dropdown list (determined by Membership Manual).
    • Expiration date (determined by Membership Manual). Remember that this should be the date from the application +1 day (Gallagher expiry date + 1 day).
    • PIN number (for borrowers only).
    • Resource sharing library – from the dropdown list (check Membership Manual if applicable).


4. Record the applicant’s details in the relevant ‘User Information’ fields as follows:

    • Password – must be 8 characters long and must not include the user-name or any commonly used password e.g. 12345678.
    • Verify password – must match the password.


5. Record the applicant’s details in the relevant ‘Email Addresses’ and ‘Addresses’ fields as follows:

    • Email – including choosing ‘Email type’
    • Address – including choosing ‘Address type’. You have an opportunity to create a second address if required once the record has been created.


When steps 3, 4 and 5 are complete click on: 


6. If the Membership Manual requires a second address (normally for a borrower record) click on ‘Contact Information’ and then ‘+ Add Address’:


    • Choose ‘Address type’ and populate each line of the address in the relevant field including ‘City’ and ‘Postal code’.
    • Click on ‘Add and Close’.


7. If the Membership Manual requires the payment of a fee click on ’Fines/Fees’ and then click ‘+Add Fine or Fee’:

    • Choose ‘Fee Type’ from the dropdown list.
    • Enter the ‘Fee Amount’ (check Membership Manual for details).
    • Click on ‘Add and Close'.


8. If the Membership Manual requires the input of statistical information click on ‘Statistics’ and then ‘+Add Statistic’:


  • Choose from the dropdown in ‘Statistical Category’ to set the ‘Patron Type’ and then:

Statistical categories are generally only required for University of London staff/students, learned society members and NHS applicants.


9. Once the Gallagher Library ID card has been printed it MUST be entered onto the Alma membership record. To do this:

      • Click on ‘Identifiers’
      • Click on ‘+Add Identifiers’
      • Scan or type the barcode number of the ID card in the ‘Value’ field
      • Click on ‘Add and Close’
      • Click on ‘Identifiers’
      • Click on ‘+Add Identifiers’
      • Change the 'Identifier Type' from barcode to 'Card Serial Number'
      • Use RFID card reader to enter the card serial number into the 'Value' field
      • Click on ‘Add and Close’
      • Finally, click ‘Save’ to ensure all additions to the applicants Alma record are stored.


Updating a Library membership record on Alma


  1. If when searching via the ‘Scan patron’s ID or search for patron’ box on Alma the applicant is shown to have a previous record click on the correct record in list that appears below:

  • The existing record details will now be visible in the ‘Scan patron’s ID or search for patron’ box.
  • Click 'Go':


2. From the Patron Services screen, click on ‘Edit User Info’:


3. Click on the > icon next to ‘User Notes’.


4. Click on the user’s ID number, which will take you to the User Details screen:


5. You now have full access to their existing record and can amend their record accordingly:

    1. ‘General Information’ will allow you to add or amend ‘First name’, ‘Last name’, ‘User group’, ‘Expiration date’, ‘Password’, ‘PIN number’ and ‘Resource sharing library’.
    2. ‘Contact Information’ will allow you to add or amend ‘Addresses’ and ‘Email addresses’.
    3. ‘Identifiers’ will allow you to add or amend a Library ID ‘Barcode’.
    4. ‘Fines/Fees’ will allow you to add or amend a ‘Fine or Fee’ to the record.
    5. ‘Statistics’ will allow you to add or amend a ‘Statistical Category’ for the Patron Type.


6. To edit, duplicate or delete existing data in the ‘Contact Information’, ‘Identifiers’ and ‘Statistics’ tabs click on ‘…’ in the row holding existing information:


7. Once all changes have been saved on the relevant tabs click 'Save' to close the record:


Alma Patron Feed


There are two types of Alma record: ‘Internal’ and ‘External’. These types refer to the source of the data, not the user group of the person that the record represents, which can seem counterintuitive to Library Services:

  • Internal: records created manually by Library Services staff.
  • External: records created using data received from other UCL systems.

Library Services administer the internal record data. These are library members with no direct association with UCL. We can create, renew, and edit these records in Alma using the processes above, in line with the relevant membership policies.

External records represent UCL students, staff, honorary staff and departmental visitors, with the data administered as follows:

  • UCL students: administered by the Registry via SITS.
  • UCL staff and honorary staff: administered by HR via MyHR.
  • UCL departmental visitors:administered by the department via the Services System.

The Alma Patron Feed is the mechanism used to receive updated data from SITS, MyHR and the Services System so that we can ensure our records accurately reflect the current status of these users.

Although we have the ability to edit external records in Alma, we should avoid doing so, as we are not the administrators for this data. Any changes that we make to external Alma records can be reversed during the patron feed synchronisation if the administrator has updated the data source.

It is worth remembering that Alma only provides some of our services, for instance:

  • Gallagher: we cannot alter Gallagher accounts for External records, so even if we extend their accounts on Alma, their UCL ID cards will expire and they will lose access to our buildings.
  • Electronic resources: students, staff and honorary staff will lose access to electronic resources offsite if their UCL Registry or HR records have expired. Library Services are not able to extend this access to due licensing restrictions. (Departmental Visitors and Internal accounts created by the Library do not allow access to offsite electronic resources). The Library is unable to directly enable offsite access to electronic resources for any records.
  • Study Space Booking: only current UCL students and staff can place study space bookings on LibCal. Extending this access on Alma will not allow continued access to bookings.

If we receive a query requesting extended access to our services, our usual practice is to advise them to refer their request as follows:

  • Student:refer to their department or askUCL.
  • Departmental Administrator requesting student extension: refer to Registry.
  • Staff: refer to their department or HR.
  • Honorary Staff: refer to their department.
  • Departmental Visitor: refer to their department.

If a department wishes to provide limited access to our services for an expired student, member of staff, or honorary member of staff they can register them as a departmental visitor via the Services System. This will only provide access to our buildings and, if requested, reduced borrowing rights. They will still lose access to a number of UCL services, including offsite electronic resource access.

The Eligibility and Entitlement to UCL Services guide provides more information on the different UCL associations and their access to services.