Library Answers: Los Rios Common Questions

Creating new locations within an Alma Library

The following steps outline how a systems administrator can create new location in an Alma Library. Access to Alma Configuration is required for this task. (Screenshots are taken using the new Alma interface.) View this documentation on Configuring Physical Locations for more information. 

Location Setup

Access Alma Configuration using the gear in the corner

Inside Alma Configuration select your Library from the scope dropdown

Select Fulfillment Configuration menu, Locations, Physical Locations

Select the option to Add a Location

Fill in the location details. 

When creating a location code, the code should begin with the Library's suffix. Codes are generally grouped by types with the second letter indicating similar collections (e.g. ce = CRC equipment). The last part of the code may relate to the specific type of collection or terms. 

The display name will show in Primo below an indicator for the Library.

Once the new location has been added, it's necessary to edit the location. Select the more actions menu for the new location and select "Edit". 

Use the edit menu to add a Circulation desk associated with the collection. Without a Circulation desk it won't be possible to circulate or set items into Transit. If the location should be suppressed from Discovery, select that button. Select Save to close the edit menu. 

Fulfillment Setup

After creating the location, it's necessary to ensure that the location is associated with the correct Terms of Use (TOU's) for Loans and Requests. For a Fulfillment Unit like "Non-Circulating" most locations will fall into the default Terms of Use and no further action may be needed. For all other Fulfillment Units, proceed to the district's Fulfillment Configuration to select the correct TOU's. From the Configuration menu select Los Rios Community College District 

and select the Fulfillment Configuration menu, Fulfillment Units

Select the appropriate Fulfillment Unit and select "Edit". The location should already be associated with the Fulfillment Unit. To select it with the correct TOU's, select the Fulfillment Unit Rules tab.

 Edit the correct rule to add the new location and save. Note: Remember that there are Loan TOU's and Request TOU's. Add the location to all necessary TOU's. 

Loan Limits

Once the location has been created, it will need to be added to the loan limits table until the correct policy. Select Configuration, Fulfillment, Loan Limits, then find the corresponding location type and policy. Select the more actions list and add the new location. Save. 

Check your work by adding an item to the location. Use the Fulfillment Configuration Utility to check whether the correct TOU's are associated with the item/patron combination. 

Check with the Access Services Lead with any questions. 

Item Policy Mapping

Our locations that allow loaning are mapped to item policies, which ensure that they fall under an appropriate set of Overdue and Lost Loan Profiles. This is maintained using certain Analytics reports and a nightly web service that checks the reports and updates items using Alma APIs. Please be sure that Systems librarians are aware of the new location and which item policy it should be mapped to so that this maintenance can be done.