1. New Features in Fulfillment
Moshe Shechter | Alma Product Manager

2. Automated Fulfillment Network
June

3. Concepts

4. The Automated Fulfillment Network is based on the following concepts
The patron places a resource sharing request
Patron does not have to select the potential lender
The patron request form is the same form as the classic Alma resource sharing request form
The request is placed from a Network Zone search scope, either in Alma or in Primo
The pickup location options include libraries at all of the other fulfillment network members
The request is forwarded to the fulfillment network member via the normal rota mechanism on the borrower side
Once the request is forwarded to the fulfillment network partner, it is handled as a regular hold request on the lender side

5. The Automated Fulfillment Network is based on the following concepts
The fulfillment network members are defined as resource sharing partners, and use locate profiles
If the lender fails to fulfill the request, it is forwarded to the next partner in the rota, as a standard resource sharing request
The rota may be hybrid, i.e. include both fulfillment network partners and classic resource sharing (ILL) partners

6. Configuration

7. Fulfillment Network
The basic setup of a fulfillment network (i.e. list of fulfillment network members) is required for the process to work
In addition, the workflow is based on a shared discovery, i.e. a Network Zone Primo search scope or a Primo shared by multiple institutions that is achieved by any other type of Primo configuration.
The request must be placed from that shared discovery

8. Partners
When the institution is defined as a Fulfillment Network member, it will have an option to define partners with the type ‘Fulfillment Network’

9. A special ‘Fulfillment Network’ type –
Locate Profile
A special ‘Fulfillment Network’ type –
The requestability check of the profile will not consult the ‘Is Requestable for Resource Sharing’ policy
Rather, it will consult the ‘Is Requestable’ policy

10. Rota Template
The partner can be added to a rota template, which may be automatically assigned to borrowing requests, as per regular resource sharing configurations

11. Workflow Example

12. Workflow Example
In this use case, patron from U of W will request a resource that is managed at the Network Zone, and has items at Portland State
The request will be for pick up at Portland State

13. Primo Search
The patron uses the Primo search to find a resource that is owned by another member in the network. The search was conducted in a shared scope – for example a Network Zone scope
In our example, the patron is logged into Primo at his home institution – U of W
The requesting patron is ‘Demo 1’ – who is a patron at U of W but not at Portland State

14. The request form allows a few additional pickup location options
Primo Search
The request form allows a few additional pickup location options
‘Allow Other Library’ means that if the PSU library at Portland State cannot be the pickup location, but another library at Portland State can, then it will be used
The Preferred Pickup may be at any institution’s library
The Preferred Local Pickup is a library at the home institution, to which the item will be sent if the preferred library is not possible

15. Request is placed – U of W
On the borrower side, we have a new resource sharing request at U of W, with a rota that includes Portland State
The rota includes another ISO partner (PSU), to whom the request will be forwarded if the fulfillment network request fails

16. Request is placed – U of W
Note that if the pickup location is not the home institution, Alma will automatically manipulate the rota so that partners that can fulfill at the preferred pickup location will be pushed up. For example:
If the preferred pickup location is the PSU Library at Portland State then the partner record for the PSU Library at Portland State will be pushed up the rota.
The reason is that this partner is likely to be able to fulfill the request at the preferred pickup location, while requiring minimal transit logistics
The Portland State/PSU Library partner will be identified by
The partner institution code being the Portland State code
The partner holdings information being the PSU Library code

17. Request is placed – U of W
Note that if the pickup location is not the home institution, Alma will automatically manipulate the rota. The order of preference will be:
Partners at the library of the pickup location (their Holdings Code is the preferred pickup location’s Holdings Code)
Partners at the campus of the pickup location (their Holdings Code is the preferred pickup location campus’ Holdings Code)
Partners at the institution of the pickup location (their Institution Code is the preferred pickup institution’s code)
Other Fulfillment Network partners that have a ‘Deliver To’ relation with the preferred pickup institution
Other members, as organized on the rota template

18. Request is Managed – Portland State
The linked account has been created for patron Demo1 at Portland State, and a hold request has been created

19. Request is Managed – Portland State
Item is picked off the shelf and put on hold shelf at PSU library

20. Request – U of W
When the request is placed on the hold shelf by Portland State, it is considered complete at U of W

21. Loan Management - Portland State
The rest of the process is a fulfillment network loan. Portland state will loan the item to the U of W patron

22. Loan Management - Portland State
The item return will have it reshelved

23. Refer to https://knowledge. exlibrisgroup
Refer to for more
More information at

24. Linked Account Rules - option to refresh expiry and purge dates
July

25. Refresh Expiry Refresh happens when
The user is loaded in the Patron Services Workbench
If expired at the source institution then the block will pop up
User views request option in Get
If expired at the source institution then the request options will take that into account

26. Refresh Expiry
It is important to note that linked account is refreshed only when pulled at the target institution using the ‘Patron from Other Institution’ option

27. Dunning Profiles basic mode
July

28. Dunning Profiles basic mode
Updates the database so that the profiles will catch only loans that will fit the criteria from now on
Every time new profile is configured

29. Dunning Profiles basic mode
Updates the database so that the profiles will catch only loans that will fit the criteria from now on
Last action before the fulfillment jobs are activated at STP

30. Expand the fulfillment configuration utility to support also request and booking
July

31. Fulfillment Configuration Utility - Request and Booking

32. Audit trail/history for user record changes + Retention Policy
June/August

33. Audit trail/history for user record
Based on infrastructural history mechanism
Customer Parameter allows to define how long history will be retained.
Weekly job removes old audit

34. Reading Rooms
March/July

35. 1- Change of location when loaning a reading room loan (March)

36. 1- Change of location when loaning a reading room loan (March)
A library has the option to temporarily change the location of an item that is loaned at a reading room for the duration of the loan
The item automatically reverts to its original permanent location when a final check-in is made. The item is then put in transit back to its permanent location where scanning it in sets the item to be reshelved
This way the library can apply special rules to the item for as long as it is on a reading room loan, based on its temporary location.
The library configuration is optional and per reading room desk.

37. 1- Change of location when loaning a reading room loan (March)
The change of location for reading room loans brings about a number of workflow advantages that may be used to better manage the lifecycle of the item after the check out is done. For example:
Different fine policies
Different overdue reminders policies
Different view of the loans in Primo for both the borrower and for other searchers
Differentiation in courtesy notices

38. 1- Change of location when loaning a reading room loan (March)
The due date of the loan itself is not affected by the change of location, which takes effect only after the check out has been done.
Suggested solution :
Create an application for use at the reading room desks and self check points. The application will use APIs to
At loan time:
update the item with temporary item information
Do the Loan
At return time:
Check in the item
Remove the temporary item information (restore request)
Put the item in transit to the permanent shelving location

39. 2- Separating Reading Room Pickup Option (July)
Previously - When creating a request for an item whose pickup location policy value was In Reading Room, the list of pickup options included all reading room desks from the owning library (in addition to those of other libraries if the policy allowed).
Now, the list of reading rooms of the item's library includes only desks that have a checkout relationship with the item's location (since the item can only be checked out there).

40. 3 - Restricting the use of Resource Sharing received items for use in Reading Room only (July)
An institution may specify that an item that is for use only in a reading room may be loaned only at a desk that is defined as a reading room desk.
A new policy value, In Reading Room Only, was added to the Is Loanable policy type.
When loaning from a circulation desk not defined as a reading room desk, if the item's Is Loanable policy is In Reading Room Only, the staff will receive a new block message, This item can only be loaned from the reading room desk.
The block can be configured in Alma Block Preferences to allow an override by Operator/Manager.

41. Read only configuration role - Fulfillment, User, Letter Admin
September

42. Read only configuration role - Fulfillment, User, Letter Admin

43. Pushing persistent blocks into other institutions
September

44. Configurations
When linking an account between libraries, some of the user data is copied from the source account into the linked account.
This feature allows to copy predefined user blocks from the source account in order to force the source blocks in all of the linked accounts.

45. Configurations

46. Configurations
Source Institution
Target Institution

47. Option to renew patron from Patron Services will depend on Privilege
November

48. Option to renew patron from Patron Services
The option to renew patron record will be configurable by Ex Libris Support per user role

49. Consortial Activity at Home
November

50. Consortial Activity at Home

51. Thank you