Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard Shortcuts ("Hot Keys")
Alma is a browser-based / web-based platform and is designed to be used within a graphical interface, where you click options using a mouse or trackpad.
That said, there are many keyboard shortcuts for browsers which will work when using Alma. In addition, Alma itself has shortcuts in different workspaces to streamline activities. The lists below contain frequently-used shortcuts to change font size, move around the page, etc.
Browser Keyboard Shortcuts For Chrome, Firefox, and Edge
Moving around on a page
- Space bar - 'scroll' down the page
- Tab - moves through 'active' objects (usually links) on a page
- Up/down arrows - move up and down in a drop-down list or browser history
- Home - Go to the top of the web page
- End - Go to the bottom of the web page
- CTRL + F - Search the web page
Viewing and reloading pages
- CTRL + (plus sign) - Zoom-in / make the font size bigger
- CTRL – (minus sign) - Zoom-out / make the font size smaller
- CTRL + 0 - Reset zoom
- F11 - Go Fullscreen
- Esc - Stop the loading of the web page
Tabs and windows
- CTRL + T - Open a New Tab
- CTRL + W - Close current tab
- CTRL + SHIFT + T - Open previously closed tab
- CTRL + TAB - Switch between open tabs
- CTRL + 1 to 8 - Switch to the tab of the corresponding number from left to right
- CTRL + 1 - Switch to the first tab
- CTRL + 9 - Switch to the last tab
- CTRL + N - Open a new browser window
- ALT + F4 - Close the current browser window. This keyboard shortcut works across Windows.
Less useful in Alma
- Backspace or ALT + Left Arrow - Go back
- ALT + Right Arrow - Go forward
- ALT + Home - Open the home page
Browser-specific shortcuts
For additional shortcuts for each browser, visit the browser's Help section:
Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/keyboard-shortcuts-perform-firefox-tasks-quickly
Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/157179?hl=en
Microsoft Edge: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13805/windows-keyboard-shortcuts-in-apps#edge
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Alma - Global Keyboard Shortcuts
General Actions
F2 – Open/close the main menu navigation bar
- Use the right/left arrows to jump to other areas of the main menu navigation bar. Use the up/down arrows to focus on navigation links in the visible area.
- / – Place your cursor in the persistent search box, or in a secondary search box (see Facets, Filters, and Secondary Search) if one exists on the page.
Shift + F2 – Open the Alma home page
Alt + B – Click Back button
Alt + N – Click Next button
Alt + E – Click Edit button
Alt + S – Click Save button
Alt + C – Click Cancel/Close button
Ctrl + Alt + S – Open the Scanning interface
Alt + R – Open the Returns interface
Alt + P – Open the Pick From Shelf interface
Alt + W – Open the Patron Workbench
For updates, check back at the Ex Libris KnowledgeBase.
List Navigation
Alt + > (or Alt + . (period) if . is on the same key as >) – NextÂ
Alt + < (or Alt + , (comma) if , is on the same key as >) – Previous
Alt + [ – First page
Alt + ] – Last page
For updates, check back at the Ex Libris KnowledgeBase.
Alma - Patron Services
On the Patron Services page:
- Alt + 1 – Opens the Loans tab
- Alt + 2 – Opens the Returns tab
- Alt + 3 – Opens the Requests tab
- Ctrl + Alt + D – Same as clicking Done; returns to the Patron Identification page to enable searching for another patron (see Selecting a Patron)
On the Manage Item Returns page:
- Ctrl + Alt + R – Return patron items
 - Alt + Ctrl + L – Opens the patron identification page (see Selecting a Patron)
- Alt + Ctrl + C – Clears the list of returned items
- Alt + Shift + X – Returns to the Alma homepage
For more, visit the Ex Libris KnowledgeBase.
Alma - Metadata Editor
Many of the keyboard shortcuts available in Aleph are also available in the Metadata Editor.
General Navigation:
- Alt + right arrow - Next page
- Alt + left arrow - Previous page
- Arrow up/down - Moves the cursor up/down field by field in a record
- Arrow right/left - Moves the cursor to the right/left across the field, subfield, indicator, and content information
File Menu: (Alt + f)
- Alt + N - New
- Ctrl+Alt+S - Save draft
- Ctrl+S - Save record
- Ctrl+Alt+R - Save and release record
- Ctrl+Shift+R - Release record
- Ctrl+D - Delete record
- Ctrl+Q - Exit (without saving any changes)
Edit Menu: (Alt + e)
- F8 - Add field
- Ctrl+F6 - Remove selected field row
- F9 - Add sub-field
- Ctrl+Alt+E - Enhance record
- Ctrl+E - Expand from template
- F4 - Generate author number
- F6 - Split editor
- F7 - Full screen
- Ctrl+F - Open form editor
- Esc - Close form editor
- Ctrl + X to cut, + C to copy, + V to paste
- F3 - Link to suggested authority record
Tools Menu: (Alt + t)
- Ctrl+Alt+H - Add holdings record
- Alt+O - Add local portfolio (electronic resource)
- Ctrl+Alt+O - Create PO Line and exit
- Ctrl+M - Find matches to a bib record
- Ctrl+I - View inventory on a bib record
- Ctrl+Alt+H - Add another holding to bib record
- Alt+I - Add item
- Ctrl+Alt+B - From holding, view bib record
- ALT+U - Update from bib record
For a full list of shortcuts and toolbar icons, visit the Ex Libris KnowledgeBase.
Metadata Editor keyboard shortcuts: PDF Document on Google posted by BibSys (Norwegian library system). All commands work as of Oct 2017. This document has some keyboard shortcuts not listed in the ExL MDE page.
Link to suggested
authority record
F3