Introduction and General Information - Alma Overview Module

Owned by Jennifer Koerber (Unlicensed)
Last updated: May 08, 2019

This is the first section of the introduction module to the Alma Overviews course. The video is at the top of the page, followed by the script.

In this video, you'll review:

Introductions

Welcome to the Alma Overview module of the Alma Overviews online course. In this video, we’ll review Alma’s basic functions and structure, walk through the main menu and search bar, and learn how you can customize your Alma account, including setting Quick Links for frequent tasks.

Let’s begin with what Alma is.

What Is Alma?

In July of 2018, Harvard Library switched from the Aleph ILS and related systems to the Alma unified resource management system – both of these from the Ex Libris company. Alma is a web-based, hosted platform that brings together cataloging, circulation, acquisitions, selection, resource management (including eResources), course reserves processing, and resource sharing functions into a single system. It also provides tools for reference and liaison librarians and staff in preservation, collections care, and digitization departments.

Browser-Based

The first thing to know about Alma is that it is the staff interface to the database of Harvard Library’s materials and patron records. This means that Alma and HOLLIS – the public search and discovery interface – are pulling from the same records and display the same information, just in two different ways. If you try searching for the same titles in both Alma and HOLLIS, you’ll see this difference in action.

Second, the Alma interface is completely online. You do not need to have any software on your computer to use Alma - you just go to a website and log in.

As a result, there are Preferred Browsers for using Alma. In order of effectiveness: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

Alma is not supported in Internet Explorer (because IE has been replaced by Microsoft Edge) or Safari.

You can use Favorites or Bookmarks to make getting to the URL easier, and you can have your device remember your login credentials to save another step.

Because Alma is browser-based, many of the keyboard shortcuts that you use for a browser will work on Alma, if you’re more comfortable keeping your hands on the keyboard. You can use Ctrl + to increase the font size on the screen (and Ctrl – to decrease it). As a note, Alma also meets ADA compliance standards, and should work with most screenreading or magnifying software.

Alma also has a list of specific keyboard shortcuts that you can use. You can see the full list here in the Alma documentation.

Now, more about logging in.

Logging In

To log in to Alma, go to the correct URL and – typically – log in with your HarvardKey credentials.

Tips for Logging in with HarvardKey:

If you haven't logged in with HarvardKey on your computer recently, you'll need to go through the 2-factor authentication process the first time you log in to Alma. There are two tips to make this a little bit easier:

  • Tip #1: After you choose the device you want to send your authentication message to, click the box next to Remember me for 30 days, if this is your computer that you typically work on. By remembering this device for 30 days, you will not have to do the second factor of authentication any longer, just the username and password. Don’t do this on shared desktops or laptops, obviously.
  • Secondly, if you let your browser remember your username and password for this site, you won't need to type them in every time either. Just click on the red Login button and you're all set.

For more about the HarvardKey system, visit the HarvardKey website.

Note that if you do work at a shared desk, such as a circulation desk, or do not have HarvardKey credentials, your login screen will look different like this way on the right, and you will not use two-factor authentication. Just log in with the correct username and password and you’re all set.

Logging out

Finally, Alma will automatically log you out after 60 minutes of inactivity. However, if log in as yourself on a shared computer, make sure you log out at the end of your shift or if you'll be off-desk for an extended period of time to protect your account.

Ok, now I’ll log in to Alma. As you can see, I’ve navigated to the correct URL, I’m at the login page, I’ve had my computer remember my username and password so I click on Log In and it will skip the 2-step verification and take me directly into Alma.

A couple of Training Notes:

  • For training, we will be using a copy of our Harvard information available in a separate website – this is a training Sandbox. You’ll know you’re in the sandbox is the color is grey, not blue, and you’ll see the words Alma Sandbox in the upper left corner. Don’t worry about “messing things up” in this sandbox, it’s here for you to practice in, so please go in and try things out. You’ll find the URL for the Alma sandbox in the Alma documentation.
  • However, if you are in the live/production site, please be careful of the quality of the data you enter and be conscientious of others' work. This is the official version of Alma and has an impact on what patrons and other staff see and can do.
  • Finally, any customization you make in the sandbox will not carry over into production & vice versa. These are separate systems and don’t talk to each other.

Another Note about User Roles & Permissions

In Alma, everyone is assigned user roles and permissions for the specific locations that they need for their work. These roles and permissions affect more than just what records they can edit – they can also affect what you can search for, what information in a record you can see, and what actions you can take on a record. If you’re not able to see or do something in production Alma that you learned about in training and need to perform your work, tell your manager immediately so your permissions can be updated.