Alma is a state-of-the-art unified library management system. It is an integrated solution for all your materials, so you can manage all your materials in one central location using the same environment. It has flexible and advanced configuration options for all your work processes. Alma empowers library collaboration, with its collaborative functionality for managing their catalog, acquisitions, administration and analytics.
LIBIS offers library professionals an integrated solution for all library materials, so that librarians can manage all their resources (print, electronic and digital) in one central application. We offer a single work environment in which various types of materials are processed in an integrated and unified way. This reflects in traditional modules for cataloguing, circulation, ILL, acquisition, periodical management, etc. that are expanded with applied functionality related to the management of (and providing access to) electronic and digital resources.
Features of the library management system:
The library management system, Alma, has been in operation within LIBISnet since the summer of 2014, it is cloud-based and the application is available through various web browsers. This means there is no need to maintain your own local servers or install and update client software on different PCs. Data is stored and backed up in European cloud data centers and managed to the highest standards by a team that monitors availability and performance 24/7. New versions, added functionality and updates are implemented in a transparent and seamless way via quarterly agile release-cycles.
The library management system distinguishes between the following core types of resources:
Not every librarian has the same profile and/or tasks. The library management system allows, based upon granular authorizations and personal customization, tasks to be addressed/pushed to the relevant librarians.
Some of these tasks can be bypassed through automated workflow configuration. For example, "approval" steps can be avoided or automated in specific cases (based on specific criteria), scheduled import and validation profiles can be configured, new electronic content can be added automatically based on direct integrations with the suppliers, IBL requests can be delivered to the end user without any/too much intervention of the librarian, etc.
The library management system uses international standards, formats and exchange protocols that allow integrations with external systems. For example, connections to publisher systems, payment terminals, accounting and ERP systems, external databases, etc. In addition to these more traditional integrations, the application also provides access to the workflows and data in the library system via RESTful APIs, allowing real-time integrations to be implemented.
Examples of external integrations Acquisition:
Resource Management (catalography):
Fulfillment (circulation):
Authentication
The topology of the library management system allows a configuration on different levels which can reflect the organization and operations of the library. This flexibility permits clear shielding/barriers but also cooperation between, for example, different departments, campuses, libraries and even other libraries in the context of a network (e.g. LIBISnet).
These collaboration opportunities within LIBISnet allow, among other things, the use of multiple shared catalogs (local/institutional, LIBISnet, central knowledge base), sharing user accounts across institutions, or jointly purchasing and administering electronic content, etc.
The library management system includes an integrated analytics module, based on OBIEE (Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition), where the library data is loaded and updated every 24 hours in the analytics database. This module offers a lot of possibilities for creating and customizing reports, statistics and visualisations, that can be accessed at any time and in various ways.
For example, on pages/areas within Alma itself, via specific dashboards for certain user groups, via widgets that can be displayed on each librarian's home screen (depending on authorization, certain reports can be hidden or shown), or via reports that are forwarded at specific intervals via email to interested users. Reports can always be exported in CSV, Excel or PDF format.