Alma How to close library for borrowing or lending ILL requests

Close your library for borrowing and lending requests

How to close your library for borrowing and lending requests 


Alma has functionality to allow a library to be closed for borrowing, lending, or both borrowing and lending. The staff login must have a “User Role” of “General Systems Administrator” to close a library for borrowing or lending. If you or someone in your library does not have this role or is not comfortable with closing your library for resource sharing, please enter a support center ticket. The “General Systems Administrator” allows the user to manage all Alma systems configurations. Library staff must be Alma certified to have this role. 

Display Library

Click on “Configuration”

Under “Configuring” choose the library you want to close for borrowing or lending. 
This will be the library connected to your main circulation desk for that library
Select library to close


2.) Click on “Fulfillment”
3.) Click on “Library Details”

Choose fulfillment and then library details

Information about your library will display.
Please use caution and don’t make additional changes to your library record. 

library record

 

Close your library for borrowing requests 


Scroll down in your “Organization Unit Details” to the section “Resource Sharing Information” 
1.) Look for the section “BORROWING SETUP”

2.) Click on the checkbox next to “Temporary inactive for borrowing”. 

3. ) A field “Inactive dates range” will display. A date range can be entered in this field. If a date range is entered your patron will not be able to create borrowing requests during this date range. After the date range has passed then the patron will be able to create borrowing requests.  

If a date range is not entered and “Temporary inactive for borrowing” is checked, patrons will not be able to enter borrowing requests. To allow borrowing requests to be accepted again when no date range was given, staff must remember to uncheck “Temporary inactive for borrowing”. 

set date range for closed borrowing period



4. Click on “Save”. 

Save   closed dates



When your library is closed for borrowing requests, the “Request” link will not display in Primo. 
Patron sees no ILL request form


 
If the patron tries to create a borrowing request using the blank request form, they will get a message that the service is not allowed.  

 Form does not display message

 

Close your library for lending requests 


Scroll down in your “Organization Unit Details” to the section “Resource Sharing Information”
1.) Look for the section “LENDING SETUP”
2.) Click on the checkbox next to the field “Temporary inactive for lending”. When the box is checked a field “Inactive dates range” will display.  
3.) In the “Inactive dates range” field enter the date range that your library will not be able to process lending requests. 

During the inactive date range, lending requests sent to your library will get an automatic unfill with the date range as a note. After the inactive date range has passed, your library will start getting lending requests. 
If you do not know when your library will be able to fill lending requests again leave the “Inactive dates range” blank. If the date range is left blank the “Temporary inactive for lending” must be unchecked for your library to receive lending requests. 





4.) After selecting “Temporary inactive for lending” or entering an “Inactive dates range” click on “Save” 
Location of Save button

 

When your library is inactive for lending, the borrowing library will receive an automatic unfill and if inactive dates were provided the dates will be sent in a note to the borrowing library. 

 Send a message to mnpalsdiscuss@lists.mnpals.org and mnpals-alma-community@lists.mnpals.org, to let other libraries and Minitex know your library is closed for interlibrary loan. Please provide the dates of the closure.

 

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