FAQs

SUNY's Open Access to State University Libraries policy gives all persons currently enrolled in or employed by a campus of the State University of New York the right to borrow materials from any SUNY library. Alma's walk-in borrowing functionality can be used to streamline the process of creating a user record for a person from another SUNY campus that can then be used to loan items to that person. 

Notes:

• The process of retrieving a previously created walk-in borrowing user record is the same as the process for creating a walk-in borrowing user record. Repeating this process allows for changes to the user's record at their home campus to be reflected in their walk-in borrowing user record.  
• All walk-in borrowing user records will be put in the Open SUNY user group. Please use that user group for configuring fulfillment policies for walk-in borrowing loans.
• SUNY does not have a system-wide loan period for walk in borrowers. We recommend you give them the same borrowing privileges you give your other courtesy users. 
• Blocks carry over from the user's home campus to the walk-in campus, but blocks at the walk-in campus do not carry over to the home campus.
• Once a walk-in borrowing loan is created, that loans functions as a direct loan between the walk-in borrowing user and the walk-in campus. Loan notices will be sent directly to the walk-in borrowing user from the walk-in library, and fines and fees will be applied directly to the walk-in borrowing account by the walk-in library. Fines and fees will not carry over to the user's home library.
• The process of checking items in and out to a walk-in borrowing user is the same as the process of checking items in and out to local users.

Creating Walk-In Borrowing User Records

1. Go to Fulfillment > Manage Patron Services

2. Check the Find User in Other Institution box, select the user's home campus from the Institution dropdown, enter the user's name or home institution ID into the Scan Patron's ID or Search for patron box, and then click the Find User button. Alma will search the user's home campus for their record. If Alma finds the user's record at their home campus, it will automatically populate the User Details section of their user record with information from their home campus user record. If Alma cannot find the user's record at their home campus, you will need to manually complete the User Details section. Click the Update User button to finish creating the user's walk-in borrowing account. You will then be taken to the main Patron Services page where you can check items out and perform other circulation functions in the same way you would for one of your own users.