How do I automatically export unfilled Alma resource sharing requests to WorldShare ILL?

Answer

The April 2022 Alma release contains a new feature that allows libraries to automatically export unfilled borrowing resource sharing requests to WorldShare ILL.  To implement this new feature at your library, you will need to do the following:

  1. Obtain an API key from OCLC
  2. Configure an Item Policy for WorldShare ILL
  3. Configure a Resource Sharing Partner for WorldShare ILL
  4. Configure a Rota Template for WorldShare ILL
  5. Configure a Rota Assignment Rule for WorldShare ILL
  6. Configure a Temporary Item Creation Rule for WorldShare ILL
  7. Configure Loan TOU and Loan Fulfillment Unit Rule for WorldShare ILL Loans

To do this configuration work in Alma, you will need the Resource Sharing Partners Manager and Fulfillment Administrator roles.

Once requests that are exported to WorldShare are filled, the original borrowing requests can be used to circulate physical items and deliver digital items via Alma.  

Note: Once a borrowing request is exported from Alma to WorldShare ILL, updating the request in WorldShare ILL will not update the corresponding request in Alma, nor will updating an exported request in Alma update the corresponding request in WorldShare ILL. 

 

Obtaining an API Key from OCLC

1. Complete the Ex Libris request transfer form and send it to orders@oclc.org.  OCLC will send instructions on how to retrieve your API key.  A link to the Ex Libris request transfer form can be found here:

https://help.oclc.org/Resource_Sharing/WorldShare_Interlibrary_Loan/Reference/ILL_request_transfer_service?sl=en

 

Configuring an Item Policy for WorldShare ILL

1. Go to Configuration, select your resource sharing library from the Configuring dropdown, and then go to Fulfillment | Physical Fulfillment | Item Policy

 

2. Click the Add Row link.  In the window that appears below that link, enter "WORLDSHARE" into the Code field, enter "WorldShare ILL" into the Description field, change the Default Value setting to "No", click the Add Row button, and then click the Save button.

 

Configure a Resource Sharing Partner for WorldShare ILL

1. From the main Alma page, go to Fulfillment | Resource Sharing | Partners.

 

2. Click the Add Partner link.

 

3. Enter the following values into the General Information tab. Settings not mentioned below can be left empty or at their default value. 

Code: WSILL
Name: WorldShareILL
Profile Type: NCIP
Status: Active
System Type: WordlShare ILL [sic]
Supports Borrowing: checked
Borrowing Workflow: WorldShareBorrowing
Supports Lending: checked
Lending Workflow: WorldShareLending

 

Note: The WorldShareBorrowing and WorldShareLending workflow profiles were configured in SUNY's Network Zone and distributed to all SUNY libraries.  If you are at a non-SUNY library, you will need to configure those workflow profiles.  For more information on configuring resource sharing workflow profiles in Alma, please see https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Product_Documentation/010Alma_Online_Help_(English)/030Fulfillment/080Configuring_Fulfillment/060Resource_Sharing/010Basic_Resource_Sharing_Configurations

 

4. Enter the following information into the Parameters tab. Settings not mentioned below can be left empty or at their default value. 

User Identifier Type: Select the identifier your users use to log in to Primo
Request Pushing Method: Link
Default Library Owner: Select the library that houses your temporary borrowing location
Check-Out Item Default Location: select your temporary lending location
Default Item Policy: select the item policy you configured for WorldShare ILL
Accept Item Default Location: select your temporary lending location
Default Pickup Library: select the library that you would like to be the default pickup location for these requests
Automatically Received: checked
Receive Desk: select the circulation desk where you would like these requests to be received
Export to Third Party: Yes
API Key: enter the API key you received from OCLC
Server: https://worldcat.org/isoill/request/data/
Requesting Agency ID: enter "OCLC-" followed by your OCLC symbol (ex. OCLC-YKU)

 

 

5. Click the Save button.

 

Configure a Rota Template for WorldShare ILL

1. From the main Alma page, go to Fulfillment | Resource Sharing | Rota Templates

 

2. Click the Add Template link.

 

3. Enter the following information into the General Information tab.

Code: WORLDSHARE
Name: WorldShare
Type: Non Ordered
Status: Active

 

 

4. Click the Template Members tab, click the Add Partners link, and then click the Select from a List button in the small window that appears beneath the add partners link.  A Resource Sharing Partner List window will open.  Check the box for the WorldShare ILL resource sharing partner you created and click the Select button.  The the Resource Sharing Partner List window will close.  Click the Add Partner button and then click the Save button.

 

Configure a Rota Assignment Rule for WorldShare ILL

1. Go to Configuration | Fulfillment | Resource Sharing | Rota Assignment Rules

 

2. Click the Add Rule button. 

 

3. Enter "WorldShare" into the Name field and then click the Add Parameter link.  In the small window that appears beneath the Add Rule link, select "Requested Format" from the Name dropdown, select "Is not empty" from the Operator dropdown, and then click Add Parameter. 

 

4. Click the Select from a List button next to the Rota Templates field.  The Rota Templates window will open.  Check the box next to the WorldSahre rota you configured and then click the Select button.

 

5. Click the Save button.  The rota assignment rule you created will appear at the bottom of your Rota Assignment Rules list.  Since WorldShare ILL will be a lender of last resort, you should keep the WorldShare ILL rota assignment rule at the bottom of that list. 

 

Configure a Temporary Item Creation Rule for WorldShare ILL

1. Go to Configuration, select your resource sharing library from the Configuring dropdown, and go to Fulfillment | Library Management | Temporary Item Creation Rules.

 

2. Click the Add Rule button.

 

3. Enter "WorldShare ILL" into the Name field, click the Add parameter button, select Resource Sharing Partner from the Name dropdown, select the equals sign from the Operator function, select your WorldShare ILL resource sharing partner from the Value dropdown, and click the Add Parameter button.

 

4. Select your temporary borrowing location from the Location, select the WorldShare ILL item policy you configured from the Item Policy dropdown, and then click the Save button.

 

5. Use the Move Up arrow to move the WorldShare ILL temporary item creation rule to the top of your temporary item creation rules list.

 

Configure Loan TOU and Loan Fulfillment Unit Rule for WorldShare ILL Loans

In order to circulate items borrowed via WorldShare ILL in Alma, you will need to configure a Loan TOU and a Loan Fulfillment Until rule that allow these items to circulate and be renewed.  Instructions for configuring TOUs and Fulfillment Unit Rules are below

Notes:

  • The Loan TOU should be configured at the institution level.  The Is Loanable policy should be set to "Loanable", and the Is Renewable policy should be set to "Renewable".  The Due Date policy will be overridden by the lending library's due date, so it doesn't matter which Due Date policy you select.  You Maximum Renewal Period policy should be set to "No Maximum Renew Period".
  • The Loan Fulfillment Unit Rule must be configured in your resource sharing Fulfillment Unit at the resource sharing library level.  It should contain an input parameter of "Item Policy = WorldShare ILL", and the output parameter should be the Loan TOU you configured for your WorldShare ILL loans.  An example is below.

 

 

Receiving Physical Items Borrowed via WorldShare ILL in Alma

Once a physical item is received from the lending lending library in WorldShare, you can use the original borrowing request that was exported to WorldShare to create a temporary item record for the item in Alma.  That temporary item record can then be used to circulate the item to your user.

1. Once the item is received in WorldShare, go to your Alma Borrowing Requests list (Fulfillment | Resource Sharing | Borrowing Requests), search for the request by title, click the ellipsis next to the request, and then click the Receive link.  The Received Items window will open.

 

2. Enter the lending library's due date into the Due Date field, enter the item's barcode into the Barcode field, and then click the Go button.  The item will be placed on hold, and the user will receive the On Hold Shelf Letter.  When the user picks up the item, you can use the barcode on the item to check the item out via Manage Patron Services.

 

Renewing Physical Items Borrowed via WorldShare ILL in Alma

Users will be able to submit renewal requests for item's borrowed via WorldShare through their Primo accounts.  Once a user submits a renewal request for one of these items, the Alma borrowing request status will change to Mediated Patron Renewal.  Once a request is in that status, you should submit a renewal request to the lending library via WorldShare.  Once the renewal is either approved or denied by the lending library, take the following steps in Alma.

Renewal Approved

1. Go to your Alma Borrowing Requests list (Fulfillment | Resource Sharing | Borrowing Requests), search for the request by title, click the ellipsis next to the request, and then click the Renew Request link.  The Received Items window will open.

 

2. Enter the new due date in the Due Date field and then click the OK button.  The Ful Borrowing Info Letter will be sent to the user, and the borrowing request status will change to Renewed By Partner. 

 

Renewal Denied

Note: Alma does not have a function specifically designed to handle rejected renewal requests for items borrowed via WorldShare.  We recommend using the Recall function since it most closely approximates what would need to happen with a renewal request that is rejected. 

1. Go to your Alma Borrowing Requests list (Fulfillment | Resource Sharing | Borrowing Requests), search for the request by title, click the ellipsis next to the request, and then click the Recall link.  The Recall window will open.

 

2. Enter the original due date into the Due Date field and then click the OK button.  The user will receive the Loan Status Notice, the borrowing request status will change to Recalled by Partner, and Alma will not allow any further renewal requests for the item. 

 

Returning Physical Items Borrowed via WorldShare ILL in Alma

When an item that was borrowed via WorldShare ILL is returned in Alma, the resource sharing returns process is automatically triggered.  Staff will see a notice stating that the item's destination is WorldShare ILL resource sharing partner (see below).  The Alma borrowing request will automatically be completed, and the temporary item record associated with the request will be automatically deleted.  At this point, the item should be returned in WorldShare ILL.  No additional work needs to be done in Alma. 

 

Delivering Digital Items Received via WorldShare ILL in Alma

Once an article or book chapter request that was exported to WorldShare ILL is filled, you can save the file you received from the lending library to your PC and then deliver the file to the user via Alma.

1. Go to your Alma Borrowing Requests list (Fulfillment | Resource Sharing | Borrowing Requests), search for the request by article title, click the ellipsis next to the request, and then click the Upload File link.  The Document Delivery window will open.

 

2. Click the Browse link, select the file you received from the lending library, wait for the file to finish uploading to Alma, and then click the Send button.  The user will receive the Document Delivery Notification Letter and the borrowing request will be completed.

  • Last Updated Aug 29, 2023
  • Views 1332
  • Answered By Timothy Jackson

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