Alma System Integration at the University of Salford

Alma System Integration at the University of SalfordA Challenge and Opportunity

Angela WalkerDigital Library Manager

• 3 libraries• 600,000 books• 400,000 e-books• 100 members of staff• Open 24 hours a day,

everyday • Talis LMS since 1996

University ofSalford Library

Opportunities and Challenges•Opportunity to review integrations•Improve processes•Identify new integrations•Integrations with existing supplier already established•Many systems being integrated simultaneously•Supplier involvement – acting as ‘Go Between’•Integration with a cloud system•Moving to a new supplier with different ways of integrating•Staff expectations•Test Environment

• Sandbox contains test data and configurations• Data reset periodically• Previously had a test server that had our data

and configurations.• Ability to test against our data• Integration testing impossible for us on the

sandbox

Sandbox

• Test on live environment• Unable to roll back due to affect on other

institutions• Purchased premium sandbox

Sandbox

Integrations

Alma

RFID

Printing

LDAP

SIS

Finance

Online Payment

EDI

LMS/ Banner

Primo/PDS

OALA

• Two Main Suppliers• Suppliers key in the development and testing• Library much more involved in EDI configuration

and set up

EDI

• Delivery and Collection of files:– FTP server– Previously collected files from root– Invoices require dedicated directory– New order and Update order profiles– Physical and electronic profiles– Each requires a dedicated directory or naming

pattern

EDI

• Local 948 and 949 marc fields used to import item details

• Understanding the profiles and which fields provide the link:– Vendor reference number– Purchase Order number

• Premium Sandbox

File Structure

• 100% self service– Issues– Returns– Renewals– Payments

• 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year• 9 kiosks and a 5 bin sorter• Only UK Alma customer using Bibliotheca

RFID

• Internal server with Stunnel software• Profiles for each site and sorter• Static IPs

SIP 2 and the Cloud

• At time of going live unable to transfer offline transactions

• Offline files transferred through Alma interface• Supplier had to rewrite software so offline format

was compatible

Offline Functionality

• Staff authentication previously managed within LMS

• University policy to use LDAP• If staff member leaves access disabled• One username and password• Security of opening LDAP to cloud

LDAP

• External Users added to University Systems– Added to Alma via API– Authentication managed by LDAP– Access to Primo

• Updates to Alma in Real Time• Internal data issues

Student Information System

• Work carried out by ExLibris• Real Time Availability• Must log in to see loan periods

Primo & PDS

Primo Authentication

• Users logged in to old catalogue with barcode number

• All users able to log in using network username and password

• Printing direct to E-mail• Surprises when printing went live

Printing

• Alma / Banner Interface• Finance system: Agresso• Online payments• OALA

Future

Thank you