Skip to Main Content

Alma Resource Sharing Guide

This guide explains the various components of FLVC's current resource sharing processes also known as UBorrow.

RapidILL Lending Request Overview

RapidILL Lending Request Processing in Alma

In order to process RapidILL requests your Alma account will need the following user roles:

  • Circulation Desk Operator - scoped to library & circulation desk
  • Fulfillment Services Operator - scoped to library
  • Requests Operator - scoped to library & circulation desk

Lending requests from your RapidILL partners come into Alma directly to be processed by staff. RapidILL lending requests should be fulfilled or rejected within 24-48 hours of receiving the request. If there is any doubt about whether a request can be filled, the request should be rejected. 

RapidILL Lending Workflow in Alma

Workflow Diagram indicating Borrower and Lender actions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RapidILL Lending Actions in Alma

Lending Request Options

  • Download Electronic Resource - For requests the library owns digitally, this will bring up a screen that can quickly take you to a list of resources where the requested article/book chapter can be quickly found and downloaded.
    Download Electronic Resource Screen

  • Create Move/Digitization Request - For requests the library owns physically, these options can be configured to either create a Pick From Shelf request or a Digitization request for an item - these are only configured when the staff pulling items for scanning are different from the staff doing the scanning - i.e. circulation staff are pulling items and sending them to the ILL department.
    Create Move Request Screen with item displayed

  • Ship item digitally - Using the "Ship item digitally" option to upload a file to a request in Alma will change the status of the request from "Created Lending Request" to "Shipped Digitally" and will send the file to the Borrower via RapidX.Ship Item Digitally Screen

  • Reject - Rejecting a request will send the request to another Lender. You are required to provide a reason.Rapid Reject request interface

  • Bad citation - Marking a request as Bad Citation sends the request back to the Borrowing Library. It is helpful to fill out the note letting the Borrowing Library what about the request needs to be fixed. You may not get the same request back once fixed; it may be sent to another Lender.
    Bad Citation Screen with note to partner option

 

Viewing RapidILL Lending Requests 

To view the RapidILL lending requests that need to be processed, go to Fulfillment -> Lending Requests and then apply the "Created Lending Request" Status facet. To view all RapidILL lending requests apply the "RapidILL" Active Partner facet.

 

Differentiating Between E-Resource and Physical Requests

You will be able to tell the difference between requests that you own online versus requests that you own physically in print by looking at what is next to the little green dot in the request. 

Electronic Request Example

Electronic means it is an EResource request.

Physical Request Example

Physical means it is a print request. 

Occasionally this area will be blank. This may mean your institution owns it online and in print or Rapid thinks you own the title but isn't sure which format is available. Try processing it as an E-Resource request and then as a print request.

 

Processing E-Resource Requests

To process requests that you own electronically:

  1. Click the ellipses next to the request and choose "Download Electronic Resource" in the dropdown.
    1. A window will appear that lists all the electronic resources that contain the requested item - click the link for the collection you want to use. You should be taken directly to the requested article or book chapter or to the journal containing the requested article. 
    2. If the first collection you click does not take you to the requested title, try the other collections linked. 
    3. If none of the e-resource links bring you to the article or journal, search for the title in Primo. - If that doesn't work - reject the request. 
  2. Once you have found the article or book chapter:
    1. Download the file your desktop or other easily accessible folder. Your institution may have a preference.
    2. It is recommended to use the request's external identifier as the name of the file. 
  3. Close the e-resources window and go to Delivering Scanned/Downloaded Items

 

Processing Physical Requests

There are a few ways that requests for physical/print resources can be processed and which one you use will depend on your institution's workflow and set up. 

In broad strokes, the process is:

  1. Retrieve the print item that contains your requested article or book chapter from the shelf.
  2. Deliver it to where it needs to be scanned.
  3. Scan the article or book chapter and create and save a PDF.
  4. Go to Delivering Scanned/Downloaded Items
If your ILL staff pulls and scans requested items

The simplest workflow is when ILL staff pull and scan items themselves. 

  1. Click on the request and gather information.
    1. If you are in List View the Details Pane will open, if you are in Split Screen view you will see the Details Pane on the right.
    2. Click or scroll down to Request form (as filled by requester) and make note of the volume, number and year and pages needed.
    3. Click or scroll down to Holdings and make note of the location and call number.
  2. Retrieve the item - if it is not found, reject the request.
  3. Scan the article or book chapter
    1. Download the file your desktop or other easily accessible folder. Your institution may have a preference.
    2. It is recommended to use the request's external identifier as the name of the file. 
  4. Go to Delivering Scanned/Downloaded Items
If your institution uses a digitization department
  1. Click on the ellipse next to the request and choose Create Digitization Request from the dropdown. The Create Digitization Request window will open.
  2. Check the box next to the book or journal volume containing the requested item, select a Digitization Department if necessary from the dropdown, and click the Create Request button.
  3. A Pick From Shelf request will be created at the owning library which will have a request type of "Ship Digitally"
    1. Staff will then print the slip and retrieve the item as normal
    2. The item should be scanned in to Alma so that the item is made intransit to the digitization department.
  4. The digitization department should scan the article or book chapter and send the file to the ILL department
    1. It is recommended to use the request's external identifier as the name of the file. 
  5. Go to Delivering Scanned/Downloaded Items
If your ILL staff does not pull requested items
  1. Click on the ellipse next to the request and choose Create Move Request from the dropdown. The Create Move Request window will open.
  2. Check the box next to the book or journal volume containing the requested item, select your resource sharing library circ desk from the dropdown, and click the Create Request button.
  3. A Pick From Shelf request will be created at the owning library
    1. Staff will then print the slip and retrieve the item as normal
    2. The item should be scanned in to Alma so that the item is made intransit to the chosen resource sharing library circ desk
  4. The ILL staff should scan the article or book chapter
    1. Download the file your desktop or other easily accessible folder. Your institution may have a preference.
    2. It is recommended to use the request's external identifier as the name of the file. 
  5. Go to Delivering Scanned/Downloaded Items

 

Delivering Scanned/Downloaded Items

  1. When the requested article or book chapter is ready to be sent, click the ellipses next to the request and choose "Ship item digitally"
  2. The Document Delivery window will open on the right. 
  3. Upload the file by either dragging the file into the "Drop Files Here" box or click the Browse link and choosing the file. 
  4. When the file is finished uploading click the Ship button. The status of the request will be changed to Shipped Digitally and is complete.