Requesting and updating Alma roles

How to use this document:

Below, guiding principles, pathways for requesting roles, supplemental information, and resources are outlined to assist supervisors navigating the roles requesting process for new and existing Library staff.

Guiding principles for role assignment in Alma:

• Supervisors should request access for roles by contacting helpbox-library@berkeley.edu and outline the work tasks to be done by the Library staff member.
• Roles are recommended by functional area leads based on what work needs to be done. 
  • Fulfillment training
  • Resource Management training
  • Analytics training
  • Acquisitions training by request
• Roles are assigned after completing the appropriate training.
• Training is required due to the non-granular nature of roles in Alma.
• Depending on need, roles may be assigned first in the Premium Sandbox (PSB) while training in order to complete exercises.
• Before roles are assigned on Alma production, staff must fill out the data privacy & security responsibilities form to comply with UC-wide guidance.

Getting started:

Requesting an Alma account:

This process applies for both Library staff and Student Library Employees.

1. If you are a supervisor, please submit a ticket to helpbox-library@berkeley.edu requesting roles for your new hire.
2. If the functional area lead has not already been cc’d on the helpbox email, they will be added to the ticket by Library IT.
3. Outline the work that this staff will need to do in order to complete their job successfully. You can also state if their roles/responsibilities should match an existing staff member’s account.
4. The functional area lead will then recommend training and recommend/approve roles.
5. The staff person will be asked to complete the data privacy & security responsibilities form.
   1. If new new staff person is a student, they should sign the student data privacy & security form
6. Roles will be added to the new staff person’s account on the Premium Sandbox (PSB) to facilitate training.
7. Once training has been completed, roles will be added to Production.

Requesting additional roles in Alma:

1. Submit a ticket to helpbox-library@berkeley.edu, and cc your supervisor (in case you are not the supervisor requesting additional roles).
2. If the functional area lead has not already been cc’d on the helpbox email, they will be added to the ticket by Library IT.
3. State the request for the new role, including the rationale for the role update.
4. The functional area lead will then recommend additional training and recommend/approve roles.
5. Roles will be added to the new staff person’s account on the Premium Sandbox (PSB) to facilitate training.
6. Once training has been completed, roles will be added to Production.

Requesting information on existing roles in Alma:

1. Submit a ticket to helpbox-library@berkeley.edu, and cc your supervisor requesting information on your current roles in Alma.
2. Library IT can provide an output of your roles for review.
3. If a role change is desired, Library IT will cc the functional area lead(s) and will follow the procedure for requesting additional roles in Alma.

Removing roles in Alma:

1. If you have a student library employee (SLE), affiliated Library staff member leaving the Library, or a staff member leaving your unit/department/division for another Library unit/department/division, submit a ticket to helpbox-library@berkeley.edu.
   1. For garden variety Library staff departures from non-affiliated libraries due to job change, retirement, etc. Library HR informs Library IT.
   2. In those cases, Library IT creates an internal ticket and removes the roles following separation.
   3. When in doubt, submit a ticket to helpbox-library@berkeley.edu.
2. If the staff person is leaving your unit/department/division for another Library unit/department/division, state which roles should be removed from their account.

Supplemental information on roles and staff accounts:

• Library IT is informed by Library HR when a Library staff person leaves the Library and will automatically process role removal following separation.
• Library IT assigns roles, but the functional area leads “own” the roles.
• Requests for admin roles in any functional areas require approval from the system administrator as well as the functional area lead. Additional training is required.
• Staff members are welcome to become Alma and/or Primo certified, but this achievement does not guarantee admin role privileges.

Resources:

• Managing user roles in Alma