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Physical Locations

Physical locations in Alma are the essential infrastructure for managing physical inventory. A physical location is always associated with a library (not the institution) and dictates the default policies and workflows for the items housed there.

For more information on how to associate physical locations with Fulfillment Units, please see the WRLC Alma Wiki page Fulfillment Units and Fulfillment Rules.

Adding a new Physical Location

  1. Go to Configuration Menu > Fulfillment > Locations > Physical Locations. Ensure you are configuring within the context of the specific library you are working with by using the Configuring filter on the Configuration page.

  2. On the Physical Locations List page, select Add Location.

  3. Enter Basic Details:

    • Enter a unique Location Code (up to 10 characters, no commas) and Name (both required).

    • (Optional) Enter an External Location Name—this is the name displayed to patrons in the discovery interface (e.g., Primo).

  4. Define Location Type: From the Type list, select the appropriate location type:

    • Open: Accessible by patrons for self-retrieval/checkout.

    • Closed: Accessible by library staff only.

    • Remote Storage: Similar to Closed, but located off-site.

    • Unavailable: Items are considered unavailable for electronic services calculation.

    • Not in Library: For copies currently held by an instructor (e.g., course reserves).

  5. Assign Fulfillment Unit: From the Fulfillment unit list, select the unit that will govern the policy rules for items in this location.

  6. Define Call Number Type: From the Call number type list, select the classification system used for holdings in this location (e.g., Library of Congress, Dewey Decimal).

  7. Add Map URL (Optional): Specify the URL of a map to help patrons find the location.

  8. Finalize Creation: Select Add Location to save the new location.

  9. Post-Creation (Recommended): After adding, you must Edit the location (or the relevant circulation desk) to attach it to one or more Circulation Desks so that staff can handle items (e.g., check-in, check-out, reshelving) for that location.

Editing a Physical Location

  1. On the Physical Locations List page, select Edit from the row actions list for the desired location.

  2. Update Details: Edit the location details (Code, Name, Type, Fulfillment Unit, etc.) as needed in the Physical Location Details section.

  3. Manage Circulation Desks: In the Physical Location Circulation Desks List section, attach existing or new circulation desks and define the services they provide for this location.

  4. Configure Holdings: In the Holdings Configurations section:

    • Set the Accession placement (MARC subfield) for accession numbers.

    • Select Suppress from discovery to hide items in this location from the patron interface.

    • (Optional) Set the Discovery Priority for controlling the display order in Primo.

  5. Save Changes: Select Save to store the updates.

Associating Locations with Fulfillment Units

Physical locations are associated with specific Fulfillment Units. This is how circulation policies are assigned to locations.

For instructions on how to associate locations with Fulfillment Units, please see the WRLC Alma wiki page Fulfillment Unit Locations.

 

Adding a new SCF Remote Storage Location

Please open a ticket with WRLC (servicedesk@wrlc.org) in order to create a new SCF location.location in your Institution Zone.

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