Course Reserves in ALMA

Adding a new course

The first step in processing a course reserves request is to create a Course. The Course contains important information about the class, including instructor and course code.

1. Start in the "Courses" (Fulfillment > Course Reserves > Courses) screen.

2. On the "Courses" main page, click on Add Course. This will open the course creator wizard.

3. The course creation wizard has three tabs to fill out. The Course Information tab provides options to add the following information.

Enter data for all of the required fields, and optional fields as follows, for the course.

1. Required Fields:

• Code: Enter the course code in the format XXX-123 (for example ENG-100, PSC-201). Use this standard format consistently. This will be one of the primary methods of searching for course reserve materials in Primo VE, and consistent spacing and punctuation is important for your users.

• Name: Enter the course name. Follow the standard naming convention of the course as it appears in the MTC Course Schedule. Course name is a searchable field in a Primo VE "course reserves" search.

• Processing Department: Use the drop down menu to select the appropriate processing department, always "Course Reserves Processing Department".

• Start date AND End date: Although these fields do not have an asterisk designating them as required fields, you will not be able to make your course active, and materials discoverable in Primo VE, without these dates. The "start date" will automatically be set to today's date. Set the "end date" to the last day of the appropriate semester.

2. Optional Fields:

• Section: Used to designate a specific section(s) for the course.

• From Ex Libris: "The combination course code + section must be unique. If you do not use sections, then all course codes must be unique."

• Academic Department: Use this drop down menu to select the appropriate department. Your Alma Fulfillment Configuration Administrator can configure academic departments for your institution from the Course Faculties code table (Configuration Menu > Fulfillment > Courses > Academic Departments).

• Terms list: Select the appropriate timeframe for which the course will be active. Your Alma Fulfillment Configuration Administrator can configure the terms list for your institution from the Course Terms code table page (Configuration Menu > Fulfillment > Courses > Course Terms). It is not possible to add or delete course terms from this table; however, you can customize the course term descriptions and enable/disable the terms.

• Number of participants: The number of students that are enrolled in the course.

• Weekly hours: The number of hours the course is taught, per week.

• Year: Academic course year.

• Searchable IDs: Additional IDs by which you want your patrons to be able to search for course reserves in Primo VE. This could include things such as the "common name" for a course, a professor, or materials on the reserve lists; or alternate formats of the course code, etc.

5. On the "Manage Course Information" page, the Instructors tab allows you to associate one or more instructors with the course.

Enter data for the instructors of the course.

1. Select Add Instructor on the right side of the screen.

2. Using the format "last name, first name" to search for the instructor of the course. Users from your database will begin to appear in a list as you type. Select the appropriate user from the list.

3. Click on Add Instructor.

4. Repeat this step as needed to associate multiple instructors with the course.

6. The optional Campus tab allows institutions with multiple campuses configured in Alma to associate the course with a specific campus. As many courses are entered that have multiple sections and locations, this step is unnecessary at this time.

7. When all tabs have been completed, click Save on the top right of the page.

   • This will take you back to the full list of courses for your institution.