Alma 2026 Release Highlights Videos

Videos

Physical Items – New UX

August 2026

The physical items search has been updated with a new user experience that is more customizable and easier to use. You can now sort, edit, and navigate items more efficiently, helping streamline everyday workflows.

Customizable Crosswalks Platform

August 2026

Alma now allows Catalog, Repository, and General Administrators to edit out-of-the-box metadata crosswalks used for converting records between formats.

Consortial Communication Tool for Alma

August 2026

The communication chat tool, Chat with Consortia, now has a more modern interface and allows local admins to communicate with Network Zone administrators, if enabled for your institution.

AI Assistant Enhancements - Funds and Ledgers

May 2026

It is now easier to interact with the system as the AI Assistant for funds and ledgers has been enhanced to allow users to perform actions.

AI Title Matching

May 2026

Catalog Administrators or Catalog Managers can now run a new job, Enrich Bibliographic Records, that streamlines and automates copy cataloging, including the use of AI in the matching process.

Keep Perpetual Portfolios Active Upon Deletion in the Community Zone

May 2026

You can now configure collections that have been activated from the Community Zone to control whether portfolios should be deactivated or kept active when they are deleted from the Community Zone.

Linked Open Data Editor

February 2026

Alma now supports BIBFRAME cataloging via the new Linked Open Data Editor! The BIBFRAME linked data ontology was developed by the Library of Congress, and is based on RDF using properties and classes. If your institution wishes to enable BIBFRAME cataloging, your administrators can do so under Configuration > Resources > Activate Linked Open Data Formats.

February 2026

Administrators can now add custom bibliographic indexes to the available repository search fields for your institution in Alma.

Override Patron Hold Policies

February 2026

Library staff, with appropriate privileges, can now see what blocks are preventing or limiting a hold request, and can override them, if authorized. This enhances library flexibility and adds transparency for the staff to the request process.