Alma Integrations

Owned by Karen Newbery
Last updated: Jan 18, 2024 by Erin Nettifee
3 min read

Duke connects Aleph to many internal and third party systems. As part of the Alma implementation, we took stock of these connections to be sure they're included when we launch Alma. Ex Libris has implemented many of those below and has already shared documentation. This work needed to complete this list will be split between Ex Libris' Integrations team and local Duke developers. In the past, some of the data exports to shared catalogs like HathiTrust, POD, or OCLC have been developed locally and considered separate from other integrations with our library system. This time, we are taking stock of those processes and including them in the list below.

We will get an environment in January with our Duke data and configurations loaded. Once we receive access to that Alma instance, we'll be able to do the actual coding and API connections for the integrations Duke developers will work on. Until that time, Library Systems and Integration Support along with the LSP Steering Group are gathering and documenting requirements. In some cases, other institutions like Harvard or Princeton have made similar integrations and have given us access to their code as a head start.



  • Embedded Order Data (EOD)

  • Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

  • COUNTER-Compliant Usage Data

  • SUSHI

  • Export Invoices for Payment and Import Payment Information

  • Fund Allocation Loader

  • API

  • MARC records with Invoice data



  • Scheduled printing of hold Slips

  • My Accounts page

  • Mobile wallet readers

  • Resource Sharing - ReShare

  • Special Collections circulation with AEON

  • Self-Check Machines

  • Courses

  • Patron Requests to CaiaSoft



  • CaiaSoft Accessions and Deaccessions

  • 360

  • MARCIVE Publishing

  • Share-VDE Publishing

  • Blacklight Publishing

  • Google Scholar Publishing

  • HathiTrust Publishing

  • OCLC Publishing

  • Binding

  • External Resources Search

  • Repository Import with Import Profiles

  • Summon

  • Springshare

  • Local Authorities

  • Label Printing

  • Upload Data to Alma

  • Link Resolver Proxies

  • Link Resolver Augmentation

  • Link Resolver Statistics

  • Z39.50 Server

  • Linked Data

  • Discovery Interface

  • Bibliographic Record APIs

  • Location Guide



  • Authentication

  • Identity Management (Student Information Services)

  • Bursar Systems



  • Configuring Outgoing Email

  • Webhooks

  • Analytics API

  • Syndetics Unbound



Integrations not included with Alma

After project evaluation, some integrations may not continue with Alma. If so, information about those integrations is listed below.

Integration Name

Functional Area

Details / Additional Information

Project Decision

Integration Name

Functional Area

Details / Additional Information

Project Decision

Public Guest Computing using Envisionware

Fulfillment / Circulation 

We use Envisionware to provide guest access to logon to computers at Perkins, Lilly, Music and the Divinity Library. It allows us to issue guest passes to visitors who do not have authentication to Duke resources and don’t have personal laptops to connect to the guest wireless. It is a key piece of the access mission that is part of the strategic plan.

Currently, Envisionware is connected to Aleph for authentication purposes for Duke users, and allows for granting a guest password to all other users. Patrons can request guest passwords at the nearest service desk.

We have identified issues with Envisionware in our environment, and Desktop Support would like us to move to another solution (not yet identified.)

Usage data is difficult to track, but what we have suggests that at Perkins, the service averages 7-10 users per month, and at Lilly, it averages 8-12 users per month.

Based on the available usage data, and issues we have encountered with the software, we are recommending three things:

  1. We do not migrate the integration with Envisionware from Aleph to Alma.

  2. A new project to identify and implement a replacement for Envisionware be spun up, separate from the Alma project.

Assuming that Envisionware is still running in July 2024, these recommendations mean:

  1. Once we migrate from Aleph to Alma, it will no longer be possible for Duke users to log into the local Envisionware desktop with their netid and password.

  2. In the unlikely event that a Duke user needs to use the Envisionware machine, desk staff can issue a guest password to that user, and grant extra time to their login using the Envisionware administrative tool (installed on service desk computers.)