Real Reporting: Alma Analytics at VCU

Emily Owens, Systems LibrarianELUNA 2014

Outline• Background• Need-Driven Reporting• Custom Widgets, Dashboards• Fulfillment• Collections• Systems

• Favorite Tips• Looking Ahead

Background• Virginia Commonwealth

University• Richmond, VA

• Alma Early Adopters• Migrated from Aleph• Live since October 24, 2012• No historical stats

Background: Analytics at VCU• Knowledge, tools developed as needed• Canned reports less-used than custom• Most staff have access; use still limited

Need-Driven Reporting• ASERL – circulation statistics• Export for collection analysis consulting• Export to other vendor (Reference Universe)• Patron Load

Circ for ASERL

Patron Load• Problem:• 25,000+ migrated users without a purge date• “Update User Information” process• No way to filter these 25000+ users in Alma alone

• Solution:• Export users without purge date from Analytics• Load users into Alma in sets of 5000• Add purge date in “Update User Information”

Patron Load

Custom Tools: Fulfillment

Custom Tools: Collections

Custom Tools: Systems

Useful Tips

1) Dissect other reports

2) Separate Prompts

3) Dynamic DatesSELECT "Events"."Event Date"."Date Key"FROM "Events"WHERE"Events"."Event Date"."Date Key" IN (SELECT TIMESTAMPADD(SQL_TSI_MONTH, -1, current_date)FROM "Events")

SELECT "Events"."Event Date"."Date Key"FROM "Events"WHERE"Events"."Event Date"."Date Key" IN (current_date)

Most Useful Tips1. Dissect the canned reports2. Prompts3. Dynamic Dates4. Understand how to combine SAs

Looking Ahead: Alma• Requests - history• Course Reserves• Statistical Categories• More flexibility for Acquisitions data

Looking Ahead: VCU• Better assessing needs, now that we know how much is possible.• Looking into creative uses• Systems SA

• Increase staff comfort with Analytics

Thank you!Emily Owens, Systems Librarian

VCU Librarieseaowens@vcu.edu