Alma Anonymization of User Fulfillment Data

May 2, 2024

Overview

CARLI will enable Alma’s anonymization of user data feature for all I-Share libraries on July 29, 2024. This will implement the anonymization of most user data in Alma after a retention period of seven days after a transaction ends, except for fine/fee data, which will be retained for seven years. These settings will permit CARLI and I-Share libraries to fully comply with national and state privacy laws and local privacy policies.  This action and the corresponding consortial Alma configurations were approved by the CARLI Governance Board on March 8, 2024.
 
As a result, there will be changes to Alma Analytics reporting as certain data fields will be anonymized going forward. Anonymization will remove data on patrons’ fulfillment actions—including loans, requests, and fines/fees—after they are no longer required for system functionality but will retain the necessary information to provide correct consortial statistics that are essential for our member libraries to report to their institutions and other bodies.

CARLI will present three informational webinars for I-Share libraries in May and June in advance of the changes. Registration is required. The sessions will be recorded.

Best Practices

CARLI staff have developed the following best practices and reminders for I-Share Libraries:

  • CARLI Best Practices for Handling Personally Identifiable Information (coming soon)
  • Routinely double-checking that any analytics data that is exported is still working as anticipated (coming soon)

Analytics Reporting Changes

Anonymization will affect several aspects of Analytics reporting. The following documentation explains how certain data fields are affected by anonymization and provides directions and best practices for writing updated reports, including those for Circulation/AFN Stats before/after March 7, 2021.

Analytics: Explanation of Fields

Certain data fields will be anonymized, so those fields must be modified in existing reports to use alternative fields in order to maintain similar reporting capability to what is/was available pre-anonymization.  More details and information coming soon.

Analytics: Directions for Scheduling/exporting Reports

I-Share Libraries that wish to download fulfillment transaction data from Alma for local use before it is anonymized may wish to schedule such reports to run regularly. More details and information coming soon.

Analytics: Reporting on Circulation / Automated Fulfillment Network (AFN) stats

Anonymization affects certain data fields, so those fields must be modified on existing reports to use alternative fields in order to maintain similar reporting capability to what is/was available pre-anonymization.  In addition, once anonymization is turned on, all AFN transactions prior to March 7, 2021 will look like local transactions in Analytics, and AFN reports will no longer be able to be run for the period of June 24, 2020 - March 6, 2021.  More details and information coming soon.

Fulfillment Display Changes

After anonymization is implemented, library staff working in Alma will no longer see all of the historical fulfillment data on a user's account. More details and information coming soon.

I-Share Anonymization Configurations

CARLI staff will set and maintain these configurations in all I-Share IZs; there is no action required on the part of I-Share libraries to configure Anonymization.

Reminder: I-Share Libraries should NOT make any edits to the Alma Configuration under Fulfillment > General > Fulfillment Jobs Configuration. These settings are consortially determined and managed by CARLI Office Staff.
 
Except for I-Share libraries using one-way Bursar transfer with Alma, the Anonymization configurations will be standardized across all I-Share IZs for consistency of application and predictability.

  • Schedule: Alma Anonymization Job will run every day at 01:00
  • Anonymization job settings:
    • Anonymize item loans
      • Parameter set: Days Since Loan Ended: 7
    • Anonymize item loans Notes
      • Parameter set: Days Since Loan Ended: 7
    • Anonymize requests (local)
      • Parameter set: Days Since Request Ended: 7
    • Anonymize request Notes (local)
      • Parameter set: Days Since Request Ended: 7
    • Anonymize resource sharing requests (I-Share)
      • Parameter set: Days Since Request Ended: 7
    • Anonymize resource sharing requests Notes (I-Share)
      • Parameter set: Days Since Request Ended: 7
    • Anonymize fines and fees
      • Parameter set: Days Since Fine/Fee Closed: 2,555 (7 years)
      • For I-Share libraries using one-way bursar transfer only: This setting may differ from consortial standard setting pending individual conversations with those libraries.
    • Anonymize fines and fees Notes
      • Parameter set: Days Since Fine/Fee Closed: 2,555 (7 years)
      • For I-Share libraries using one-way bursar transfer only: this setting may differ from consortial standard setting pending individual conversations with those libraries.

The decision to retain most data for seven days after the transaction ends rather than implementing immediate anonymization allows for the ability to identify problematic transactions (e.g. damage to items, routing/printing errors) and the ability for I-Share libraries to tie patron activities to assessment goals and outcomes when needed.

Webinars

Prior to implementation, CARLI staff have scheduled webinars to discuss the anonymization process, to help guide libraries to determine their data needs before and after anonymization is enabled, and to demonstrate how and which fields to modify on existing reports to maintain similar reporting capability as is presently available. Registration is required. The sessions will be recorded. The current schedule is as follows:

Alma: Overview of Alma Anonymization – Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

  • Analytics effects
  • Staff-side viewing

Alma How-To: Anonymization and Analytics - Thursday, June 6, 2024, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

  • How to determine if you run a report that relies on data that will be anonymized
  • How to set up a report to be auto-run/auto-exported

Alma How-To: Reporting and Anonymization – Monday, June 10, 2024, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

  • CARLI staff and Dennis Krieb from Lewis and Clark Community College will discuss using reporting data for institutional purposes (and in light of Anonymization)

If you have any questions, please contact .