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 Dates
SELECT "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 Tips
1. 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
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