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DRAFT Alma Tips: Create a New Student Patron

 

Occasionally, a new student will come to the library immediately after registering, meaning that their SIS records haven't yet made it into Alma. In this case, you will need to create a student user record that will later be updated by SIS. 

 

Required Roles: Circulation Desk Operator or Manager OR Circulation Desk Operator – Limited (student workers) - for creating the record. User Manager - to toggle the record to external, making it recognizable to SIS.

Create a New Student Patron

1. Search for previous patron record to confirm there is not an account for the student. Navigate to Manage Patron Services (Fulfillment > Checkout/Checkin > Manage Patron Services). 

2. In the search box, you can enter their name in either order (First name first, or Last name first). If no record is found, proceed with creating a new student record. 

3. Click on the green Register New User link in the upper right corner. 

4. Enter the Mandatory and Recommended Information: 

Mandatory 
  • First name
  • Last name
  • Primary identifier: if you have the student's myNOVA username, enter it here. Otherwise, keep the Alma generated number.
  • User group: Student
  • Campus: NVCC
  • Expiration date: One year from creation date
  • Purge date: On year from expiration date
  • Patron has institutional record: No (Keep default.)
  • Email address and type (Personal)
  • Address and address type
Recommended
  • Phone number and phone type

5. Click on the green Update User button in the upper right corner. 

6. To add the student's EMPLID and NOVAcard barcode (if available) as Identifiers, follow the instructions to Add a Barcode to Existing Patron, changing the Identifier Type to EMPLID as necessary. 

7. Next, toggle the student's account to external (directions below) which will allow SIS to populate it when available. If you do not have the User Manager role in Alma, inform one another staff members and ask them to toggle the record to External. 

Toggle New Student Account to External

1. Search for the new student user's account information by name, myNOVA username, or EMPLID.

2. Click on the student name in the patron account.

3. The User Details window displays. Click Toggle Account Type.

4. The Confirmation Message displays to confirm that the user account type will be changed from Internal to External. Click the green Confirm button. 

5. Click Save in the upper right corner of the User Details page.

This changes the Account Type to External, allowing SIS to update the patron's details.