diff --git a/pyalma/fileReader.py b/pyalma/fileReader.py
index 4e5a522..27b305a 100644
--- a/pyalma/fileReader.py
+++ b/pyalma/fileReader.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import pandas as pd
 import os
 from io import StringIO
+import yaml
 from .pdfreader import read_pdf_to_dataframe
 from .anndatareader import read_adata
 class FileReader:
@@ -82,3 +83,10 @@ def isfile(self, path):
 
     def get_file_size(self, path):
         pass
+
+    def _load_yaml_file(custom_yaml):
+        if not custom_yaml:
+            print("No yaml was provided")
+            return {}#empty dict
+        with open(custom_yaml, "r") as file:
+            return yaml.safe_load(file)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pyalma/ssh.py b/pyalma/ssh.py
index 2fa8fa4..b27c3d4 100644
--- a/pyalma/ssh.py
+++ b/pyalma/ssh.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
 
 class SshClient(FileReader):
-    def __init__(self, server="alma.icr.ac.uk", username=None, password=None, sftp="alma-app.icr.ac.uk"):
+    def __init__(self, server="alma.icr.ac.uk", username=None, password=None, sftp="alma-app.icr.ac.uk", custom_yaml=None):
         """Initializes the SSH connection instance.
             :param username: SSH username for alma
             :param password: SSH password for alma
@@ -26,7 +26,37 @@ def __init__(self, server="alma.icr.ac.uk", username=None, password=None, sftp="
         self.password = password.strip() if password else None
         self.filter_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "config", "messages.yaml")
         self.filtered_patterns = self._load_filtered_patterns()
+        self.config = self._load_yaml_file(custom_yaml)
         self._connect()
+        self.groups = self.retrieve_user_groups()
+
+    def get_user_paths(self, group, locations=["scratch", "rds"]):
+        if not self.config  or "group_paths" not in self.config:
+            raise ValueError("Missing config: self.config must be set before calling get_user_paths.")
+
+        group_config = self.config["group_paths"].get(group, self.config["group_paths"].get("default"))
+
+        paths = {}
+        for loc in locations:
+            if loc in group_config:
+                formatted_path = group_config[loc].format(username=self.username, group=group)
+                paths[loc] = formatted_path
+                print(f"{loc}: {formatted_path}")
+
+        return paths
+
+    # to be used by lib users
+    def get_user_groups(self):
+        return self.groups
+    
+    def retrieve_user_groups(self):
+        cmd_usr = "sacctmgr list association user=$USER format=Account -P | tail -n +2"
+        results = self.run_cmd(cmd_usr)
+
+        if results["err"] is not None:
+            raise Exception(f"❌ [retrieve_user_groups]: Couldn't retrieve user groups")
+
+        return results["output"].strip().split("\n")
 
     def _connect(self):
         # should be called only at initialisation
@@ -38,6 +68,7 @@ def _connect(self):
             #one single connection 
             self.ssh_client.connect(self.sftp, username=self.username, password=self.password, timeout=30)
             self.sftp_client = self.ssh_client.open_sftp()
+
         except paramiko.AuthenticationException:
             raise ConnectionError(f"❌ [_connect]: Authentication failed for {self.username}@{self.server}. Please check your credentials.")