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Alma/Primo VE Documentation: Discovery Access Working Group

Discovery Access Working Group: Mission

The Discovery Access Working Group (DAWG) was formed in February 2020 with goals to:

  • Enhance the discovery and access experience that connects users with library content
  • Integrate features, systems, tools with discovery layer to optimize access to resources
  • Review Alma and Primo VE release notes, sharing a highlights summary
  • Vote in New Enhancements Requests System (NERS) cycles for Alma and Primo

DAWG Members

Current:

  • Kim Dolan
  • Jan Hardy
  • Dom Jebbia
  •  Melanie Klaput
  •  Haoyong Lan
  •  Joelen Pastva
  • Amy Perrier
  • Maranda Reilly
  • Barry Schles
  • Jon Singletary
  • Sarah Young

Past:

  • Neelam Bharti
  •  Katie Behrman

Contact

Have a question or project idea to share with DAWG?
 

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Release Notes Highlights

See the highlights from Alma/ Primo VE releases

Projects

In Progress

Scheduled

Completed

  • Discussion around Keenious article recommender tool
  • Tested 'Exclude CDI eBooks' configuration to minimize duplicate eBook records in brief search results; disabled after realizing that CDI-only full text content will not be discoverable if using this configuration option
  • Discussion related to search, index, display of: subject headings 65X, non full-text access 856 links
  • Primo VE configuration changes: apply Direct Linking in record full view, sort subjects alphabetically in record full view, display 'Favorites' warning message, November 2022
  • Loaded external data source: KiltHub records are in Primo VE production as Phase I, April 2022
  • Explored configuration options for 'related records' behavior associated with MARC 76X-78X fields, April 2022
  • Moved 'Links' section below 'View Online' section on Primo VE full services record (to prioritize full text access availability links and to correspond with side navigation links), April 2022
  • Review peer institutions' representation of interlibrary loan in websites/discovery, Feb-Mar 2022
    • Modify General Electronic Services so ILLIAD link displays alongside EZ-Borrow
    • Enhance visibility of request links in Primo VE (interlibrary loan, scanning, offsite requests)
  • Enhance visibility of sign-in banner button and and public/authentication notes in Primo VE, March 2022
  • Loaded external data source: ArchivesSpace records are in Primo VE production
    • Phase I: Initial record load with normalized resource type, Feb 2022
    • Phase II: XML normalization rule to correct URL linking pattern, May 2022
  • Loaded external data source: Databases, eResources & Tools A-Z list from Springshare, Jan 2022
  • Discussed possible Alma workflow changes that might improve discovery/ access following Ex Libris Optimize training
  • Enable display of journal coverage dates in Primo VE brief results (documentation), November 2021
  • Hid 'Lost' location facet from Primo VE to lessen confusion, August 2021 
  • Provided feedback on search functionality for Libraries' website redesign, Summer-Fall 2021
  • Re-ordered Primo VE facets based on usage analytics and updated facet labels: 'Tweak your results' to 'Refine your results' and 'Date' to 'Date Range,' July 2021
  • Evaluated Primo VE new pagination so users can specify 10, 25, or 50 results per page, June-July 2021
  • Modified Direct Linking configuration: Disabled Direct Linking when multiple services exist for a resource, April 2021
  • Alma-D + digital viewer exploration and initial implementation, Winter 2020/ Spring 2021
  • Analytics: OBI upgrade to OAS and DV, Nov. 1-8, 2020 (rollout schedule | overview)
  • Primo VE - investigate options for book reviews / book chapters, Fall 2020
  • Updates to labels/language for Physical Copy Requests and Scan Requests, Sept./Oct. 2020
  • Primo VE search profile/scope for Special Collections, Sept. 2020
  • LibKey Discovery implementation in Primo VE & LibKey Nomad promotion, Summer 2020
  • Campus scanning requests, Feb. 2020 - Aug. 2020
  • Primo VE accessibility enhancements, Summer 2020
  • PCI to CDI switchover (required infrastructure change), May - July 2020
  • Primo VE Resource Recommender for Research guides, May 2020
  • Re-evaluate/rank Online Services Order for electronic collections/portfolios, March 2020
  • Add 500 and 506 MARC fields (general notes) for display in Primo VE records, Feb 2020

For reference

Online Services Order of Electronic Collections/Portfolios
*used in conjunction with Direct Linking

Electronic collections and interfaces are regularly reviewed to prioritize or demote the order of eResources within Primo records based on criteria such as:

Top services:

  • inventory with PO lines
  • inventory imported via auto-holdings integration profiles for most accurate holdings/coverage information
  • purchased/ perpetual collections
  • inventory with stable linking

Bottom services:

  • collections with problematic linking

See current Online Services Order .xslx

 

  • Next steps: 856 URLs for records that also have active electronic portfolios
  • Resource Recommender additions for FAQs, ie. Wall Street Journal
  • Add MARC 655 genre field for search, index, display (K. Heath)
  • Add facets for music instrumentation (K. Heath)
  • Evaluate/enable pre-filter options for Primo simple search
  • Evaluate Primo VE search scopes
  • Collection Discovery possibilities
  • FRBR/Dedup customization
    • Modify FRBR/Dedup keys?
    • Identify preferred record for FRBR/Dedup groups
    • Create suppression rules based on library or resource types