Top Ten Things to Know About Primo: ILS Update #6

Armacost Library's new search system, Primo, is now available. Did you know you could...?

1. Search Primo from the tabbed search box on the library website. You'll find articles, books, media, scores and more, all in one place!

2. When searching within Primo, you can search the entire library collection, or just course reserves.

3. If you see "Available Online" in your search results, you can get it electronically.  Open the full record and choose your desired provider from the View Online links.

4. Be sure to log in with your MyRedlands username/password to see the most accurate results*

5. Too many search results? Use the facets on the left side of the result screen to find just what you need. (For example narrow the search by Resource Type if you want only books)

6. Do you need to look up a citation fast? Use the Look Up an Item field (especially if your citation has a DOI)

7. Mark the "Expand this Search Beyond Armacost Library" check box to see items not held by Armacost Library.

 
8. Need to place an ILL request? The request link you need will appear automatically for items not held by Armacost Library.

9. When you get a courtesy notice email from the library, log in to your library card to renew your books online.

10. Have more questions? Ask your librarian.

Bonus: Faculty preparing for the start of the semester may be interested in attending one of our drop in Primo workshops:

• Wednesday, August 30, 2017: 3 - 3:30 pm
• Tuesday, September 5: 4 - 4:30 pm

Workshops will be in the Critical Information Literacy Laboratory on the 3rd floor of Armacost Library. See you there!

Sanjeet Mann
Arts & Systems Librarian
Armacost Library

* We're still clearing up one lingering authentication-related problem from our migration. If you see this screen when you try to log in to Primo, contact the library for assistance. Be prepared to provide your University ID number.

 

"Back to School" at Armacost Library: ILS Update #5

Early August is typically a time to savor the last few weeks of summer. The rhythms of the school year are already in sight, but still far enough away that we can safely focus our attention on other things.

This summer has been different for all of us at Armacost Library. Our integrated library system (ILS) migration project proceeded at a brisk pace all summer long, reaching a milestone on June 29 when we went live with Ex Libris Alma and Primo.

Going live was only an inflection point in our steep learning curve. During July and August, we've focused on setting up the parts of our system that changed the most from the previous environment, cleaning up lingering data discrepancies, and thinking through how these new technical capabilities are changing the way that we work and what we are able to offer to students and faculty.

Alma electronic resource infrastructure

Our choice of Ex Libris Alma and Primo represents a commitment to innovation. This is not simply lavishing money on new technological "toys" or expending a burst of time and energy on a one-time project. Innovation asks us to cultivate new attitudes, intensive collaboration, and continual learning.

John Larson explains how Alma processes fine payments

In that spirit, Armacost Library employees invited John Larson of Ex Libris to campus for a two day onsite training workshop earlier this week. We met in the library instruction classroom, a space where our librarians have introduced countless students to the wonders of research. This time, we were the students, learning about what Alma and Primo can enable us to accomplish together, under the guidance of an expert trainer.

Access Services staff Debbie Alban, Behnoush Nahavandi, Gerry Collins,
Sandi Richey and Eugenia Livngston take notes during the workshop

We came away from the two days with many individual questions answered, but also an awareness of where we need to continue to learn about the capabilities and potential of our new systems. My hope is that this deep learning will pay off, not only in the short term by getting our systems up and running faster, but also through our library's ongoing effort to support you, our students, faculty and staff, in your own academic journeys.

Snacks brought by our director, Shana Higgins, sustained us during the workshop

Here's to the last weeks of summer.

Sanjeet Mann
Arts & Systems Librarian
Interim Assistant Director
Armacost Library