(Go Live) WorldCat Integration with Primo VE

Legend: NOT STARTED IN PROGRESS STALLED DECIDED

Recommendations

Campuses will select the Worldcat/Primo integration most appropriate for their campus user needs. The following are recommended approaches to integration:

1. Display Worldcat materials within Primo via a separate search profile

Access using this option:

Worldcat items can be requested directly from Primo. From the end-user perspective, the request process for these materials will appear identical to the request process for UC materials.

Pros:

• Users are not forced to leave UC Library Search to discover materials

• The Request process for Worldcat materials will be intuitive and familiar

Cons:

• Users cannot facet Worldcat items (though Advanced Search will still work)

• Every item status in the brief results is “Check Availability” - even items we own at UCSC; for items we own, the complete holdings will appear once the user clicks into the full record display

• Users cannot see which libraries outside of UC have holdings for the item

• Inclusion of certain symbols within the query term appear to be incompatible (specifically “-” and “#”)

2. Provide link(s) out to Worldcat from the Primo interface

Access using this option:

Worldcat items will need to be requested via “Get it at UC” link within the Worldcat interface. Clicking the Get it at UC button will direct the user to our Primo through an OpenURL where they can make their request via the Request through Interlibrary Loan link.

Pros:

• Users can utilize the robust faceting capabilities of Worldcat

• Users can quickly see list of libraries that have holdings for the item

Cons:

• Users must navigate out to a separate system to discover materials

• Using UC-eLinks to request materials may be less intuitive to new users (and, depending upon which Worldcat we send users to, could require VPN/Proxy to see the “Get it at UC” button)

3. Provide both link(s) out to Worldcat and create a separate search profile

Reasoning

Each approach has pros and cons. Campuses should consult with local stakeholders (eg. instruction, reference, and interlibrary loan departments) to determine which approach best fits their needs.

Environmental Scan

Example libraries:

• Blended records: U Buffalo SUNY: https://search.lib.buffalo.edu/discovery/search?vid=01SUNY_BUF:everything&lang=en

• Separate search profile: Berkeley https://berkeley.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=01UCS_BER:UCB&lang=en

• Link outside to re-run search: Northwestern. Opens WorldCat with the last search terms, including field syntax. Sample search using [au:Chemerinsky] as the search provides a link on Primo results page that re-runs search in WorldCat. (Thru proxy, but eventually the search is executed in WorldCat.) https://search.library.northwestern.edu/discovery/search?query=any,contains,au:chemerinsky,AND&tab=Everything&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&sortby=rank&vid=01NWU_INST:NULVNEW&mode=advanced&offset=0

Background

• Melvyl-like functionality for ILL is a desired feature - especially for books not held in the UC system.

• WorldCat results can be “blended” with other results; however, it doesn’t work as smoothly as we’d like and ExLibris recommends against this option.

Dependencies

• Work with Fulfillment FG and CDL to ensure all options are viable

• Adequate time for any implementation work and testing required by CDL

• Adequate time for implementation work and testing required by local teams

Questions to consider

• User needs. How much will our researchers appreciate the ability to start an ILL directly from the Primo interface?

• Common use scenarios. How do our researchers use Worldcat searching, and how well are they supported by including a separate Worldcat scope versus a link out to Worldcat?

  • Example scenario: Worldcat (on campuses that do not use WC Discovery) is used frequently by more advanced researchers looking for a known item that’s not available on their campus. So, for example, a search for older, more unique monographs.

• Quality of WorldCat-only search scope. Primo’s search functions for WorldCat data are significantly worse than WorldCat for precision searches.

• Quality of blended search. How well does it work?

  • Results are worse with WorldCat. ExLibris strongly discourages using WorldCat records in default search. Default search ends up the most-used search, and including WorldCat records sort of breaks the facet display because it hides number of results in the facets.
    (From experience, the format of a highlighted “Note” field in Ex Libris documentation is deceptive. It looks mild, with subtle yellow highlighting, but in reality it means ALARM.)

    • “It is not recommended to blend third-party indexes with local and Primo Central searches in the library's default scope since this may impact the end users experience in the areas of facets and relevancy between the different indexes.“ https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Primo/Product_Documentation/020Primo_VE/Primo_VE_(English)/040Search_Configurations/010Configuring_Search_Profiles_for_Primo_VE

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