UCM’s test load problem with bibs and items has not yet been resolved. OCLC does not provide a way to export a subset of records - it’s all or nothing. Jeremy offered to help using PiMarc(sp.). Sarah Sheets will contact Jeremy. Thanks, Jeremy!
2
ILS Data cleanup / Patron Data groups / PPC
Patron Data (Carlo)
ILS Data Cleanup (Tom): co-chairs visit on 3rd Thursdays. TJ Kao will join on 2/18.
PPC:
Review final decisions (as needed)
SILS Chairs/Coordinators meeting update & actions
10
Carlo, Tom
SILS Chairs: MVP is the discussion topic at SILS Chairs meeting on 2/10. ICs role in MVP document would be verifying that nothing’s missing. Note: Scope of PPC MVP is systemwide (policy) but ICs must consider local MVP as well from an implementation perspective.
From Coordinators: Are local implementation team questions answered in a timely fashion with our existing SILS channels? Do you feel supported? Is a more formal Buddy system needed?
Pockets of need for advice: workflows will be changing; some campuses may not have the staff on hand to figure out how to do things; reaching out to others as a braintrust would be great.
Expertise may be in different places; you can’t count on one campus for everything. Having an open channel to all campuses (especially the alma campuses) is needed.
Need to avoid singling out the same 3 people at UC and inundating them.
Asking questions has been invaluable; ad-hoc meetings with other campuses has been helpful.
Haven’t had a problem yet at UCSD with getting questions answered.
UC Alma google group is a natural discussion forum to use since it has a robust membership of existing Alma campuses already.
@Lena Zentall (Unlicensed) Add UC Alma group join link to IC home page
3
Test Load Testing Policies and Procedures
Final approval on edits: 1 week moratorium on edits to the NZ; Best practices added.
Establish a best practice for how we provide accounts to other campuses/CDL for Test Load:
Don’t make any changes without consulting the IC.
Be specific about exactly why you need access. Don’t assume you will be given access.
@Lena Zentall (Unlicensed) to let the WG (data privacy group) know we are only having “guests” sign the data privacy form.
@Lena Zentall (Unlicensed) to ask the new Data privacy group if they envision a form everyone will sign.
4
Question from IT
Question from Internal Training: Do you have any concerns about campuses using the Primo VE test load environment for training and practice as early as Feb 26 or whenever it’s delivered?
Acknowledging that the environment will be changing all the time as implementation participants make changes (i.e. it will not be screenshot ready).
5
Lena
Concern with setting up accounts and roles.
UCB does not want to provide access to their Primo VE until configuration is done (April or May). People get distracted with the way things look and how they function which is in flux during this time.
Would prefer to make the decision campus by campus.
@Lena Zentall (Unlicensed) will share the ICs response to IT’s question about using Primo VE for training and practice with Joanna.
Requesting a Zoom call with an Ex Libris consultant is fine when you need F2F to resolve a complex discussion. Reach out directly to that consultant on BC.
Stay up to date on timeline / deadlines: Basecamp To-Dos and share FYIs
10
Lena
Alma environments will be delivered early - next week (except Merced)
Monthly Alma updates will impact the test load environments. Here’s the release and maintenance schedule. Additionally, Marci said: "note that the test load data is in your consortia's production environments (not sandboxes)."
Added RLF / CAIA to Meeting To Do list (under UCS requested Topics section. (Schedule after the test load is delivered so you can see real examples and let ExL focus on delivering the test environment.)
Since there are so many API related questions (and some being asked multiple times and in different places), Marci collated them all into Q&As. Please see APIs - General Q&A (in the Integrations to Do list). Most of the API questions were quite technical - and are currently being routed to EXL’s Dev team (and then answers provided to the UCs.)
Is there any automated alerting when the UC campuses as a whole get within 80% (or some other random number) of our threshold?
[Marci] From https://developers.exlibrisgroup.com/alma/apis/#threshold in the "API Governance Thresholds" section - In the dashboard available via the Ex Libris Developers Network, you can view statistics about your API usage (My APIs->Reports). The number of remaining requests is also available in a header: X-Exl-Api-Remaining.
Marci will check internally though about anything in Analytics on this - because in Analytics you can run reports and send them out. This wouldn't necessarily be an alert though - just an update (if possible).
It's also important to understand that all Web Services (those listed on the integrations form) allow the institution to develop its client side applications to access Alma via APIs. Usually used for on-site software such as University student portals, mobile apps, etc. Alma Developers is the official source for all the technical information. There is also a developers blog which allows you to share your code and ideas. As an implementation team, the migration team do not assist directly with custom programming.
(For UC to consider): Who is going to be responsible for telling a campus they’re using too many resources and they need to back off? What have other consortia done? Is this even likely to be an issue? One possibility: WG subgroup to draft some best practices around APIs.
Lynne felt this should be an IC issue.
When will we know how long we’ll have the test environment? We will know more once we begin analyzing the test load outcomes and begin working on the Cutover plan. Typically the system will be frozen when the Tech Services freeze occurs (see this section from the Alma and Discovery Cutover Process documentation). There may be some extra time where campuses may access the system for training, etc, but no configuration changes can be made at that time. Once Migration begins working on copying Cutover data to production, no one will be able to access Alma (the training standard sandboxes will still be available during this time). On Basecamp under Milestones, we have Cutover estimated beginning in early July (but could change). Could be late June.
Upcoming deadlines:
Final configuration form due 2/5
Fulfillment network group form due 2/5
@Lena Zentall (Unlicensed) to ask Marci to change the name of the meeting to RLF fulfillment meeting.
Subgroup A “expertise” (Carlo, Lynne, Liz M) Deliverable: Create a document by the end of Nov to be shared with ExLibris. Meeting with ExL 2/5 at noon.
Subgroup B, part 1 “questions how to” (Tom & Carlo, Greg to create a seed document; crowd source) HOLD for now
Subgroup B, part 2 “external resources” (Lakshmi)- Deliverable: build list of resources over time on Confluence so it’s available to all. Resources stub page started. DONE!
Subgroup C: PPC and IC co-chairs + PMs - DONE!
0
Carlo, Tom
Meeting on Feb 5. Nothing to report.
9
Managing named users and API use cases
Discuss how current Alma campuses track and manage named users:
How many API calls are used now by each Alma campus?
What are the API use cases?
30
Alma campuses
HOLD UNTIL NEXT WEEK
From Ex Libris Documentation: ”Named Users are users that have at least one role allowing them to log in to Alma. This includes all users with a role other than Patron, Instructor, or Trial Participant.
The number of Named Users for an Institution can be identified using the Staff Login Report (Configuration Menu > General > General Configuration > Staff Login Report).
This can also be calculated in Alma Analytics by creating a report in the Users Subject Area and adding a filter for Role Type is not equal to / is not in: Patron; Instructor; Trial Participant”
10
Other / Homework
0
Tom
11
Q&A (recurring)
Q&A during the IC meeting as a first stop before asking a question on Basecamp.
If it’s time-sensitive, post to slack (IC channel, SILS Chairs are good options)
Any issues that we want to seek broader input from other consortia?
?
Carlo
Provide accounts for fulfillment network testing?
UCB wants to do the work themselves so they learn it.
Establish a best practice for how we provide accounts to other campuses/CDL and what the conditions are. (see agenda item 3 above)
12
Questions for Ex Libris PM (recurring)
Post questions in Basecamp as they come up. It’s open 24/7!
Note: We lose in efficiency and we may lose in translation when questions go through the PMs. When topics come up that should logically go to Basecamp to the Ex Libris consultants, invite an IC (or appropriate person) to take point on that issue.
0
Lena
Discuss whether we cancel Office Hours if no questions are submitted. ICs indicated strong agreement to cancel if no questions were submitted in advance. We also realize there are likely to be questions once we get the test environments. We’re in a lull time right now between vanguard and test environments with fewer questions. Most Test Load questions should be posted to Sales Force not Office Hours.
ICs indicated strong agreement to cancel Office Hours if no questions were submitted in advance.
@Lena Zentall (Unlicensed) will ask Christine to check with PPC about canceling Office Hours if no questions are submitted in advance. Discuss with Marci.
13
Parking lot
0
Feb 11: Managing named users and API use cases round-robin
Feb 11: Share any lessons learned that apply systemwide
Feb 11: Debrief on subgroup A meeting with Ex Libris
Early February: Carlo suggested having a UC-led discussion on accounts with existing Alma campuses (assigning roles, etc.) at an IC meeting) - 90 minutes at least. Department heads should be invited.
TBD: Buddy system (Adrian Petrisor, Com Leads) Timing: after spring workshops, if there’s interest
14
TOTAL
90/90
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