(Go Live) WorldCat Integration with Primo VE

Legend: NOT STARTED IN PROGRESS STALLED DECIDED

Recommendations

Worldcat-Primo Integration:

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”
  Items that would display holdings in the brief results within the Articles, Books, and More search profile will not display holdings in the brief results of the Worldcat search profile, though these holdings will display once the user clicks into the full record

• Users cannot see which libraries outside of UC have holdings for the item
  Some users may choose to use in-person services at a nearby library rather than place a request; they will need to navigate to native Worldcat to see a list of libraries with holdings

• Inclusion of certain symbols or special characters 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 a list of libraries that have holdings for the item

Cons:

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

• Using “Get it at UC” 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

Version of Worldcat

Discovery FG recommends allowing campuses to choose whether they will send their users to Worldcat.org or their campus Basic Worldcat Discovery when using a native Worldcat interface will benefit their users.

If a campus does choose to link to Worldcat.org, Discovery FG recommends that the campus indicate to the user that they must be on campus VPN/Proxy in order to access the “Get it at UC” link/button to make a request. This could be done in the text around the link, the link text itself, or via a pop-up alert for users not on the campus IP.

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.

This decision should be revisited within 6 months of go live.

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

Requesting Materials Not Available at UC

Users will still use the Request form within their campus Primo to request materials from outside of the UC system.

These requests can be initiated in a number of ways, including:

1. Records found in a Primo search profile, such as the Worldcat search profile, or CDI materials in the Articles, Books, and More search profile (when libraries do not filter by availability or users expand their search)
   A link to the Request form should appear in the How to Get It tab in these records for signed-in users.
   

2. OpenURL records generated via “Fetch Item”
   Users enter citation information to generate the OpenURL record. A link to the Request form should appear in the How to Get It tab in these records for signed-in users. Note that users can enter very minimal citation information, which can result in low quality request submissions.
   

3. OpenURL records generated via “Get It at UC” (ie. link resolver)
   When users click the “Get it at UC” button, they will be directed to an OpenURL record in their campus Primo. If the desired item is not available at their UC, signed-in users will see a link to the Request form in the How to Get It tab.
   

4. Blank ILL Request form
   Users manually enter a citation into a resource sharing request form. This option does not check Primo to see if the item is available at the local campus or UC system before submission of the request. Also runs the risk of low quality request submissions due to minimally required citation information.

Discovery of Materials via Worldcat

While there are multiple options (outlined above) for requesting materials from outside UC, Worldcat integration using one of the options detailed in the recommendations section will be needed for the discovery of these materials.

We identified two primary methods for the discovery of Worldcat content: 1) from within Primo itself via a search profile constructed using the Worldcat API, 2) providing users with a link out to Worldcat where users can use the “Get it at UC” button.

Two Versions of Worldcat

Two versions of Worldcat are available to UC campus libraries: Worldcat.org and “Basic Worldcat Discovery.” Discoverey FG declined to recommend one version over the other. The major identified difference between the two systems is that Basic Discovery will display the “Get It at UC” button to all users, regardless of authentication status. Worldcat.org will require users to be authenticated (on campus IP) in order to display the “Get It at UC” button.

Even for campuses who choose to include a Worldcat search profile in Primo, there will be times where users may benefit from using a native Worldcat interface rather than the Primo-mediated discovery experience. Therefore, campuses will need to determine which version of Worldcat they will recommend to users.

Most campus libraries have indicated that they plan to point users to Basic Worldcat Discovery rather than Worldcat.org, when needed. Discovery FG is working on a separate decision regarding the configuration of Basic Worldcat Discovery.

Based on brief comparative testing, we believe that both Worldcat.org and Basic Worldcat Discovery send similar data to generate the OpenURL page in Primo.

Working Assumptions

• Resource Sharing will be enabled/available for records generated via OpenURL

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 facets are unavailable within the Worldcat search profile. Discovery FG has also discovered that some special characters (a hyphen with no trailing space and the pound/hash symbol) erroneously result in no records retrieved. How do these limitations impact the user experience and can these impacts be ameliorated?

• 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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