CLSP Update - [DRAFT] May Issue

📋 Getting Ready for Go Live

The project remains on track as the college libraries start preparing for migration to their production environments. Once again, it’s all about forms, forms, forms. Detailed iterative forms are required to facilitate the mapping from current ILS to Alma, as well as for the migration itself. Library staff are working hard to meet tight timelines and we appreciate their efforts to ensure the project is a success.

To ensure quality and consistency are maintained in their new system, minimum bibliographic standards are being advanced by the Metadata and Cataloguing Subcommittee. Colleges will be able to leverage the valuable work of the consortium to enhance access to learning material and take advantage of the shared work to decolonize college library catalogues.

Another advantage of Alma and Primo is that with 20 colleges using the same discovery layer, students and faculty will have a familiar experience and user interface with the libraries as they move from one college to another.

College libraries have also been discussing Ex Libris’ Leganto (course reading lists system) subscription offer. Last Friday, Seneca hosted a discussion about Leganto and their experience with it from a user’s perspective. Information about Leganto pricing and implementation has been sent to all of the CLO directors for their consideration.

✅ Project Update

The college libraries have completed their Cutover surveys. These surveys provide direction for Ex Libris and OCLS for the libraries' migration and data extract preferences to ensure things are migrated as expected. This is a crucial step in beginning the developments of the libraries' production environments.

OCLS preparing data extracts for Ex Libris based on the libraries' preferences, as well as wrapping up any additional cleaning up projects. Clean up projects in the libraries' current ILS must be completed before the ILS technical freeze on May 20. In fact, any changes to existing data need to be completed before that date otherwise it will not be reflected in Alma.

The ILS technical freeze is only one date in a series of key dates for upcoming migration activities. These dates are provided on the Project Overview page. Another important date is the configuration freeze in Alma on July 8. All configuration settings need to be completed in Alma, including IT integrations. Otherwise, they will have to be done after Go Live.

CLSP Branding Project

Thank you to the CLO directors for attending Aubs & Mugg's branding presentation with current CLSP name options. We hope it was enlightening and we look forward to your support as we unveil the new name and logo for the CLSP. The TCPR subcommittee is preparing their final recommendation for the Implementation Steering Committee and the decision will be announced soon.

🔡 CLSP Implementation Basics

For those of you that aren’t familiar with all things CLSP, Alma & Primo, here are some basics!

🛠 Useful Resources

We have expanded the CLSP Alma & Primo Guide to include a How To…in Alma section that covers Acquisitions, Fulfillment, Resource Management and e-Resources, as well as a more technical page on how to customize Primo VE and add third-party integrations.

On the new Train Your Users page, we have shared a generic training plan for library staff and we will be sharing training resources being developed by individual colleges.

Also pages on Alma Analytics and Resource Sharing are coming soon.

OCLS Service Update

As a key driver for their new and changing services, OCLS has developed a service proposal for the management of the Network Zone and Alma Consortium. This service proposal will focus on the coordination of a Network Zone to support and enable collaborative efforts across all 24 colleges, including centralized metadata management and facilitation of the development of shared standards, policies, and tools. This service proposal will be shared with the Metadata/Cataloguing Subcommittee for feedback, as well as the Implementation Steering Committee.

OCLS is also developing an Agreement that will allow libraries to have the Syndetics Unbound premium content integrated into Primo VE. More information on the package OCLS is negotiating was provided to library directors via email. All participating colleges will start with a Syndetics Unbound trial, even if they already have Syndetics. The trial will run mid-May to August 31 to give colleges the opportunity to become familiar with Syndetics Unbound and to integrate it into Primo VE.  If you are interested and have not responded to the Syndetics poll, please email Virginia Roy at vroy@ocls.ca

🎉 Fun Stuff

By the numbers! Accepted 9 briefing notes, 24 study groups, X weekly project meetings, ???