CLSP Update - 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! The libraries are required to complete most forms again, adjusting based on their test environments experience. These final forms facilitate the creation the libraries' live environments.

Library staff are working hard to meet tight timelines and we appreciate their efforts to ensure the project is a success. As a token of our appreciation, the CLSP Project Management Office and OCLS is arranging cookies to be sent to each participating college library to celebrate the outstanding contribution of library staff on this project. Keep an eye out for yours if you haven’t received them yet!

To ensure quality and consistency are maintained in the 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

Most recently, the college libraries have completed their Cutover surveys. These surveys capture libraries' migration and data extract preferences to ensure things are migrated as expected. This is a crucial step in developing the libraries' live environments.

OCLS is preparing data extracts based on these preferences, as well as wrapping up any additional cleanup projects. Any changes to existing data in libraries' current ILS need to be completed before May 20 or they will not be reflected in Alma.

The ILS technical freeze is part of 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 for Alma on June 28. All configuration settings need to be completed in Alma, including IT integrations before the Configuration Freeze. 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.

New Milestones Completed

Completed Go Live Readiness Checklist
Completing data clean up projects (ongoing)
Launched expanded Alma & Primo VE Guide
Completing SIS and SSO integrations (ongoing)

Future Milestones

Complete Scheduling Jobs spreadsheet
Complete draft Mapping & Migration Forms

🔡 CLSP Implementation Basics

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

Project Overview

Project Status: On track
Build Phase
Go Live Date: July 26, 2022

See Project Overview for more information.

Important Acronyms/Ex Libris Terms

Collection vs Portfolio in Alma

Electronic collections organize electronic resources for delivery and publication. Resources can include electronic journals, portfolios, databases, etc. A portfolio is the specific coverage, services, and link information for a particular electronic title. They can be standalone entities or part of an electronic collection.

🛠 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.

Coming soon: Alma Analytics and Resource Sharing pages

OCLS Service Update

As a key driver for their new and changing services, OCLS is developing a service proposal for the management of the Network Zone and Alma Consortium. The 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 initial feedback before being presented to the Implementation Steering Committee for further review.

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 September 30 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 yet responded to the Syndetics poll, please email Virginia Roy at vroy@ocls.ca.