How we FindIt@Bham using Primo

Breakout session: 11.51

Stephen Bull (Library Services) & Edward Craft (IT Services)

University of Birmingham

Monday 9th September 2013

The 2013 International Group of Ex Libris Users (IGeLU) Conference

Outline Context

Why a discovery solution

Implementation of Primo

Customisation of Primo

Customisation of Primo from a technical perspective

Impact

The University of Birmingham

Founded 1900

Member of prestigious Russell Group

Approx. 28,000 FTE students from over 150 countries

Approx. 6,000 FTE staff

University of Birmingham (2013a)

Context The University is investing in the library and its

systems:

Combined, these investments will allow Library Services to better support the University’s research, teaching & learning agenda

Library Management

System

Resource Discovery Service

iStock photo

Library Content

Programme

iStock photo

Reading List Solution

Kristykay22 (2005)

New Main Library

University of Birmingham (2013b)

+ ++ +

Our Relationship with Ex Libris

Why a Discovery Solution?

Gerlos (2008)

Number 10 (2012)

Resource Discovery at Birmingham

Primo Implementation in a Nutshell

May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

Kick off / Primo Systems Analysis session

Installation, Customisation and Benchmarking

Primo made live (restricted access)

Focus Groups and associated actions

Service goes live

Staff training / Documentation produced

Promotion / Service monitoring

Project closure

2012

Project Team

Role Full Time Equivalent (FTE) on Project

IT Services

Implementation Manager 0.1

Digital Library Specialists 0.7 & 0.2

Library Services

Project Manager 0.5

Metadata Rep 0.2

Serials / eResources Reps 2 x 0.2

Library Customer Support Rep 2 x 0.2

Subject Librarian Reps 2 x 0.2

The Look and Feel of Primo

The final design

Naming Primo

Staff competition 40 suggestions Winner: FindIt@Bham

The final design

Focus Groups Sought opinion from

staff, students and Library Services staff

Series of focus groups– 3 in July– 2 in August

Recruitment via various channels

Semi-structured format Library Services staff

testing July and AugustNina Matthews photography (2010)

Benefits Opinions from:

– end-users– Staff not involved with

the project Discussion Confidence in the

system Insight into how users

search for information

Telling (2006)

Customising Primo from a technical perspective

Why? and What? Customisation process started before we had Primo

hands-on. – LS Staff considered other sites - not just Primo ones!

Ongoing feedback and focus groups Conclusion - General look and feel popular A number of “smaller” changes:

– heavily branded home page. – removing tabs.– explanatory text for scopes.

Why? and What? Customisation process started before we had Primo

hands-on. – LS Staff considered other sites - not just Primo ones!

Ongoing feedback and focus groups Conclusion - General look and feel popular A number of “smaller” changes:

– heavily branded home page. – removing tabs.– explanatory text for scopes. – tinting default icons to make them more distinguishable.– offering instruction if desired results are not found.– prompt for guest users to log in for better results.

Why? and What? Customisation process started before we had Primo

hands-on. – LS Staff considered other sites - not just Primo ones!

Ongoing feedback and focus groups Conclusion - General look and feel popular A number of “smaller” changes:

– heavily branded home page. – removing tabs.– explanatory text for scopes. – tinting default icons to make them more distinguishable.– offering instruction if desired results are not found.– prompt for guest users to log in for better results. – redesigned Find Databases light box. – removing Facebook links. – persistent URL links and QR codes.

Why? and What? Customisation process started before we had Primo

hands-on. – LS Staff considered other sites - not just Primo ones!

Ongoing feedback and focus groups Conclusion - General look and feel popular A number of “smaller” changes:

– heavily branded home page. – removing tabs.– explanatory text for scopes. – tinting default icons to make them more distinguishable.– offering instruction if desired results are not found.– prompt for guest users to log in for better results. – redesigned Find Databases light box. – removing Facebook links. – persistent URL links and QR codes. – integration with Verde and Aleph.– localised Help files.– kiosk and OPAC modes.– additional Data Sources.– etc. etc. etc.

Level One : “Simple” HTML / CSS. ‘Static’ changes.

Safe from SP updates, a lot can be achieved

Firefox/Inspect Element makes it easier!

Level Two : JavaScript For advanced users Reliant on ExLibris HTML design

– eg. Login prompter

Level Two : JavaScript Primo is made up of tiles which can contain

JavaScript.– Header/Footer on every page

eg. Google Analytics

– Featured.html, news.html and service.html are only on Home Page

JavaScript in these only affects Home page.

document.getElementById("exlidSearchRibbon").style.position = 'relative';document.getElementById("exlidSearchRibbon").style.left = '5%';document.getElementById("exlidSearchRibbon").style.top = '128px';document.getElementById("exlidSearchTile").style.height = '0px';

Level Two : JavaScript

document.getElementById("exlidSearchRibbon").style.position = 'relative';document.getElementById("exlidSearchRibbon").style.left = '5%';document.getElementById("exlidSearchRibbon").style.top = '128px';document.getElementById("exlidSearchTile").style.height = '0px';

#exlidHomeContainer div.EXLHomeBlockContainer1 { background-image: url(../images/UoBpoynting.jpg);}

Level Two : JavaScript Ideasbrief.html

– Appears after each page of results.– Can be used for static text or, with JavaScript, dynamic.

Level Three : Changing ExLibris’ code. Don’t!!! (But we still did)

Level Three : Changing ExLibris’ code. Don’t!!! (But we still did)

– eg. Find Databases

Level Three : Changing ExLibris’ code.

Not supported.

Back up before AND AFTER!!Error.jspError.jsp.20130218ejcError.jsp.20130401ejcError.jsp.20130614mpmError.jsp.current

Needs to be reapplied after every SP.

Ongoing Process...

2012 = Primo 2013 = Verde/Aleph 201? = ALMA? 20?? = ??

Impact

Impact

Jan-1

2

Feb-12

Mar-12

Apr-12

May-12

Jun-1

2Ju

l-12

Aug-12

Sep-12

Oct-12

Nov-12

Dec-12

Jan-1

3

Feb-13

Mar-13

Apr-13

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

eLibraryFindIt

Month

Num

ber o

f vis

its p

er m

onth

“Access to online library is fantastic”*

“As a PT student I am mainly working fromhome and self-directed, but the online libraryfacilities are superb.”**

“The availability of online and printed resources was particularly commendable, and the research facilities provided by the university library search facility and access to vast number of journals is excellent.” *

“Excellent online library resources”*

** Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES), 2013** Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) , 2013

Questions?

Balin (2006)

Balin, J.V. (2006) Unknown_blue. Available from: http://openclipart.org/detail/973/unknown_blue-by-jean_victor_balin [Accessed 28 June 2012]

Gerlos (2008) Binoculars Portrait. Available from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12033805@N00/3119891607 [Accessed: 12 August 2013].

Kristykay22 (2005) 1988 Reading List, Part 1. Available from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/99651925@N00/63408870/. [Accessed: 12 August 2013].

Nina Matthews Photography (2010) I so need to FOCUS a bit more on the simple things in life ~ EXPLORED. Available from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21560098@N06/4848880460. [Accessed 30 August 2013].

Telling, J. (2006) Thumbs up. Available from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/44124473769@N01/292642699 [Accessed 28 June 2012]

University of Birmingham (2013a) My.Bham. http://my.bham.ac.uk [Accessed 08 September 2013]

University of Birmingham (2013b) Library. http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/community/building/library.aspx [Accessed 5 September 2012].

Images from Open Clip Art Library (http://openclipart.org), iStock Photo (http://www.istockphoto.com)

or via Creative Commons from Flickr (http://www.flickr.com) and Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org).

Photo Credits

FindIt@Bham:

http://findit.bham.ac.uk

Steve Bulls.a.bull@bham.ac.uk

Tel: +44 121 414 4206

Ed Crafte.j.craft@bham.ac.uk

Tel: +44 121 414 5847