In early August, the Ottenheimer Library successfully migrated from the legacy ILS Sierra system to the next generation, cloud-native platform Alma with the discovery service Primo VE. This highly extensible platform offers next generation library services with a unique focus on digital resources.
This significant accomplishment was the result of a partnership between the library and IT Services. The launching of Alma represents a major upgrade for library patrons and will enable the library to continually improve the overall experience and services to the campus.
Academic libraries, including UA Little Rock, are adopting web-scale discovery services and making them a strategic part of their users’ research and learning experience. This follows a change in patron expectations attributed to the rise and popularity of internet search engines, along with libraries’ unsatisfactory experience with existing federated/cross-database searching.
Alma is a platform that creates a unified library experience that allows libraries to manage all of their resources and unique materials, supporting teaching, learning, and research. It is a cutting-edge library solution for coherent and streamlined management of catalogs, collections, electronic, print, digital resources, as well as curation, acquisitions, discovery, and analytics. As a unified system, Alma consolidates resources, formats, and metadata using common workflows and processes for maximum efficiency.
The Primo VE discovery service works in tandem with Alma to give patrons access to a wealth of scholarly materials and the most relevant mix of resources related to their research. It provides students and researchers with fast access to scholarly materials and intuitive ways to explore new content. Primo VE library discovery service seamlessly integrates with a wide range of library and academic systems for end-to-end, efficient workflows.
Alma and Primo VE represent a significant step forward in the level of services being offered at the Ottenheimer Library. Planning is underway to extend the platforms over time with additional features and capabilities that will benefit library patrons.
