The 24.06 Aspen release improves format determination for Discovery and login for LiDA

by Jordan Fields on Jun 26, 2024

Library cataloging is complicated, and many libraries have their own special cataloging practices. ILSs also vary and store format information in different ways. For these reasons, it is essential that Aspen provides the right configuration options to ensure that all library materials display and group correctly in a way that librarians can quickly and easily understand, regardless of ILS or local cataloging practices."

- Jordan Fields, Aspen Product Librarian

The 24.06 Aspen Release focuses on providing new settings and better tools to help librarians using Aspen understand and control how Aspen indexes and displays records.

One of the questions librarians frequently ask is how Aspen selects the format for any given record. Interpreting your administration settings for each individual record to understand how it is determining the format for that record can take some time, so we added a Diagnostics button to the Staff View that will tell you exactly what data Aspen is using to get that format. You can learn more about the new Diagnostics feature on the Grouped Works and Record Display page in the Aspen Help Center.

We’ve also updated the administration settings to give libraries more control and clarity over how formats are determined. The library has the option to configure, for each value, exactly which fields Aspen looks at when determining format. To learn more about these new granular settings, including a fun train analogy, see the Format Map section on the Formats and Status page in the Aspen Help Center.

The 24.06 release also includes a great new update for Library-Branded LiDA. In Community LiDA, users search for their library or use geolocation so LiDA knows which library system they should be signed in to. For Library-Branded LiDA, users now skip this step since Aspen knows which ILS to validate against and can use the patron’s home location (in the case of consortia) to load the correct LiDA configuration options. You can learn more about Branded LiDA here.

These are just a few of the goodies in the 24.06 Aspen Release. See the complete release notes to read more about all 90 updates!

This release includes code contributions from:

• ByWater Solutions

• PTFS-Europe

• Main Library Alliance

Thanks to all of our contributors and our community for another successful release!

Read the Full Release Notes

You can find the full release notes here.

Watch a Preview of the Release

About Aspen Discovery

Aspen is a full-featured Discovery System that integrates with eContent and other third-party providers, giving your patrons comprehensive access to all of your materials in one place. Aspen combines your library catalog with e-content, digital archives, and enrichment from all major third-party providers. It also improves relevancy and ease of use, provides native reading recommendations, displays all formats of titles within one result (record grouping), and much more. With included features like web builder and mobile app (Aspen LiDA), Aspen was created to give users an improved experience over other Discovery systems, with less impact on library budgets.

For More Information

Jessica Zairo
Director of Library Sales and Outreach
ByWater Solutions
bywatersolutions.com
Phone:(888)900-8944