Aspen Discovery 23.08.00 Release Notes

by Mark Noble on Aug 16, 2023

Aspen Discovery announced this week that the 23.08.00 release is now available.

See Release Summary Here

This release includes code contributions from:

• ByWater Solutions
• PTFS - Europe
• Theke Solutions

Thanks to all of our contributors!!

23.08.00 Release Notes

Browse Category Updates

• Correct the display of Browse Category covers in grid mode to ensure that covers of different sizes do not interfere with the grid display.

Cover Updates

• Added ability to set a default cover for each website indexing setting

• Added ability to set a default cover for individual Open Archives collections

See Help Center Documentation Here

New Settings

• Website Indexing -> Settings -> Background Image for Default Covers
• Open Archives -> Collections -> Background Image for Default Covers

eCommerce Updates

• Added options to include a convenience fee and terms of service to the Fines page.

New Settings

• Library Systems > Fines/e-commerce > Convenience Fee
• Library Systems > Fines/e-commerce > Terms of Service

See Help Center Documentation Here

Events Updates

• Make "Add to List" button consistent with catalog search results
• Make size of "Add to Your Events/Register for Event" buttons consistent between individual pages and search results page
• Fix an issue where advanced search was showing as a search index option for events searches
• Added ability to prevent certain users from adding events to lists
• Added ability to bypass the Aspen event pages
• "Add to Your Events and Register" button separated into two buttons, one for registration information and one for adding to your events
• Add an option for libraries to show a custom modal for linking out to event registration pages (if modal body field is empty, no modal will show and user will be redirected to external event page)

New Settings

• Events -> LibraryMarket - Library Calendar Settings -> Events in Lists
• Events -> LibraryMarket - Library Calendar Settings -> Bypass event pages in Aspen
• Events -> LibraryMarket - Library Calendar Settings -> Registration Modal Body
• Events -> Springshare - LibCal Settings -> Events in Lists
• Events -> Springshare - LibCal Settings -> Bypass event pages in Aspen
• Events -> Springshare - LibCal Settings -> Registration Modal Body
• Events -> Communico - Attend Settings -> Events in Lists
• Events -> Communico - Attend Settings -> Bypass event pages in Aspen
• Events -> Communico - Attend Settings -> Registration Modal Body

See Help Center Documentation Here

Indexing Updates

• Allow up to 3 custom facets to be defined within Aspen Indexing. Custom Facets can process one or more MARC fields with the ability to Include and Exclude specific values. Values can also be optionally mapped to using translation maps.
• Update Aspen to properly check for kits in the 300e field.

• New Settings
  • Indexing Profiles > Custom Facets
  • Optimize loading indexing settings at index time to avoid loading them in 2 places.

See Help Center Documentation Here

Interface Updates

• Added a border for increased contrast accessibility to yellow/warning-styled labels. This new border inherits the color from the theme's "Warning" button border color.
• Changed the "Checkouts" and "Holds" labels on the Account Summary page to "Checked Out Titles" and "Titles on Hold" for consistency with the navigation.
• Updated the "Where is it?" button and modal title to be translated independently of one another.
• Fixed a bug that prevented certain links in search results for single format grouped work from being clickable on mobile devices.
• Top of page button will now stay under pop-up modals.
• "While You Wait" will now display Ratings if enabled.

Koha Updates

• Add ILL source to Koha holds with an iType of ILL.
• Canceling waiting holds will now use the cancellation request flow with Koha 22.11.07 for librarians to approve.

• If a staff member overrides renewal limits for a checkout, Aspen will no longer display the 'Renew' button to the patron.
• Patrons can now request that their pronouns be updated when a librarian approval is needed.
• Added the 'Middle Name' field to self-registration form.

Location Updates

• Display email address for the location's hours and contact info modules if provided

See Help Center Documentation Here

Polaris Updates

• Load barcode of checked out items from the API.

Search Updates

• Add a search type for Call Number searching in the search box.

See Help Center Documentation Here

Self-Check Updates

• Added settings to utilize self-check in Aspen LiDA (these are preparatory for a future release).

• New Permissions
  • Administer Aspen LiDA Self-Check Settings
• New Settings
  • Aspen LiDA > Self-Check Settings

Symphony Updates

• Hide all notes other than public notes from the display when configured.

Third Party Registration Updates

• Add an API to lookup account card numbers by phone number. When an account number is found, the patron is notified by SMS message.
• Allow sending messages to the patron to be bypassed when looking up patrons by phone/email.

Twilio Integration

• Add settings to utilize Twilio to send SMS messages

• New Permissions
  • Administer Twilio

• New Settings
  • System Administration > Twilio Settings
  • Library > Messaging Settings > Twilio Settings

See Help Center Documentation Here

Web Builder Updates

• Fix saving of the Is Read flag for custom form submissions.

Other Updates

• Correct cases where Lexile Ratings were displayed as MPAA ratings when viewing a MARC record.
• Fixed a bug where browse categories were not clickable.
• Fix an issue where the Usage Dashboard had no dropdown for different instances
• Make required checkboxes required on custom forms.
• Correct loading the active search index when searching.
• Allow non-default ports and hosts to be used for the Aspen Database.
• Updated error logging for side loads
• Added check/unzip functionality for zipped marc export files for Symphony
• Clear default covers when updating website indexing settings, ebscohost database settings, and open archives settings
• Fix issue where image source = "Not Available" for all works
• Add .SOURCE. and .GEN_NOTE. to Symphony as leading note phrases for non-public notes
• Added an option to the System Variables to allow the name of the company providing support to be edited (set to ByWater Solutions by default)
• Add cookie consent banner and accompanying system variables to enable/disable.
• Add policy page html system variable to be displayed to end user from cookie consent banner when enabled.

• Properly check for empty messages when blocking patrons from a particular library from logging in or blocking patrons from other libraries from logging in.
• Increase crawl delay to 20 in robots.txt
• Fix error when emailing lists that caused publication date to not show.
• Move IP tracking to new 'Data Protection' section in system variables.

New Settings

• System Administration > System Variables > Support Company

See Help Center Documentation Here

Aspen LiDA Updates

• Added the ability to scan a library card when logging in by tapping the barcode icon on the username field.
• Added the ability to search by scanning a barcode on the Discovery search field by tapping the barcode icon.
• On the Checkout action drawer the correct renewal message will display if auto-renew is disabled.

• Volume holds for Sierra libraries are now supported in the app.
• If a library has customized the labels for username/password, they're now displayed on the login screen.
• When logged in, users will now see the appropriate icon/logos for their library.
• The account drawer logo will now prefer the provided logo app over the favicon.
• Added a search field to the top of the Discovery screen.
• Removed the 'Search' tab from the navigation.

See Help Center Documentation Here

Watch the 23.08.00 Aspen Updates in an Instant Recording

Watch a short highlight video of the some of the new features available in 23.08.00