Aspen Discovery 24.03.00 Release Notes

by Mark Noble on Mar 27, 2024

Aspen Discovery announced this week that the 24.03.00 release is now available.

See Release Summary Here

24.03.00 Release Notes

This release includes code contributions from:

• ByWater Solutions
  • Kirstien Kroeger (KK)
  • Kodi Lein (KL)
  • Mark Noble (MDN)
• Nashville Public Library
  • James Staub (JStaub)
• Equinox Open Library Initiative
  • Galen Charlton (GMC)
  • Jason Boyer (JB)
• Theke Solutions
  • Thomas Cohen Arazi (TC)

Accessibility Updates

• For external links, added an aria-label that contains "opens in new window" for screen readers to announce. (KK)
• Added "role=presentation" for FontAwesome icons used throughout the interface so that they do not cause confusion for screen readers. (KK)
• Removed redundant title tags for images in browse categories. (KK)
• Fixed a bug where in some cases the "Display Options" in the hidden menu would break tab order. (KK)

Account Updates

• Allow the display of hold position to be disabled by Library. (MDN)

Help Center Documentation

API Updates

• In User API getLinkedAccounts now reload contact information for each linked account to ensure we have complete data. (KK)
• In User API checkoutItem, placeHold, cancelHold, renewItem, and returnCheckout now support processing Palace Project items. (KK)
• In User API getPatronProfile now accounts for Palace Project items in holds and checkouts numbers, as well as if it's a valid eContent source. (KK)

Communico Updates

• Updated indexing for Communico events to reduce load on the Communico servers. (KL)

Events Updates

• Added setting for a separate Registration Body field for use with APIs/Aspen LiDA. (KK)

New Settings

• Events > LibraryMarket - LibraryCalendar Settings > Registration Information to Show in Aspen LiDA
• Events > Springshare - LibCal Settings > Registration Information to Show in Aspen LiDA
• Events > Communico - Attend Settings > Registration Information to Show in Aspen LiDA

Help Center Documentation

Donations Updates

• Fix error in debug mode when creating a donation if address fields are not shown. (MDN)

Evergreen Updates

• When suspending a hold allow the user to optionally choose a reactivation date (JB)

Indexing Updates

• Handle cases where format is determined by bib, but a record has eContent or similar items where the format is determined at the item level. (MDN)

Koha Updates

• Show 4 digit year for automatic renewal date. (MDN)
• When submitting birthdate to Koha during patron registration or patron update, submit a null rather than a blank string if the date is not provided. (TC, MDN)
• Properly check PatronSelfModificationMandatoryField Koha system preference when loading required fields for Patron Updates. (MDN)

Logging updates

• Eliminated source of httpd error log entries for undefined timeUntilSessionExpiration. (JStaub)

Payment History Updates

• Correct saving payments to payment lines and remove old potentially incorrect lines. (MDN)

Polaris Updates

• When importing shelf locations and item types into translation maps, trim trailing spaces from the value. (MDN)
• Check for deleted bibs within Polaris at 9PM nightly. (MDN)

SEO Updates

• Disallows robot access to many directories that are not intended to be indexed by search engines, like MyAccount. (JStaub)

Sierra Updates

• When using MatType to determine format, fall back to the bib/item level format determination if the format translation is blank. (MDN)
• When freezing updates, show the update message as an error if no holds could be frozen, and a warning if some holds could not be frozen. (MDN)
• Remove time limit when importing Sierra Reading History to avoid timeouts. (KK, MDN)

Springshare LibCal Updates

• Fixed issue where location/branch was showing twice for LibCal events instead of the Location and Room (KL)
• Only fetch oAuth Token once per indexing session. (MDN)

Symphony Updates

• Add option to create a page that forces users to accept or reject that page before allowing self-registration (KL)

New Settings

• ILS Integration > Self Registration Forms > Terms of Service Form
• ILS Integration > Self Registration TOS

Help Center Documentation

• Add option to copy self registration forms (KL)
• Fixed issue where, when updating patron profiles with "Use All Caps When Updating Profile" on, things were not submitting in all caps (KL)

Other Updates

• Fixed issue when placing a hold for some vendors when initially offline (KL, MDN)
• Fixed issue where normalized series values were removing trailing "t"s (KL)
• Fixed Curbside Pickup to allow for no disabled days. (KK)
• Fix link to Library Website when viewing library hours in a Custom Page. (MDN)
• Added check for eContent when determining options for placing volume level holds (KL, MDN)
• Added check for patronId match in custom forms on submission (KL)
• Added check for patronId match in materials request form on submission (KL)
• Fixed a bug where geocoding was not properly saving the coordinates for a location's address. (KK)
• If Aspen is being served from behind a proxy, links shown in the UI will match the protocol (http:// or https://) used to reach the proxy. (JB)
• Do not add the author from the breadcrumbs of an author page to the list of translatable terms. (GMC)
• Remove old unused app code. (MDN)
• Remove old automated test code. (MDN)
• Remove time limit when rebuilding themes due to database maintenance. (MDN)
• Correct loading nested themes. (MDN)
• Update CentOS 7 installer to enable clamscan. (MDN)
• Do not track history of changes for Sessions, Checkouts, Holds, Account Summary, Reading History, and Searches that are not saved Searches. (MDN)
• Track ILS Record Usage and User ILS Usage based on the instance of the active site. (MDN)
• Update Solr to use less memory than the maximum allocated when possible. (MDN)
• Check for null course instructor when indexing course reserves. (MDN)

Aspen LiDA Updates

• Fix for UPC-A scanning on iOS for removing an unnecessary leading character to the scanned barcode. (KK)
• Fixed a bug where closing the notification onboard prompt too early would cause it to re-prompt. (KK)
• On the Login screen, wait to display the Forgot Barcode and Reset Password options until all related translations have loaded. (KK)
• Renewing items with Sierra now properly send the correct id. (KK)
• In the search facets, all sorting options now be properly labeled. (KK)
• Fixes on various screens to only load translations when a desirable translation is returned from Discovery. (KK)
• Events now load into Browse Categories on the Home screen. (KK)
• Users can now interact and manage Palace Project items. (KK)
• In Holds and Checkouts, filter options and format details that previously referenced Overdrive or Axis 360 now display as Libby, or the library's custom reader name, and Boundless. (KK)
• General UI enhancements for tablet users on the Discover, Search, and Grouped Work screens. (KK)

Watch the 24.03.00 Aspen Updates in an Instant Recording

Watch a short highlight video of the some of the new features available in 24.03.00