Onboarding Call 2: The Integrationing

Alma migration is under way at ZSR, PCL, and the Carpenter Library. Our migration team held its second big onboarding call last Wednesday. This call covered the process for setting up what Ex Libris calls third-party integrations: basically, how Alma interacts with anything other than itself.

It’s a long list. The current list of available integrations includes 59 options. Some we obviously want (Import records from OCLC? Print spine labels? Yes, please); others, not so much (Exports records to the Korean national union catalog? Not a top priority). The fun, of course, comes with matching Ex Libris’ list to our work flows – all our work flows, in all three libraries – and determining if, in fact: A) we do this and need it on Day One; B) we do, or would like to do this, but possibly after Day One; or C) no, we have no need for this.

Some of you can expect an email from me asking, “Explain like I’m five: how do we do X? And what has to talk to what else to make that happen?”

As a special instances of integration, we’re also starting to look at authentication processes, and will be looping in staff at both IS and med center IT.

Alma Day: It Is On!

I’m delighted to announce that we have four speakers lined up for our November 12 Alma Day event. [And an enormous Thanks for Jess’s patient persistence in getting people to reply to emails.] Once we nail down travel details and make double sure everyone can get here, we’ll send out names and a schedule, but all four will be able to address aspects of how their libraries migrated to Alma and lived to tell the tale.

Also: free lunch.

Today is Migration Day Minus 288.