Migration Milestones in February

The implementation project continued to move forward at a brisk pace. The Libraries’ Implementation Team finished the Alma configuration form and the Primo Central Index activation form. Ex Libris completed the Alma test data load and has released the Alma/Primo environments to us for data review and testing. Our Ex Libris consultants have given the library team very positive feedback: All of the tasks assigned to the Implementation Team have been completed on schedule or ahead of schedule. We are told that our data looks cleaner and has fewer problems than other libraries also migrating from Sirsi to Alma. The consultants are very confident about the successful launch of Alma and Primo on June 1st.

Training for the Team and Working Groups

In February, the Implementation Team continued the weekly training required by Ex Libris. All the working groups affiliated with the project were also engaged in extensive training in their functional areas. The considerable amount of time we are spending on internal training is paying off. Following a demo by two CTS staff on resource management at a training session, our Alma consultant remarked that she had never seen a client who could walk in at this stage of implementation and complete the tasks so smoothly!

New Staffing Need

As the implementation project progresses, we discovered an urgent need for an electronic resources librarian who has experience with Alma and Primo, so a new position was created and is being advertised. The new Electronic Resources Librarian will report to the Discovery Services Librarian and work closely with the CSRS staff responsible for licensing and renewing online journals and databases. In the past, we in the Libraries often talked about the need to increase staffing for e-resources management and support, since the library collections have shifted decisively from print to electronic. The new Electronic Resources Librarian position is an important step in that direction.

Upcoming Workshop on Alma Workflows

From March 13-15, an Ex Libris consultant will be onsite at Rutgers to conduct a three-day workshop on Alma. The primary goal of the workshop is to assist us with reviewing and defining major workflows using Alma. The format of the sessions will primarily be discussion as this is not a training exercise. The Implementation Team is working with Ex Libris to finalize the workshop agenda, which will likely include sessions on acquisitions, resource management, e-resources, and fulfillment. The working groups will decide who should attend the sessions in their respective areas.

Plan for All Staff Trainings

The Libraries’ working groups are also hard at work designing training and developing a related delivery plan to provide the training to our librarians and staff. As we reported last month, the all-staff training sessions will be conducted in person, by library staff, and with Rutgers data and configurations. Please stay tuned for more information about all staff training opportunities from the working groups.

Tao Yang and Abbey DiPaolo