What teaching staff need to do to prepare for changes to the LibrarySearch URL

On 2nd December 2014 the URL for LibrarySearch (the library catalogue) will change. This change is due to a major upgrade to Unitec’s library systems which goes live on 4 December and includes library systems being moved to the cloud. We want to let you know well in advance what you need to do to ensure your students enjoy uninterrupted access to library resources.

What you need to do:
•    Make a note before the end of November of where you have used links to library resources.  In particular, check links from your Moodle courses and inside course documents.
•    After the move to the new LibrarySearch on 4 December, check these links, and update them if necessary.  See how to update links below.

More detail about what is changing and needs to be checked

The URL change is likely to cause any links you have to LibrarySearch results to be broken.  In particular, links from your Moodle courses and inside course documents may no longer work.  This includes links to books, e-books, journal articles and exam papers.

1.    The main change is to the URL for LibrarySearch

The current base URL will change to this new base URL:
http://unitec.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do? 

2.    Links to Print books: If the saved URL is for a particular book, other parts in the URL will also have changed, meaning that changing the prefix (base URL) highlighted above will not guarantee the modified URL will find the correct book.

3.    Links to articles: Links from Articles-Express will be affected and changing the base URL will not fix them. However articles linked using the PERMALINK from databases such as EBSCO and ScienceDirect should not be affected. 

4.    Links to saved searches: If you change the prefix (base URL) this should update these links

5.    Library Moodle Block:

Within this Search box on your Moodle page, there is an internal URL which will need to be updated.  Te Puna Ako will update these at go-live date (2nd December). The week after go-live please check all Library blocks in your Moodle courses and advise us by 9 December if they are not working.

How to update links:
1.    Before the end of November – note down the books and articles you have linked to
2.    After go-live check all your links in your Moodle courses and course material – if you find a broken link go to the page with the broken link and change the base URL for the link. Check if the link works. If it does not work go to step 3.
3.    In LibrarySearch find the item you linked to and copy the new URL for the item
4.    Paste the new URL into your Moodle course or document to update the broken link

What is not changing and does not need to be checked
1.    Lib Guides: Direct links to the Libguides website (http://libguides.unitec.ac.nz/index.php - also known as subject guides or study guide) should continue to work
2.    Exam papers: Direct URL link to exam papers should continue to work.
3.    Ebooks: Direct links to ebooks from EBL and Ebrary should continue to work correctly.

Thank you in advance for your assistance, the library systems upgrade includes many benefits for teaching and learning at Unitec and we’re looking forward to introducing you and your students to the new features after go live.

More information for staff can be found on our project page (on the Nest), and there will be further updates and some friendly reminders closer to the go-live date.

If you need clarification or help, please contact your Liaison Librarian or the Project Manager (Tom Nimmo).