The Harvard Library is Adopting Ex Libris Primo as Discovery System

From The Harvard Library

The Harvard Library, following an extensive review of discovery systems, will adopt the Primo discovery and delivery system from Ex Libris.
Discovery systems were evaluated by the Discovery Platform Investigation working group. The following major components formed the basis of the assessment:

• Ease of use/intuitive interface

• Coherent aggregation of local, licensed and open metadata, including non-textual media and grey literature

• Effective integration of special collections

• Support for interdisciplinary research and responsiveness to a shifting research environment

• Flexibility that will enable a short-term solution as well as a path for continued development and improvement as the search, discovery and access domain evolves

At the same time, the group considered the need for the following functionality:

• Search precision

• Known-item retrieval

• Integration with resource delivery and fulfillment systems

“The Harvard Library is taking a significant step forward in making its collections even more accessible to Harvard’s scholars with the selection and implementation of such a powerful discovery tool. Kudos to the team that performed an exhaustive analysis of our options—research, teaching and learning at Harvard will benefit from their diligence,” said Sarah Thomas, vice president for the Harvard Library and Roy E. Larsen Librarian of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Read the Complete Announcement
According to this Harvard Library Tech Services post from about one month ago the plan is to go live with an initial launch of Primo in September.

Background

• Library Leadership Group Explores New-Generation Search and Discovery Solutions for Harvard (September 10, 2013)

Filed under: Archives and Special Collections, Ex Libris, Libraries, Management and Leadership, News, Reports