It’s here! Our new library system is now up and running. The biggest change for you, as a library user, will likely be the new online search interface called Primo, which you will use to locate library materials within Hamersly Library and at our Summit partner libraries.

Find Primo at the top of the library homepage and try it out. If you find any bugs or have questions, please let us know, and know that we will be working in the weeks to come to smooth out the bumps that inevitably come with a large-scale project like this one.

Speaking of which…here are a few things to keep in mind as you begin to use the new catalog in these early days: [wpspoiler name=”More about new library system” ]

• For quick answers to the most commonly asked questions about the new system (such as, why did the library make this change?, what is this thing called Primo?, what about my favorite database, has it changed?) take a look at our FAQ. We are continuing to add to this as we encounter new questions and issues.

• Searching in Primo can get you different types of results depending on the options you choose. However, even though there is a lot of material searchable in Primo, it does not include everything. Here are a couple examples:

• It includes content from some of the research databases WOU subscribes to (such as Academic Search Premier), but not all of them. Therefore, to search a specific database or for an exhaustive database search, you should still use Hamersly Library’s Recommended Databases By Subject.
• It includes books that WOU and other Summit libraries own, but to get books outside of Summit you must use Worldcat and request them through Interlibrary Loan. Click here to learn more about Primo, how to control your search, and how to get access to material outside of Primo.

• Once you do an initial search in Primo and are on the results page, look to the upper-right corner for the sign-in link. We strongly encourage you to sign in as it helps you get better results and is the only way you can order books through Summit. A couple more things about the sign-in that you should know for now:

• Once you click on the link to sign in, you will be taken to page where you can sign in with your WOU Pawprint ID and password.
• The first time you sign in, you will be prompted to “Personalize Your Results.” In addition to selecting one or more subject areas of interest, you can indicate your “Degree,” which is simply a way of asking what part of the WOU community you belong to (student, staff member, etc.) If you are a member of faculty, the best option on the menu at this point is “Researcher.” Selecting these options will provide better search result relevance rankings for you. You can also skip this personalization, however, and/or change your settings later.

We appreciate your patience during this transition and are committed to maintaining library services at the level that you expect and require. As always, please feel free to let us know if you have any thoughts, questions, or concerns about the new system. [/wpspoiler]