IGeLU 2025

Conference

Private meeting with conference attendees in person and other LWG members attending online

Meeting (SC, WG, NUG...)

Leganto

Private meeting. By invitation only

Conference

Roadmap / Update

Specto

Conference

This presentation aims to show how the NDE User Interface presents an opportunity to rethink our consortia’s approach to Discovery tools. After an initial analysis of the current management model of Primo VE, we initiated a critical reflection to identify potential areas for improvement in both organization and approach. 

As a result, a set of pillars has been established to guide the decision-making process, ensuring that the evolution of Discovery tools aligns with user needs, technological advancements, and institutional priorities. This presentation will outline these key pillars, discuss the challenges and opportunities of reimagining Discovery systems, and explore how libraries can leverage user-centered design to enhance search experiences. 

By reconsidering traditional models and embracing a more dynamic, user-driven approach, libraries can increase engagement, improve information accessibility, and create a Discovery environment that better serves their communities. 

User Experience / Discovery

Primo / Primo VE

Conference

Creating invoices in Alma is essential for tracking the price history of library materials, but integrating with financial systems like SAP can be complex or unfeasable. In our case, a one-way invoice import from SAP to Alma wasn’t possible, so we developed a lightweight process to ensure invoice data ends up in Alma.

Our invoice operators verify that the order price in Alma matches the SAP invoice and then mark the order ready for invoicing by setting the unique invoice number in a designated field. With all necessary data in Alma, we automatically generate invoices using Python or Alma’s new Library Open Workflow tool.

This solution has streamlined our invoicing process, reduced manual work, and enabled us to manage invoices in SAP while maintaining price history in Alma. Join us to hear how we made it work—and how you might, too.

Practical Applications

Alma

Conference

Strategy

360 Services
Alma
Central Discovery Index
SFX

Conference

Strategy

General / Other

Conference

In our presentation we will share our journey of unifying four geographically separated academic libraries, each with its own Aleph catalog, into a single, centralized system using Alma and Primo.

We'll share our workflow methodology, highlighting the strategic planning, data migration challenges, and staff training involved. The consolidation has yielded significant benefits: improved discovery experience, streamlined operations, enhanced asset sharing, and effective resource management.

The efficient collaborative process with the Ex Libris professional team was instrumental in making the transition of this complex project smooth and successful, while knowledge and best practices shared by colleagues in the Ex Libris user community further enhanced our implementation approach.

Join us to learn valuable insights for institutions considering similar consolidation efforts.

Migration / Implementation
Strategy
User Experience / Discovery

Aleph
Alma
Primo / Primo VE

Conference

SLSP was lucky to be a Development partner for the Library Open Workflows. Library Open Workflows allows tasks and workflows automation not only in Alma and Primo, but in practically any application with an API. The tool is described as a low-code solution. But low-code doesn’t have to mean simple. We implemented several workflows concerning authorities, inventory, and requests in Alma. Did the Library Open Workflows make us happy? Come and find out.

Development / Initiative

Alma

Conference

Strategy

Consortia

Conference

Private meeting for the Primo Working Group and Primo Product Management.

Meeting (SC, WG, NUG...)

Primo / Primo VE

Private meeting. By invitation only

Conference

The University of Oslo Library participated in the Alma's AI Metadata Assistant - early access workgroup from September 2024 to January 2025.

In this presentation we would like to share our experiences in the testing of the AI tool, from the start to the more mature version that we utilize today.  The test version was developed for English language resources. Our approach has been to test even other languages, including Norwegian and retrospective cataloguing of older material.

After the testing period we have implemented the Alma AI Metadata Assistant in our cataloguing workflow. Being part of a consortium with a shared catalogue for university and academic libraries, we have negotiated a common practice with the community.

We would like to share our approaches to cataloguing workflows in the consortium, and share our thoughts on usability, time and resource effectiveness and ideas for future improvements.

Demonstration
Development / Initiative
Practical Applications

Alma

Conference

Staying on top of Alma release notes can be challenging and time-consuming. Is it really possible to remain aware of all the new Alma features and bug fixes available, decide which to adopt, and ensure stakeholders are informed, without spending all of your time doing it? Hear from 4 institutions and 1 consortium about their methods for reviewing and acting upon Alma releases, keeping stakeholders informed, and how well these solutions work for them. Methods range from simple to elaborate, and may also be applicable for managing other products to which your institution subscribes.

Practical Applications
User Experience / Discovery
Other

Alma

Conference

For over two decades, the idea of a unified catalogue for the EU's institutional libraries has been a recurring goal. Despite differing user needs, these libraries share more commonalities than differences. However, this vision remained unrealized, hindered by everyday challenges. In recent years, there has been significant progress toward collaboration, not just at the library level, where ties have always been strong, but strategically as well. Inspired by the EU’s integration model, this initiative aims to create a Union Catalogue for EU institution libraries, showcasing shared resources and enabling joint services. Through partnerships, the project seeks to ensure equitable resource access while allowing libraries to focus on their core services. This presentation examines the journey toward a unified EU library catalogue, addressing the challenges, opportunities, and benefits of this collaborative effort.

Demonstration
Practical Applications
User Experience / Discovery

Alma
Primo / Primo VE

Conference

One hundred ten of California's community college libraries migrated to Ex Libris' Alma and Primo VE library services platform (LSP), going live between December 2019 and January 2020, thus launching the California Community College's (CCC) Library Services Platform Program (LSP Program). This presentation will describe the CCCs LSP Implementation Project from migration to go-live and beyond, to the formation of the LSP Program, including challenges, successes, and opportunities.

The content of this presentation was originally published as:
Roach, Stephanie M., Ashley R. Coyne, Glenn S. Tozier, Mary Wahl, and Kaela Casey. "From Zero to One Hundred Ten: The California Community Colleges Statewide Library Services Platform Implementation" in The Community College Library: Collections and Technical Services, edited by Janet Pinkley and Kaela Casey. ACRL, 2025.

Migration / Implementation

Alma
Primo / Primo VE

Conference

How do we onboard staff and provide training that meets the needs of a consortial environment? At the California State University consortium, we make Canvas courses! We took existing Clarivate training materials and combined them with a customized approach to create an online course for Rapido. Building upon that proven successful course, the CSU ERM committee adopted a similar approach to develop a Canvas course for ERM staff. This has inspired other CSU functional areas to follow suit.

Practical Applications

Alma

Zoom presenter session (available to physical and virtual attendees)

Conference

Understanding user search behavior over time is essential for optimizing library discovery services. This session presents findings from a year-long study analyzing user interactions with Primo VE, our library’s discovery system. Using generative AI tools, we examined a representative sample of search queries, categorizing them by subject classification, query type (e.g. author, title, subject/concept), academic discipline, and search intent. By applying AI-driven analysis, we transformed raw search data into actionable insights, automating classification, uncovering hidden trends, and generating data-driven recommendations to enhance user experience. Our findings reveal insights into user needs, offering opportunities to refine discovery services and guide collection development. By sharing our methodology and key findings, this session will demonstrate the transformative potential of AI in academic libraries and showcase how these technologies can be used to better understand and meet user needs.

User Experience / Discovery

Analytics / Mixpanel
Primo / Primo VE

Conference

This presentation offers a comprehensive overview of SLSP’s strategic planning for transitioning to the NDE Primo user interface. It details a phased timeline with key milestones, alongside technical and communication plans designed to engage key stakeholders throughout the transition. The presentation will also highlight resources developed to meet libraries’ needs and expectations, outline a system for collecting and processing feedback from library staff on the new UI, and discuss measures taken to integrate accessibility and usability testing into the process. Additionally, it will cover strategies for ensuring go-live readiness to ensure a smooth launch. By the end of this talk, attendees will gain a clear understanding of the planning process and leave with practical tips and a customizable plan to support their own libraries through this change.

Strategy

Primo / Primo VE

Conference

The Leganto Product Working Group is hosting a session for Leganto customers (old and new) to reflect on how our community shares experiences and develops new ideas in a supportive and collaborative environment.

WG coordinator Jessie Donaghey (Bond University) and Angela Laurins (University of Edinburgh) will facilitate an interactive discussion-based workshop with the help of other members of the WG.

Attendees will be invited to discuss a range of relevant topics with colleagues from other institutions, including the new UI, roles and responsibilities, technical workflows, and student/instructor engagement. There will also be a focus on the new CERV process and how we can continue to share and support all the great ideas within the community.

Everyone is encouraged to come to the session with questions and experiences to share, as we celebrate the strong spirit of collaboration within our diverse Leganto community.

Conference theme: Celebrating 20 years of community
Practical Applications
Strategy
Other

Leganto

Physical session only (no live streaming)

Conference

In response to the United Nations' call for all entities within the UN System to adopt the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Taxonomy for mapping SDG-related resources, the ILO Library undertook a comprehensive integration initiative.

This presentation outlines the methodology and results of aligning the ILO Thesaurus with the UN SDG taxonomy, and applying this alignment first, to subject authority headings in Alma, and then to bibliographic records in the ILO’s institutional repository, by an automated process.  As a result, SDGs have been implemented as searchable facets in Primo VE, enabling users to search and browse for publications related to specific SDGs.

The session will share practical insights into the alignment process, the automation workflow, and the broader implications for metadata harmonization.

Development / Initiative
Practical Applications

Alma
Primo / Primo VE

Zoom presenter session (available to physical and virtual attendees)

Conference

Alma

Conference

At the Technion Library, we developed a service using n8n and AI to streamline thesis processing. Integrated with Alma and Primo, the automated workflow analyzes each thesis, extracts key metadata such as title, student name, supervisor, and faculty and generates a draft record for librarian review. The system also manages related files: renaming, uploading, and linking them to the record. This process reduces handling time by 80% while maintaining cataloging standards through human validation. By combining automation with professional oversight, we ensure accurate and efficient results. We are excited to share our experience and practical insights at the IGeLU conference, focusing on implementation, time savings, and opportunities for broader library use.

Demonstration
Development / Initiative
Migration / Implementation
Practical Applications

Alma
Primo / Primo VE

Conference

Update on the activities of the Content WG. This is an open meeting, and all are welcome to attend and ask questions.

Roadmap / Update
Meeting (SC, WG, NUG...)

360 Services
Alma
Central Discovery Index
Primo / Primo VE
Summon

Conference

The University of the Free State Library recently transitioned from the legacy Sierra system to the Alma Library Services Platform—a major shift in digital infrastructure. While implementation and go-live often receive the most focus, the post-implementation phase is frequently the most challenging, marked by workflow disruptions, staff resistance, and the need for sustained change management. This case study highlights the UFS Library’s strategies for navigating this phase, drawing on leadership, a phased approach, and a dedicated change team to reduce technophobia and ensure continuity. It offers practical insights into maintaining momentum and achieving long-term success in digital transformation.

Migration / Implementation

Alma

Conference

Update on the activities of the Primo WG. This is an open meeting, and all are welcome to attend and ask questions.

Roadmap / Update
Meeting (SC, WG, NUG...)

Primo / Primo VE

Conference

This presentation discusses an alternative to the out-of-the-box solution offered by Ex Libris for publishing bibliographic and holdings records to WorldCat. Instead of publishing bibliographic records with embedded holdings information using one publishing profile, as recommended by Ex Libris, we have implemented a different setup using two publishing profiles: a generic publishing profile for bibliographic records and the out-of-the-box LHR publishing profile for holdings records. After presenting our current setup, including our configuration, and workflows, I will elaborate on the challenges we have encountered, the solutions and workarounds we have developed, and the remaining open issues and desiderata for this integration.

Migration / Implementation
Other

Alma
Interoperability

Conference

Conference

Over the past year, The University of Haifa's Younes and Soraya Nazarian Library had several initiatives involving AI for metadata extraction. In this presentation I will outline three methods we developed so far:

1. A project by two graduate students involving data extraction via LLM models and R studio. Their model is focused on data extraction from a large collection of periodicals and uses transliteration of spoken words, data mapping and analysis, and finally exporting all data to an Excel file that can be loaded into Alma
2. Alma cataloguing AI Assistant – we examined both creating and enhancing bibliographical records capabilities to arrive at the most efficient workflow.
3. OCR for books in non-Latin scripts (Hebrew and Arabic) 

Conclusions:

AI can help streamline workflows, especially when dealing with large quantities of data

Human in the loop – specifically for books in non-Latin scripts

Thinking outside of the box results in more efficient workflows 

Practical Applications

Alma
General / Other

Conference

Roadmap / Update

Conference

A recent University of Leeds survey revealed that 79% of their students start their research on the library catalogue Primo. Juxtaposed with recent Technology from Sage research into undergraduate workflows which found that 63% search for resources on Google before visiting their library website, this raises important questions about how libraries can better understand and meet the diverse needs of their student communities.

In this session, discover how the University of Leeds Libraries have adopted an inside-out approach by leveraging Lean Library and targeted marketing—such as Primo banners, digital displays across study spaces, and outreach to customer-facing colleagues—to reach audiences. We’ll also share emerging global insights, including the growing role of ChatGPT and generative AI in research, and discuss how libraries can provide trusted resources, citation guidance, and AI support to ensure seamless and accessible research experiences for all.

Conference theme: Celebrating 20 years of community
User Experience / Discovery

Interoperability
General / Other

Conference

Roadmap / Update

360 Services
Alma
Central Discovery Index
SFX

Conference

Update on the activities of the Rapido WG. This is an open meeting, and all are welcome to attend and ask questions.

Roadmap / Update
Meeting (SC, WG, NUG...)

Rapido / RapidILL

Conference

This session will demonstrate several configurations in Alma to keep only necessary user data and protect research, loan, and requesting data privacy in circulation and resource sharing.  The less patron data you have, the less patron data you might have to share! 

Demonstration

Alma

Conference

Importing external data sources into Primo VE can be a challenge! This session will share practical experiences of using AI tools such as ChatGPT and Copilot to support setting up and troubleshooting XML harvesting and normalization rules for three local data sources: the UQ eSpace institutional repository, an AtoM archival management system, and SpringShare library guides. The presentation will cover problems encountered, successes achieved, and lessons learned while working within the limitations and opportunities of Primo VE.

Practical Applications
User Experience / Discovery

Alma
Primo / Primo VE

Conference

Private meeting of the Auto Holdings Task Force.

Meeting (SC, WG, NUG...)

360 Services
Alma
SFX

Private meeting. By invitation only

Conference

University of Oxford libraries have many thousands of works that have been bound together after publication, and other situations where one physical item is represented by more than one bibliographic record. This presentation will cover how we make use of Alma's related records for physical inventory functionality and display this information in Primo VE. Also included will be a discussion of the challenges around the use in Alma of standard MARC21 field 773 for local inventory linking information.

Practical Applications

Alma
Primo / Primo VE

Conference

Roadmap / Update

Leganto

Conference

We have been investigating Ranking Configuration since migrating to Alma and Primo VE in 2023, after encountering issues with owned book content not surfacing very well in search results. After intensive testing, we boosted title, author, and date fields to resolve these issues and meet user and staff needs. We presented at IGeLU 2024 on our work so far, and the high level of engagement this session received highlighted that this area has relevance for many institutions using Alma/Primo VE.

While we continue to make iterative improvements to the ranking configuration, we have noticed that the changes we have made have had a detrimental effect on our harvested collections, in particular content from our open access repository (ORE), where ORE resources are appearing in bulk above more relevant CDI articles. This presentation will be looking at how ranking configuration affects harvested collections in Primo VE, and the steps we have taken to resolve the issues encountered.

User Experience / Discovery

Alma
Primo / Primo VE

Conference

Roadmap / Update

Rapido / RapidILL

Conference

Clarivate’s recent announcement about the changes in Rialto and Ebook Central were an unwelcome surprise to many in the community. While Collecto's integration into Rialto offers rich potential for collection development, the internal arrangement of the two products at present remains unclear.

This presentation traces Rialto’s evolution from its original streamlining of acquisitions management through the recent market disruption. We will examine the consequences for institutional resource strategies and the subsequent challenges facing library professionals.

Moving beyond current frustrations, the talk will investigate the potential of Rialto-Collecto’s holistic approach to collection development. By proposing adaptive strategies to navigate these transitions, the talk will, hopefully, reimagine a dynamic acquisitions landscape in an increasingly complex digital ecosystem.

Join us to unpack these transformative technological shifts and their implications for library resource management.

Development / Initiative
Practical Applications

Collecto
Rialto

Conference

User Experience / Discovery

Innovative Products (Sierra, Vega...)

Conference

Roadmap / Update

Primo / Primo VE

Conference

Conference

Roadmap / Update

Conference

Update on the activities of the Aleph WG and on the Aleph roadmap. This is an open meeting, and all are welcome to attend and ask questions.

Roadmap / Update
Meeting (SC, WG, NUG...)

Aleph

Conference

Update on the activities of the Support Advisory Group. This is an open meeting, and all are welcome to attend and ask questions.

Roadmap / Update
Meeting (SC, WG, NUG...)

General / Other

Conference

Roadmap / Update

Esploro / Converis

Conference

Ensuring discoverability of gaming material has presented many unique challenges. Traditional cataloging systems offer limited support for games: items often lack ISBNs, resulting in missing thumbnail images; there are no standard item designations for games; MARC records fail to accurately capture nuance; and known-title searches frequently bury the materials deep in the catalogue. This presentation will examine and contextualize these cataloguing and discovery challenges. It will also introduce the Meeple Like Us framework, which expands the definition of accessibility in games beyond visual and physical elements to include economic, cognitive, emotional, representational, and other barriers. I'll share some of the workarounds and solutions we've tested, and invite a broader conversation around improving the discoverability of non-traditional library materials and how we can create more accessible gaming collections specifically.

User Experience / Discovery

Alma
Primo / Primo VE

Conference

The Hebrew University Spatial Catalog is a GIS-based platform offering access to historical maps and aerial photographs by location. Integrated with the library’s Primo/AlmaD system, it supports advanced search, filtering, and access to high-resolution images, some available for purchase. The spatial catalog includes ~30,000 scanned aerial photos and ~20,000 maps (6,000 scanned), all catalogued with metadata in the library’s catalog. It is designed to easily absorb additional collections with a geospatial component. The platform serves researchers, professionals, and the public, promoting broad academic and non-academic use. Accessible  in Chrome browser at https://geohub.huji.ac.il.

Development / Initiative
User Experience / Discovery

Alma Digital
Primo / Primo VE
General / Other

Zoom presenter session (available to physical and virtual attendees)

Conference

Handling large-scale bibliographic data corrections efficiently is a key challenge within the SLSP (Swiss Library Service Platform) shared catalog. We present the organizational and technical approaches currently used at SLSP and examine the various methods available within Alma for performing mass corrections, highlighting their respective advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, we introduce our custom-built API-Wrapper, a Python library specifically designed to streamline mass corrections via the Alma API. Furthermore, we discuss the remaining challenges and areas where we still encounter difficulties, providing insights into ongoing issues and potential improvements. 

Conference theme: Celebrating 20 years of community

Alma

Conference

Navigating the transition to Alma, Primo, Alma Digital and Leganto can be daunting, but the Ex Libris community has proved to be an invaluable source. Drawing on the University of London’s recent experience, I will outline the initial challenges of implementation and how connecting with experienced users helped overcome them. 

The presentation will showcase the invaluable input other libraries’ understanding of Ex Libris systems has had with our transition. Their input has ranged from explaining in detail data clean up requirements to help with migration and training resources. Collaborative learning and sharing best practices were vital in ensuring a smooth transition.

We are at the start of our Ex Libris journey. While our implementation of Alma and Primo will be live by the time of this presentation, we will continue to rely on the expertise of the Ex Libris community as we continue our transition to using Alma Digital and Leganto.

Conference theme: Celebrating 20 years of community

Alma
Alma Digital
Primo / Primo VE

Conference

While journal bibliometrics, on the one hand, but also qualitative peer review methods, on the other hand, are studied scientifically and practically applied all over the world, the world of books remains largely unexplored. Data at library level on acquisitions and usage of books are not combined with any metadata. Book citations, as opposed to journal citations, remain a mistery.

In the talk I consider a new scenario in which Library science and Bibliometrics talk to each other and develop new concepts and methods in the interest of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

New developments in the interoperability of software at the library level make it possible to design a new landscape. A new alliance is within reach.

Conference

Conference