The Discovery Working Group is comprised of library staff across public and technical services. The group supports the SWAN discovery platform through participation in user research and testing; library staff training; and input on development priorities, configuration changes, and desired enhancements. This meeting is limited to the working group members only.
Agenda
- Welcome
- ILS Search questions (5 minutes)
- Meetings in 2027 (5 minutes)
- Recent Aspen development (20 minutes)
- Should we show the AR values in the grouped work display?
- Discuss changes to holds on non-fiction titles, and the edition-picker in general
- Editing phone numbers in My Account
- Copy-level holds
- Search interpreter (5 minutes)
- My Account project progress (20 minutes)
- Wireframes demo and discussion of features ideas
- Fall usability testing (45 minutes)
- Review testing task brainstorm
- Discuss comparative testing with wireframes
- Start script draft
- Wrap up - the next time we meet, we will discuss usability testing results!
Notes
DUX discussed questions around the ILS RFP, and the group meetings and focus during 2027. We will likely forgo a larger research project in 2027 to focus on evaluating and testing Aspen releases, working through our backlog of issues and enhancements, and if the RFP results in selecting a new ILS, beginning research into any changes in Aspen configuration that would result.
The group also discussed several decisions around recent Aspen development:
- At this time, we will not display the AR values in the top section of a grouped work, as the Syndetics integration displays it already, and in a more user-friendly display
- The non-fiction edition picker has some usability challenges, which the group previously identified - Tara has prioritized development to address those
- We will turn on editing of phone numbers, prior to the July Fireside Chat
- We discussed a feature to allow copy-level holds for book clubs - as is, we would not enable it, but the group would like a future discussion around features to place multiple holds and holds for book clubs
Tara shared the Aspen Filters documentation, outlining the criteria and process to select new keyword filter candidates for Search Interpreter.
Tara demoed wireframes for changes to My Account, which the group will provide feedback on prior to usability testing. Finally the group discussed potential tasks for the upcoming usability test at Roselle Public Library. The test will focus on the Aspen web catalog, and we plan to offer the option to use either an iPad/tablet or laptop depending on the patron's preference. The test will not include testing of the SWAN Libraries +/LiDA mobile app.