Minutes for 06/02/2015

Discovery Committee Meeting 02 June, 2015 (Combined June/July meeting) Minutes

High Priority Backlog

• Mark demoed a new feature which allows sub-categories to exist under the larger Browse Categories. For example, under the browse category of New Fiction, you could now have subcategories under that of Romance, Thrillers, Fantasy, etc. Adding a new sub-category will display for everyone.
• The List widget is now available as a text-only display. The widget now also includes a preview mode.
• For Hoopla subscribers, eBooks and comics now show automatically.
• Spelling errors recognition has been improved.
• Improvements made to advanced and basic searches. After an advanced search, the search completed now shows in Basic Search with an option to modify.
• Custom sorting improved; can now drag and drop to desired sort.
• Fixes to book jacket art so that generic covers show less.
• Spam attack on server caused recent slowness, which resolved.

Hold Queue Display

• Mark described changes to OverDrive display. Now displays “5 holds per copy” rather than “50 holds total”). See tickets 497 (http://marmot.myjetbrains.com/youtrack/issue/PK-497) and 698 (http://marmot.myjetbrains.com/youtrack/issue/PK-698) for more information.

Sorting of editions for grouped works

• Mark explained how Pika sorts out holds on records which are grouped. The group discussed options and Mark offered to email this to the committee for feedback.

Patron expiration dates and OverDrive

• The eContent Committee had been discussing how OverDrive prevents borrowing of its content if a patron’s account is expired. It prompted this committee to discuss the feasibility of allowing patrons to update their accounts online and update the expiration date that way. The eContent group proposed the option to directors of having OverDrive allow checkouts, etc. on an expired card. Once this decision has been made, this group can then discuss—if necessary—allowing online updating of account information.
• The group also discussed the possibility of extending this meeting to an hour and a half, as we tend to either run over or table discussions when we run out of time. Responses to an email poll show that members agree to schedule this meeting for 90 minutes, and that the meeting run from 1:00-2:30. This new meeting time will begin at our next meeting.