Meeting Minutes for 12/05/2017

Discovery Committee Meeting
December 5th, 2017
Minutes

Report from eContent Special Meeting

  • The group reviewed the Draft General Specification for Basic eContent Integrations.
    • This is for additional eContent that could be integrated in Pika using APIs.
    • The majority of the changes reflect how items appear in search results.
    • First, the format order is available eContent sources.  Second, the format order will be unavailable eContent sources.  Third, the library will pick the sort order of the eContent source.
    • When there is more than one edition of a title, there will be the standard “Show Editions” button. The order of the editions depends on the eContent provider.  
    • Some libraries only wanted to display one eContent provider. These libraries had multiple providers, but they wanted to prefer one all of the time.  The solution is to make certain eContent Providers collapsible, so patrons would see the preferred provider.  
    • Side-loaded content will be available alongside the integration with APIs.  The availability of content will not be real time. Items like Lynda.com will always be available. For side-loaded items that can be checked out, it will make sense to have those in the rankings as unavailable.
    • Your patrons will only have access to your eContent providers. They will not see other library’s eContent Providers.
  • Available At Facet​
    • Right now, Pika is not very consistent with the Available At facet.
    • What the R & D team would like to change the wording of the eContent sources to “Online Collection” for those patrons who want to see everything that is online. 
    • For those patrons who want a specific eContent provider, there will still be the Online Collection facet that shows all the individual online collections for your library.
  • Item Pages​
    • If there are multiple formats, a format section will be displayed.  ​
  • Checkout/Place Holds Functionality​
    • Working the same way it was in OverDrive depending on the API.​
      • Checked Out Titles Page​
        • It will depend on the specific eContent provider what information is displayed.
        • The buttons will depend on what is available for that title.
        • Titles on Hold Page
        • Nothing happening yet, because the first eContent provider is Hoopla and they do not have holds.​
      • Reading History​
        • It will be opt in for the Pika interface.  However, the Pika reading history is separate from any tracking on the platform. For example, Hoopla automatically tracks reading history.
        • We should be able to track for reading history for all eContent Providers.​
      • Admin Options​
        • Still considering how the admin options will work.

Priorities for Next Release - Review of the status from the previous and current months.
Priority

  • E-Content Improvements​
    • One bug left with OverDrive Advantage
    • Plan to begin work on general eContent enhancements and Hoopla​
  • Bento Box Homepage​
    • Very close to completion - Demonstration next month​
  • Virtualize Marmot and Aspencat Production Servers (Mercury Server)​
    • AspenCat has been virtualized
    • Marmot is in process​
  • Archive Cleanup​
    • Archive integrated into Bento Box
    • On hold​
  • Red Book in the Archive​
    • On hold - Will work on as time allows​
  • Search Bugs​
    • On hold - Will work on as time allows

Other Completed Work:

  • Extensive performance enhancements

Updates for Libraries:

  • Flatiron is implement Shoutbomb texting
  • Pine River added a link to a digital services request form using the Pika sidebar
  • Karen Neville is leaving CCU to work as the library director for the Red Rocks Community College starting January
  • Beth (Flatirons) wanted to know if other libraries are using a chat service for their patrons.  Karen (CCU) responded that they are using the chat service from Library H3lp.

Pika Roadmap  - Release Notes

Next month conversation topic: Likely a continued conversation on eContent integration

Conversation topic:

  • Review specification for Hoopla eContent integration
    • This more about how we want it to work, and not necessarily, how it will work in the end depending on some tradeoffs.
    • Hoping to start this in the next month​
  • Search Results​
    • It will work like described in the general specifications.
    • This discussion is about the order of the editions​
      • Hoopla editions will be the unabridged copy
      • The newest publication date
      • If there are two editions with the same publication date, the copy with lowest price will be the default​
        • R & D has verified they can pull the price information from Hoopla
  • ​​​ Item Pages​
    • Some Hoopla titles are streaming only, and some are available for download.
    • This information will appear under Formats section just like described in the general specifications.
    • It will be clear on the item page whether is available for downloading or streaming.​
  • Availability Information for Search Results and Item Pages​
    • This is trickier for Hoopla because patrons can have a set number of checkouts per month.
    • Libraries can also set a maximum amount of money they want to spend per month.
    • The Pika interface will let patrons know how many Hoopla checks they have per month.
    • The R & D team is hoping to be able to figure out how to make Hoopla titles show as unavailable, once the library has reached their maximum daily/monthly checkout limits.
    • If a patron finds the title and wants to check it out, there will be a message telling them to try again tomorrow.​
  • Checked Out Items Page​
    • This will look similar to the Pika results for OverDrive titles.
    • Hoopla titles will include an expiration date.
    • The right side buttons will have Stream Online, Download, and Return Now.
    • Within each Hoopla checkouts will be information about how many checkouts a person has left.​
  • Question about patrons finding Hoopla for the 1st time using Pika​
    • Can access to the vendor site to setup an account be integrated into the Pika Account page?​
      • R & D needs to look into this more.
      • It depends on the API, if the account could be created for them.​
  • Place Hold Page​
    • Holds cannot be placed for Hoopla titles​
  • Reading History​
    • Pika will track reading history in the same way that it does for ILS and other eContent titles.​
  • Pika Admin Configurations​
    • Pika admins can choose to have Pika not display items greater than the set maximum, which is whatever dollar amount you set. Your patrons could still check them out from the Hoopla interface, but would not be able to check them out from Pika.
    • Want to include a checkbox to exclude Hoopla titles when the same title exists from another eContent Provider.
    • Email pika@marmot.org if you want to be part of the conversation about restricting mature content.
  • Pika Bugs​
Meeting Date: 
Tuesday, 2017, December 5
Documentation Type: 
Meeting Minutes
Committees: 
Discovery Committee