Release Date: April 12, 2022
Borrow By Mail (Polaris)
For Polaris libraries that use the Borrow by Mail option in their request workflows a new option is available in the Staff Admin > Cog Menu > Library Defaults > Patron Settings. Checking the box for Allow borrow by mail option for holds will enable this feature. A custom message can be defined by library admins to display to patrons when they check this hold option to explain any details about price or logistics. When this feature is turned on patrons who place a hold on a title will have the option of checking a Please mail this to me box. Checking this box will show the patron their configured mailing address for review and till display the configured custom message about borrowing items by mail. The request will be sent to Polaris as a borrow by mail request to be fulfilled by the library.
Iframe Code and Tracking for Embedded Showcases
We have reinstituted analytics tracking of embedded showcases by updating our embedded showcase code to be wrapped in an iframe. If you have generated embedded showcase code in the past that you are using on your websites you will need to regenerate this code in order to track click throughs made by users of your website into Vega from your showcases.
Release Date: April 26, 2022
Vega Timeout
The default time out for Vega Discover is now 90 days. Patrons who use your main Vega URL from your library website will remain authenticated for 90 days or until they manually logout of their account. Guest sessions will also last 90 days when using the main Vega URL.
Initial Kiosks Config Settings
For libraries that require a Vega Discover URL that times out in a shorter period of time for in library use computers Kiosk URLs can now be generated for each library branch. To configure a branch level kiosk URL for Vega Discover, login to the Staff Admin. Choose the Cog Menu settings. Choose Library defaults. Choose “Site Configuration”. Click the button for ‘Add New Site’. Name your Kiosk Site.
Instructions for Consortia Libraries
Consortia Libraries will see Collection Site and Kiosk Site as choices when creating Sites. Consortia libraries will be able to make the same selections and configuration they use for their Collection Sites in Kiosk Sites, the only difference is the ability to apply a timeout setting. We recommend you set a timeout of at least 5-15 minutes for your kiosks for usability by patrons. Note that Consortia Collection Sites can now also be configured to time out at a customized interval if desired but will follow the 90 days Vega timeout by default.
Instructions for Non-Consortia Libraries
Regular Vega libraries will have a site type of Kiosk Site only in the Site Configuration. In the Domain Name field choose a prefix to add to your Vega URL for your new Kiosk Site. This prefixed URL will be the URL the branch should use on their public use computers for accessing Vega. Click Add New Site. You will see your site appear in the Sites table. In the ACTIONS column of the Sites menu click the (…) option and choose Edit. You will be taken to the config for your Kiosk Site. In this page you should configure the Header and Footer for your Branch kiosk, select the single branch location this kiosk will be used at, and set a timeout period for the kiosk url. Non-consortia libraries should not use the ‘limit the consortia collection site to only the selected preferred locations’ option. This option will be removed for non-consortia kiosks and does not apply to non-consortia libraries. We recommend you set a timeout of at least 5-15 minutes for your kiosks for usability by patrons.
In the upcoming release on May 10th the preferred location you select for your kiosks will be the default displayed location for availability for all guests and patrons who use a kiosk in your library branches. That means the availability message and call number will display the same was as it would in search results for an authenticated patron who’s home location is the current branch.
If you are one of the few Vega libraries that do not use BRANCH LOCATION as your display location in Vega, we recommend that you choose the largest shelf location collection as your Preferred “location” for each branch kiosk for best display.
Improvements and Fixes
Showcase Display Fix for Full Resource View
The problem with previously created showcases where the showcase was not appearing on the Full Resource View of all belonging materials has now been fixed. All missing showcases should now be visible on the full resource cards of all belonging bookmarked materials.
New Materials Logic Fix
A logic problem was fixed in the New Materials filters. These filters should now correctly limit and sort new materials by Cat Date.
Polaris Volume Hold Fix
A fix was applied to volume hold requests for items as volumes requests in Polaris libraries
Release Date: April 29, 2022
Kiosk Mode Fix
We have delivered a fix for kiosks this morning. If you are a non-consortia site you should now be able to configure your kiosks and the generated urls will no longer result in a 404 error. (Previously created kiosk urls will also now work.)
Showcase Widget Code for WordPress Fix
You will all also have the fix for the Wordpress Showcase widget code. However please be aware that you must input your code in a particular way if you use wordpress.org sites. Wordpress.org sites default configuration is attempting to standardize the code you input which is what results in the extra characters displaying on your sites below your showcase widget. To input a showcase widget on a wordpress.org site please use the Custom HTML option. Instructions below:
While in edit mode in your Wordpress site:
1. Click the "+" button
2. Chose "Custom HTML"
3. Paste code snippet from Vega
4. Click Update button in top of the page
