OhioLINK will be launching the Encore interface for the Central Catalog in late December. Encore allows OhioLINK to provide several improvements to Central’s user interface, offering more options to patrons using the Central Catalog.
At this time the UA Libraries will continue to direct OhioLINK pass through searches from our library catalog to the original Central Catalog interface (Classic Central Catalog). However, I’ve updated our staging catalog (http://library.uakron.edu:2082/) to pass though searches to OhioLINK Encore. This will allow you to see how it works (or works differently).
Josh will create a button to click on to Search OhioLINK Encore, but for now just click on the Search Encore for this title link.
In case you missed it, below is the 11/28/2018 announcement sent to the ohiolink, ics, diad, lead, pcirc, and er resources mailing lists.
Please let me know if you have any questions or if you are not subscribed to the general OhioLINK mailing and would like to be.
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You’ve been hearing about it from months, and at last, it’s almost here. Beginning December 19th you’ll have access to Encore, a second, more modern search interface option for searching our Central Catalog.
We thought it might be helpful to present you with a brief FAQ and opportunity to increase familiarity with Encore ahead of its availability. You will continue to see reminders about Encore in the OhioLINK Weekly Update, and additional emails will go out as we get closer to December 19th.
So, without further introduction, here’s what to know about Encore:
When will Encore be available for searching the Central Catalog?
Wednesday, December 19th.
Is there a preview of Encore live now?
Yes. There is a “preview” of Encore live at https://catalog.ohiolink.edu. Though we are referring to this site as a preview, patrons can use this site to request items via Encore now, and Encore will continue to use this URL after the official live date.
Is there more information about Encore’s features available?
Yes. From earlier this year, there is a recorded webinar on Ostaff: https://www.ohiolink.edu/content/encore_preview_webinars
The webinar includes more information on Encore’s features.
What exactly will happen when Encore is live?
On December 19th, the biggest change that you will notice is that the link to the Central Catalog on the OhioLINK homepage (https://www.ohiolink.edu) will be updated to link to the Encore version of the Central Catalog. That said, you can still access the Classic Catalog interface you currently use by clicking on the Classic Catalog link in Encore.
Note that at any time after the launch, your library may decide to point the pass-through search from your local catalog to the Encore version of the Central Catalog, but this decision will remain a local one, based on what works best for your patrons.
After Encore becomes available, will the older version of the Central Catalog still be available as well?
YES. Encore is an alternative—not a replacement. It provides an alternative version of the Central Catalog with newer features that your patrons are likely to find easier to use; it does not replace the version of Central that you currently use. OhioLINK will use the phrase, “Classic Catalog” to refer to the current interface for the Central Catalog and “Encore” will be the term used to refer to the new interface.
Which version should students use?
Both! The Classic and Encore interfaces are complimentary versions of the Central Catalog – it’s not an either/or choice.
For some searches, Encore’s single search and facets will be more intuitive for students; for more targeted searches, including OCLC number searches, the Classic Catalog will be the better choice, as it will allow patrons to search more granularly.
The important thing to remember is that you will be able to access BOTH versions from the new Encore interface. Simply click on the “Classic Catalog” link in the upper right corner of Encore to access the classic search interface.