[Evergreen-general] Novelist and record harvesting - API vs. holdings uploads

[Dan Moore]

Heyo all,

Our collections group is looking to tweak our Novelist implementation to make use of On The Shelf functionality, info here: https://connect.ebsco.com/s/article/Setting-up-On-The-Shelf?language=en_US

There's a curious (if not perhaps a little rude) note at the bottom of the page that states: "There is an Evergreen API that supports automatic harvesting of your collection. However, we were unable to obtain a complete harvest for any customers during the testing of this functionality, as Evergreen's Web Services API was not built for such a wide-scale application. We discourage Evergreen customers from utilizing this feature for collection harvesting."

Additionally, on their KB page for the feature (https://eis1.my.site.com/ebsco/s/article/ILS-Export-for-NoveList-Products-and-Features?language=en_US), we can see some handy older screenshots of what I presume to be the old non-browser client. Combining that with the statement above about "during the testing of this functionality," I'm presuming this was tested with EBSCO/Novelist at some point but that there hasn't been an update to it since the browser client rolled out.

There's a slew of questions about this in my mind... the first being if what's written here is accurate about the Evergreen API method of harvesting collection information not being robust enough (which generates an immediate follow up - what would make it robust enough?). But I'm also curious about the collective wisdom of the community about these strategies. We're moving toward a Lean-based purchasing model wherein selectors will have a daily cap of titles to order so as not to create a wave for shipping/receiving folks to drudge through later. Real-time availability of holdings information would be a huge boon in supporting both Lean purchasing strategies AND maximizing Novelists' effectiveness for reader's advisory. However, if uploading holdings records is just the best way of doing it due to the performance of the API as-is or the time/money needed to extend it, then we'll go that route instead - whatever delivers the best, most accurate information to patrons.

Thoughts?

All the best,

Dan Moore
Integrated Library System Administrator
King County Library System
Service Center, Issaquah
(425) 369-3413
dtmoore at kcls.org<mailto:dtmoore at kcls.org>
[cid:image001.jpg at 01D99888.6F906AD0]<https://kcls.org/>


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