[Evergreen-general] Sharing plans for changing library selector in Angular staff catalog

[Mike Rylander]

Hi all,

As Andrea mentioned, we've been working on functionality adjacent to
the main topic of this thread for a bit.  The pullrequest branch is
attached to the Library Groups LP bug she pointed to, and you can find
it here:

    https://git.evergreen-ils.org/?p=working/Evergreen.git;a=shortlog;h=refs/heads/user/miker/lp-1949109-staff-catalog-lassos-loc_groups

To reiterate the reason we kept the library groups and location groups
selector separate from the library (org unit) selector, and also
combined them into one UI element: both library and location groups
are NOT subordinate to org units, because they can cross hierarchical
boundaries, and they are mutually exclusive, because they represent
different, competing, non-hierarchical search contexts.  Instead their
applicability is /dependent/ on the context ("search", yes, but not
only search) org, and essentially /replaces/ it in the search.
Especially for large installations with many org units, using either
of these grouping mechanisms becomes untenable if we try to shove them
all into the same dropdown as the libraries, because they would have
to be duplicated in many places and would thereby make the long org
list even longer and harder to use.

Regarding the main "hide certain orgs" concept from the OP, on
balance, it definitely feels to me like a job for custom org trees
with a new "purpose" (the one existing purpose being: "opac"),
especially given the variable shape of the tree mentioned up-thread in
some cases.  While there does exist a way to hide "intermediate" org
units today, it requires the interaction of multiple configuration
points (opac_visible flags, and the "inherit visibility" library
setting(s)), which makes it feel flimsy in comparison to an explicitly
defined tree.  A single "this is what my staff should see *in this
interface*" option seems (1) conceptually simpler, (2) more flexible,
and (3) more maintainable.

If we were/are voting, that'd definitely get my vote.

Thanks!

--
Mike Rylander
Research and Development Manager
Equinox Open Library Initiative
1-877-OPEN-ILS (673-6457)
work: miker at equinoxOLI.org
personal: mrylander at gmail.com
https://equinoxOLI.org

On Tue, Jan 23, 2024 at 12:01 PM Andrea Buntz Neiman via
Evergreen-general <evergreen-general at list.evergreen-ils.org> wrote:
>
> Chiming in to note that Equinox recently completed work on these related bugs:
>
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/evergreen/+bug/1949109 - Add Library Groups to Angular Staff Catalog
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/evergreen/+bug/1861701 - Angular staff catalog copy location group filtering support
>
> We will be sharing a branch shortly.
>
> ABN
>
> On Tue, Jan 23, 2024 at 11:39 AM Tina Ji via Evergreen-general <evergreen-general at list.evergreen-ils.org> wrote:
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 22, 2024 at 12:09 PM Lussier, Kathy via Evergreen-general <evergreen-general at list.evergreen-ils.org> wrote:
>> > #2 introduces new behavior that hasn't been used in previous staff
>> > catalogs. We could not think of a use case where an org unit
>> > should be invisible in the public catalog when performing a
>> > search, but should be visible in the staff catalog search. However,
>> >  if there is one, let us know so that we can add an option,
>> > most likely a global flag.
>>
>>
>> One of our library system does central cataloguing at its headquarter, which is not open to the public. It's OPAC invisible, but needed on the staff catalogue.
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: Evergreen-general <evergreen-general-bounces at list.evergreen-ils.org> on behalf of Terran McCanna via Evergreen-general <evergreen-general at list.evergreen-ils.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2024 7:13 AM
>> To: Evergreen Discussion Group <evergreen-general at list.evergreen-ils.org>
>> Cc: Terran McCanna <tmccanna at georgialibraries.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Evergreen-general] Sharing plans for changing library selector in Angular staff catalog
>>
>> About disused Org Units - even after a branch closes completely and all of the active materials and patrons have been moved off of it so we don't want it to appear in most dropdown lists, we sometimes still need to run reports on it. It would be nice to have the option in the reporter to include non-staff-visible branches. Maybe that is as simple as adding a new report source in the fieldmapper that can be used instead of the normal Org Unit source when desired?
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 22, 2024 at 5:46 PM Galen Charlton via Evergreen-general <evergreen-general at list.evergreen-ils.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 22, 2024 at 12:09 PM Lussier, Kathy via Evergreen-general <evergreen-general at list.evergreen-ils.org> wrote:
>> > #2 introduces new behavior that hasn't been used in previous staff
>> > catalogs. We could not think of a use case where an org unit
>> > should be invisible in the public catalog when performing a
>> > search, but should be visible in the staff catalog search. However,
>> >  if there is one, let us know so that we can add an option,
>> > most likely a global flag.
>>
>> I can think of several:
>>
>> - Library joining a consortium. Most any migration workflow I can imagine will result in a period of at least a few days, and sometimes longer, where an OU exists and has holdings attached to it but shouldn't be visible in the OPAC, but where staff nonetheless need to be able to do staff-side searches limited to that OU.
>> - Library opening a new branch with an opening day collection. This could lead to an even longer period where the OU exists but is not yet ready to be visible to patrons
>> - An explicitly hidden or resource collection
>>
>> Does NOBLE have OUs that are completely disused?
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Galen
>> --
>> Galen Charlton
>> Implementation and IT Manager
>> Equinox Open Library Initiative
>> gmc at equinoxOLI.org
>> https://www.equinoxOLI.org
>> phone: 877-OPEN-ILS (673-6457)
>> direct: 770-709-5581
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>
>
>
> --
> Andrea Buntz Neiman, MLS
> Project Manager for Software Development | Product Specialist
> Equinox Open Library Initiative
> abneiman at equinoxOLI.org
> 1-877-OPEN-ILS (673-6457)
> Direct: 770-709-5583
> https://www.equinoxOLI.org/
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