Alma/Primo VE LSP Migration: Overview

New Library Services Platform Coming Summer 2025

All 115 OhioLINK institutions, including Mount Union, will be migrating to a new library services platform provided by ExLibris in the summer of 2025. ExLibris has a suite of browser-based tools that we will add to our arsenal to enhance services for library staff as well as patrons. 

• Alma is a resource management tool used by staff to streamline processes and workflows, including acquisitions, cataloging, circulation, and electronic resource management.
• Primo is the user discovery tool that includes Mount Union's print and electronic collection, virtual browsing, and citation tools.
• Rapido is the tool that will facilitate OhioLINK borrowing.

As the library migrates to these new services, there will be a series of freezes. Some of these freezes will disrupt patron access to various library materials.

Migration Impact

1. Links: You will continue to be able to access all available library resources from the library webpage. However, if you provide direct links to our current catalog, you’ll need to redo them after we go live on 6/18/25.
2. LibGuides: Books, streaming video, board games, etc. linked from the current catalog will need to be updated in the months after the migration.
3. OhioLINK: The main impact will be a freeze in OhioLINK borrowing. We will use interlibrary loan to borrow items from other libraries.
4. Timing: Most of the disruption will be from 5/23/25 through 7/1/25 which will impact Summer Session I.

The A-Z Databases and LibGuides will not be affected by the migration freezes. Students, faculty, and staff will still be able to access electronic journals, periodicals, and databases in the same way.

Mount Union is in Wave 4 of the migration (of 6 total waves for OhioLINK institutions). Our unique go-live date is 6/18/25. As we prepare to migrate, we will experience four migration freezes. Here are the dates for our freezes with information and the impact to faculty, staff, and students listed below.

Technical Freeze

• Our library data will be pulled for the last time on 3/28/25 in preparation for the migration. Library staff will not be able to make any changes to bibliographic records, items, orders, locations, item status, and course reserves between 3/28/25 and 6/18/25.
• Library staff will only be able to check in and check out physical items after 3/28/25.
• Local impact to library patrons: All Summer 2025 course reserves must be received by 3/21/25 for processing. Spring 2025 course reserves won’t be taken off the shelf and available for pickup until July 1, 2025.

Configuration Freeze

• This primarily impacts library staff. We must have the new system completely configured by 5/2/25. No changes can be made after that point. Library staff should not even log into the new system after 5/2/25.

OhioLINK Borrowing Freeze

• Beginning on 5/23/25 at 5 pm, the OhioLINK Request button will be removed from our catalog. No new OhioLINK books can be requested by library patrons.
  • OhioLINK lending will resume slowly beginning 6/25/25 with each migration wave.
  • Search Ohio will not resume until later in the Fall 2025 semester.
• Local impact to library patrons: Faculty, staff, and students should plan to request any OhioLINK books by 5/2/25 to ensure ample time for processing when request load might be quite high.
  • We also encourage all OhioLINK books checked out with a due date or a renewal date between 5/23/25 and 7/1/25 be renewed or returned by 5/2/25.
  • Expect to wait until 7/1/25 for OhioLINK borrowing to fully resume.

Local Circulation Freeze

• Physical books can still be checked in and checked out during the freeze.
• However, any books that are checked in/out will be recorded manually rather than recorded in Sierra. After the go-live date of 6/18/25, all circulation activity that happened during the freeze will be manually entered into Alma, the new platform.

What to Expect on 6/18/25

• There may be a disruption in search functionality and OhioLINK requests, as well as communication from the library about overdue books, fines, and other notices through August as we fully configure the new system.

• When faculty, staff, and students visit the library webpage, the library search box will be missing.

The search box will be replaced with a link to Primo, the new library catalog. It currently looks like this, but we will customize the links and add Mount Union branding. All faculty, staff, and students will be able to sign in using their Mount Union email and password.