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EBSCO & EDS

Preparing for the Transition

This section provides general details about the new Publication Finder user interface (PFUI) and an overview of features and customization options you will be able to select as OPAL transitions from the old PFI platform. A comparison chart between the legacy and new Publication Finder can be found at the bottom of the FAQ document. 

The link to the 20-minute video below provides a good orientation to get started.

Notes from the April 2022 OPAL Idea Exchange.

EBSCO has launched a new configuration management platform known as EBSCO Experience Manager (EEM), which will be used to configure the new EDS and Publication Finder interfaces. You can visit experience.ebsco.com to set up your account. The previously used bottom branding for new Publication Finder configurations in EBSCOadmin has been frozen, meaning the settings were ported over to the new platform and it is not possible to edit the bottom branding any more. Going forward when you transition to the new Publication Finder you will configure it in this new management platform. If you would like assistance changing to the new PFUI, please fill out this specification form and we'll assist you in making the transition and getting things configured to your specifications with EBSCO.

Note: If you configure your own migration to the new PFUI, let us know so that we can be aware in terms of any broader systems integration issues and for support questions. EBSCO's new Publication Finder is using Elasticsearch for metadata indexing and search/retrieval operations, so you my need to consult with your IT staff to make code modifications to the search box on your library's website.

Notes and Tips

 

New publication finder interface default view

 

  • The new Publication Finder (PFUI) is designed to be accessible and searchable for institutional researchers and guests alike. This approach requires guest access with Publication Finder. See the following FAQ for more information: What is guest access and how do I configure it for users?

  • Once guest access has been enabled you can use the following structure to build your direct URL: https://publications.ebsco.com/?custId=[your customer id]&groupId=[your group id]&profileId=[your new Publication Finder profile id]. All links to Publication Finder (within LibGuides, A-Z lists, etc.) will need to be updated to point to the new publication finder URL. You will also need to change the link to Publication Finder within the EDS (Customize Toolbar option in the Branding tab).

  • New Publication Finder needs to be given a higher numbered profile in the EDS ordered list (EBSCOadmin) than the old PFI.

  • As of Aug 1, 2022, the new PFUI is customizable through the EBSCO Experience Manager (EEM) platform. This requires a separate login from EBSCOadmin. You can make these changes yourself or use the implementation form to request we set up your new Publication Finder interface. 
     
  • Logos and custom colors can be specified. Logos appear on top left side of search bar for desktop and top middle for mobile view. Supported file formats: GIF, JPEG, SVG and PNG. Logos can be a maximum of 180 pixels wide by 70 pixels high.

 

Features and Customization Options

Same view of new publication finder search box

 

Features and customizations in PFUI are controlled by making changes in the new EBSCO Experience Manager (EEM) configuration platform. This FAQ provides a good guiding checklist of options. Highlights and key points are summarized below. 

  • The basic search is represented by a single search box with no limiter options. 
     
  • Advanced Search is represented by a single search box and supports search by title, ISXN, Subject, Publisher. Also supports various search types like Any/contains/proximity/Exact Phrase/Exact Match. Search default type is  "contains." You can choose to display the search boxes or not. 
     
  • Search details and results now appear on the same screen and do not require linking out.
     
  • You can set prefilter options (or turn off). Note a selected pre-search filter is only applied when running a keyword search using the search box.
     
  • New publication finder supports three subject categories rather than the old discipline only browse option. They are: "General", "Medical" and "Library of Congress", and are configured in the bottom branding customization.
     
  • The option to browser for titles using an A-Z list has been restored in PFUI and can also be disabled.
     
  • Full-text access results can be sorted by coverage date or alphabetically by package name. Holdings Management notes will display if enabled.
     
  • The "Browse Database" feature is not referring to databases in the conventional way (such as Academic Search Complete). What they really mean is browsing by package or collection name in Holdings Management.
     
  • The "Keep search limiters" feature is not supported in this new interface.
     
  • The new publication finder at the moment does not allow scripting to be added to bottom branding, so we no longer have google analytics functionality. We will be notified if this functionality is reinstated in the future.
     
  • The new interface does not support custom links (including ILL forms) at this time. EBSCO has an enhancement request open, but no timeline for the deployment yet.