Library automation solutions provider Ex Libris Group, Israel, has announced the release of version 4.1 of the Primo discovery and delivery solution. In addition to various other enhancements, the new version introduces browsing functionality, yet another method that assists users in exploring their library's collections.
Part of the ongoing incorporation of OPAC functions in Primo, the addition of the browsing functionality enables library users to browse by subject heading, title, author name, or call number. OPAC options that were previously added to Primo include submitting requests for specific items, handling loans, managing fines, and communicating with the library through the discovery layer.
Primo claims to be the only solution that provides library users with access to OPAC functionality within the discovery user interface. The addition of browsing, also a first in the discovery market, comes as a natural next step in the Primo solution's evolution as a one-stop shop for discovery and delivery. With the integration of OPAC functionality in the discovery layer, libraries benefit from a reduction in the total cost of ownership, because they no longer need to maintain their traditional OPAC user interface, and users access all library services from a single entry point.
