Aspen Catalog Enrichment and Tools

Free and Local Enrichments 

• Adding New York Times Books API to Aspen Discovery
  New York Times Book Lists can be automatically added to Aspen via the New York Times Books API. This handout covers the initial configuration, the creation of lists, and creating browse categories. 

• Browse Categories From Lists
  A step by step guide to creating browse categories from lists, including NYT book lists. The guide also includes a description of the auto-generated personalized lists and how to recreate them. 

• Browse Categories From Search
  Browse categories are a terrific way to help your patrons discover the titles in your catalog. There are two basic ways to create Browse Categories; from searches or from lists. The focus of this handout creating browse categories from searches.

• Browse Category Customization
  Examples of using Themes and Browse Category Groups to customize the display of your Browse Categories.  

• Creating Lists
  Step by step instructions on creating new lists.

• Data Sources For Display Fields
  This handout provides documentation of the sources for each field that might potentially be displayed on a record.

• Placards Theme & Layout Settings
  A step by step guide to adjusting the look and layout of placards using the Aspen Theme & Layout Settings. 

• Suggested Resource Connection Methods for Aspen
  Aspen Discovery allows libraries to connect many catalog enrichments and other integrations. The list of options in this handout covers many of the common options and methods of connections. If you do not see one of the services that you use, let us know! We will collaborate with you to find the best way to connect it.

• Web Builder Web Resources
  Web Resources is a pre-formatted type designed to make resources such as databases searchable in your catalog with links directly to those resources.

• Wikipedia Catalog Enrichment
  A step by step guide to turning on the Wikipedia author enrichment in the catalog as well as editing or turning off the linking to Wikipedia for select authors. 

• Working with Placards
  A step by step guide to creating placards. 

Connecting Paid Enrichments 

• Data Sources For Display Fields
  This handout provides documentation of the sources for each field that might potentially be displayed on a record.

• Side Loading Basics
  Sideloading, or adding MARC records directly into Aspen can be used to increase the discoverability of your digital content subscriptions and other extra resources. This handout covers the basics of creating and managing Aspen side loads.

• Suggested Resource Connection Methods for Aspen
  Aspen Discovery allows libraries to connect many catalog enrichments and other integrations. The list of options in this handout covers many of the common options and methods of connections. If you do not see one of the services that you use, let us know! We will collaborate with you to find the best way to connect it.

Using Web Builder Functions 

• Demo Form
  A screenshot of a form demonstrating the different types of fields and help. 

• Suggested Resource Connection Methods for Aspen
  Aspen Discovery allows libraries to connect many catalog enrichments and other integrations. The list of options in this handout covers many of the common options and methods of connections. If you do not see one of the services that you use, let us know! We will collaborate with you to find the best way to connect it.

• Web Builder Web Resources
  Web Resources is a pre-formatted type designed to make resources such as databases searchable in your catalog with links directly to those resources.

• equinoxEDU: Spotlight on Aspen Discovery Web Builder (video)

Join us for a Spotlight on the Web Builder module in Aspen Discovery! Come learn about the types of content you can create within Aspen, including custom web pages to promote library resources, forms to collect feedback and information from the community, and other informational pages, such as a staff directory.

• equinoxEDU: Spotlight on Using Aspen Discovery’s Web Builder for Your Library’s Website (video)

In this spotlight, we get creative with Aspen Discovery and look at the tools in the Aspen system that you can use to build your library’s website! We’ll highlight ways to create a seamless experience for patrons, including Web Builder pages and system settings. Whether your current library website is complex or non-existent, we’ll have some tips on how you can maximize what Aspen is doing for your library. This spotlight is for both new and experienced users of the Aspen Discovery Web Builder module. Recorded November 11, 2024.