The document discusses efforts at the University of North Texas libraries to align their electronic resource management (ERM) system data with their LibGuides subject and course guides. This included cleaning up subject headings, migrating data from their ERM to populate the LibGuides A-Z database list, and using spreadsheets to match records and import fields to enhance the A-Z list entries. The goals were to centralize electronic resource information management, improve the user experience of finding resources, and establish workflows for regular synchronization between the ERM and LibGuides systems.

1. NASIG 35th ANNUAL
CONFERENCE | JUNE 9-11, 2020
#NASIG2020

2. Many thanks to our sponsors for making the
NASIG 35th Annual Conference possible!

3. Getting on the Same Page
Aligning ERM and LibGuides Content

4. University of North Texas
• Located in Denton, TX
• Research institution with FTE of over
31,000
• Libraries have 6 physical locations (4 open
to public, 2 remote storage)
• Knowledgebase: 360 KB
• ILS: Sierra
• Subject & Course Guides: LibGuides

5. ERMSs at UNT
• Homegrown ERMS named “Electronic
Resource Database (ERDB)”
– Generated friendly URLs
– Server suffered catastrophic failure early 2012
• Migrated to III’s ERM module mid-2012
– Pros: integrated ER workflow into ILS
– Cons: lost friendly URLs

6. ERM Subject Headings
• Created ERM specific subject heading list
• Browsable subject list on library website’s
Database tab
• New subjects added to list at subject liaison
request
• Created subject headings for highly
requested formats (newspapers, videos, etc.)
• Created “Database [Letter]” headings to
generate public facing A to Z list

7. Subject/Course Guides at UNT
• Initially, subject and course guides hosted
on library website
– Guide owners added all ER info manually
• Migrated to LibGuides in 2012
• Best practices and guidelines created, but
little oversight
• Proliferation of subject headings

8. LibGuides A to Z list
• Allowed central control of ER information
in Libguides (titles, links, etc.)
• Populated by download from
knowledgebase
– Extraneous entries (e.g. JSTOR collections)
– Duplicate entries after glitch during update
• Not public facing

9. LibGuides A to Z List (cont.)
• Database tab options updated in 2013
• Added browsable drop down menu of ER
titles generated from A to Z list
• Time for clean-up!
– Removed extraneous entries
– Removed most publisher platforms

10. LibGuides Admin Team
• In 2018 LibGuides Admin Team formed
– Workflows for activating/deactivating accounts
– Establishing and promoting best practices
– Defining guide types and controlled vocabs
• Massively streamlined subject headings
– Created authorized list based primarily on
departments and degree programs
– Relegated other instances to tags

11. Enhancing A to Z List Entries
• User Interfaces plans for webpage
required enhancing A to Z List entries
– Trial information
– Vendor info
– Database type
– Descriptions
– Subject headings
• Import data from ERM into LibGuides

12. ERM Clean-up
• Subject heading clean-up
– Create crosswalk between ERM and
LibGuides subjects
– Consult with subject liaisons as needed
– Move format specific “subjects” to Resource
Type field
– Removed the “Database [Letter]” subjects

13. Fun with Spreadsheets
• Create list of active ERs in ILS and export data
into Excel
– For fields with repeated values, separate the distinct
values with semicolons
• Use “Export All Records” feature in A to Z list to
export data into Excel
– Select Template format
• Match each A to Z entry with one ERM entry
– Select unique identifier to link resource in both
spreadsheets
– Added ERM record number to Internal Note field in A
to Z List Template

14. Fun with Spreadsheets (cont.)
• Use VLOOKUP function to copy data from
ERM spreadsheet to A-Z spreadsheet
– Subjects
– Resource type
– Access provider
– Title and alternate title
– URL
– Description

15. Importing to A to Z list
• Save the template file as .CSV format
• Use the Import/Update Database function
in A to Z list
• Preview will show titles being uploaded
and any errors in the file

17. Tips for Importing
• Use semicolons to separate distinct values
in the same field
• Be aware of proxy settings
• Do not duplicate subject in Best Bets and
Subject field
• Use filters in A to Z list admin to verify all
data fields imported correctly

19. Final Thoughts
• Aligning ERM and LibGuides information
improves user experience
• Still maintain information in both places
• Goal is to do regular imports from ERM to
A to Z list

20. THANK YOU
• Questions? Email todd.enoch@unt.edu