Aspen Discovery Training Materials

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Welcome!  This page provides you with links to training materials available for your Aspen Discovery training. Handouts may be located under multiple categories on this guide in order to increase discoverability of the resources. 

Handouts are in PDF format.  You will need a PDF viewer in order to open these documents.  You are welcome to print the handouts and share the link to this site with staff within your library or library system; however, these handouts should not be shared outside your organization or placed on any public website.

• Basic Navigation and Use Introduction
  A quick guide to get started with searching and using patron accounts in Aspen.
• Creating Lists
  Step by step instructions on creating new lists.

• Adding or Editing Closed Dates
  A step by step guide to adding closed holidays and recurring closed days, as well as system messages for delayed opening. 
• Creating New Menu Links
  A step by step guide to creating new menu links in the top menu bar or the hamburger menu. 
• Default Book Covers
  This handout contains a set of guides walking through how to view/change the colors for Aspen's Default Book Covers, and also how to set the default cover to an image.
• Library Hours
  A step by step guide to adding or updating library hours.
• Placards Theme & Layout Settings
  A step by step guide to adjusting the look and layout of placards using the Aspen Theme & Layout Settings. 
• System Messages
  A step by step guide to creating system messages through both Library Settings and Local Catalog Enrichment. 
• Themes
  A simple handout demonstrating some of the customization options available under the Themes submenu. 

• Catalog/Grouped Works: Author Authorities
  This handout covers the creation of new author authorities to aid with the creation of grouped works.
• Catalog/Grouped Works: Grouped Work Display
  Grouped Work Display settings can be used to adjust the way that grouped works and search results display. This handout arranges those settings in easier to use ways to help help increase the discoverability of the settings you need.
• Data Sources For Display Fields
  This handout provides documentation of the sources for each field that might potentially be displayed on a record.
• Default Book Covers
  This handout contains a set of guides walking through how to view/change the colors for Aspen's Default Book Covers, and also how to set the default cover to an image.
• Grouping and Ungrouping Titles in Aspen
  An introduction to Aspen's Grouped Works and step by step instructions on how to group and ungroup titles.
• 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 creatings 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.
• Web Builder Web Resources
  Web Resources is a preformated 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. 

• 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 creatting 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 autogenerated 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.

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

• 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 creatting 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 autogenerated 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 preformated 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. 

• 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 creatings 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.

• 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 preformated type designed to make resources such as databases searchable in your catalog with links directly to those resources.

• Linking Aspen to an External Material/Purchase Request System
  This handout covers the configurations for external systems. See the other Materials Requests handouts to learn more about using Aspen with Koha’s purchase request system or with the Aspen native system.
• Material/Purchase Request Configuration
  This handout covers the configurations for the Aspen native system. See our other handouts to learn more about using Aspen with Koha’s purchase request system or with other preferred systems.
• Materials Request Workflow and Tools
  Material, or purchase, requests allow your patrons to request that you purchase additional items for your collection. This handout focuses on the workflow used in the Aspen native system.

• Adding or Editing Closed Dates
  A step by step guide to adding closed holidays and recurring closed days, as well as system messages for delayed opening. 
• Assigning Administrator Permissions to Staff
  Step by step instructions for creating new Aspen Admin accounts.
• Creating New Menu Links
  A step by step guide to creating new menu links in the top menu bar or the hamburger menu. 
• Library Hours
  A step by step guide to adding or updating library hours.
• System Messages
  A step by step guide to creating system messages through both Library Settings and Local Catalog Enrichment. 

• Catalog/Grouped Works: Author Authorities
  This handout covers the creation of new author authorities to aid with the creation of grouped works.
• Catalog/Grouped Works: Grouped Work Display
  Grouped Work Display settings can be used to adjust the way that grouped works and search results display. This handout arranges those settings in easier to use ways to help help increase the discoverability of the settings you need.
• Data Sources For Display Fields
  This handout provides documentation of the sources for each field that might potentially be displayed on a record.
• Default Book Covers
  This handout contains a set of guides walking through how to view/change the colors for Aspen's Default Book Covers, and also how to set the default cover to an image.
• Grouping and Ungrouping Titles in Aspen
  An introduction to Aspen's Grouped Works and step by step instructions on how to group and ungroup titles.
• 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 creatings and managing Aspen side loads.