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Evergreen New Feature Review Guide

Guide to New Features in Recent Evergreen Releases
Each new Evergreen release has a number of new features and enhancements that may be of interest to your library. In this guide, we will gather community documentation for the development work included in new releases and we will provide new custom handouts created by the Equinox training team. The guide begins with documentation for Evergreen versions 3.7 and 3.8. New documentation will be added as new releases become available.

Review Guide Components:
 
  • Resource Sidebar: Links to various additional Equinox and Evergreen community resources are available on the right sidebar.
  • Evergreen Version Tabs: More detailed information about new features can be found on the individual tabs for each new version. Each tab includes descriptions of the work featured in that release and links to individual handouts for many of the features and enhancements. 
  • Upgrade Checklist:  The checklist tab includes a list of new features from each release along with notes about their default behavior. Notes will indicate whether a feature is enabled automatically with the upgrade or will require additional configuration. Checklists provide a shapshot of what you can expect in each release and identify new optional functionality.
All materials provided here are created for sharing with staff users of Evergreen. Most materials are not designed for sharing with patrons since they assume an understanding of Evergreen configuration that would not be typical of patrons.

If you have any questions about the material contained in this guide or about training opportunities, please contact us at training-events@equinoxOLI.org.
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Contact Us
Contact Equinox about documentation and training opportunities via email at:
training-events@equinoxOLI.org.
About Equinox Open Library Initiative
Equinox Open Library Initiative Inc. is a 501(c)3 corporation devoted to the support of open source software for public libraries, academic libraries, school libraries, and special libraries. As the successor to Equinox Software, Inc., Equinox provides exceptional service and technical expertise delivered by experienced librarians and technical staff. Equinox offers affordable, customized consulting services, software development, hosting, training, and technology support for libraries of all sizes and types.


To learn more, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.org
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Evergreen 3.7
Evergreen 3.7 was released in April 2021. New features and enhancements from the Evergreen 3.7 release are listed below. Descriptions are provided for each of the components featured in the 3.7 release notes grouped together by Evergreen module. Links to individual handouts for many of the features are also provided to offer more detail and supplemental documentation. Handouts are in PDF format.  They can be downloaded and shared to Evergreen staff users as needed.  
 
The Evergreen 3.7 Detailed Summary Grid serves as a dashboard listing descriptions and components of each new feature all in one convenient view.

3.7 Highlights include:
  • "Did You Mean?" Single Word Search Suggestions
  • Hold Groups
  • Library Groups
  • Default Public Catalog to Bootstrap
Administration
Single Sign On (Shibboleth) Public Catalog Integration
This handout covers a new feature that allows the Evergreen OPAC to be used as a Service Provider (SP) in a Single Sign On (SSO) infrastructure.  This allows an Evergreen administrator to connect the Evergreen OPAC to an identity provider. The goal of SSO is to permit a user to log in to multiple digital services with a single set of login credentials.  
Architecture
Block Login of Expired Staff Accounts
This handout covers a new, optional, functionality that prevents expired staff user accounts from logging into the Evergreen staff interface.
Cataloging
Publisher Catalog Display Includes 264 Tag
This handout covers an enhancement to Evergreen that now displays publisher data in the staff catalog, whether it's displayed in the 260 or 264 MARC tags.  Previously, the publisher did not display if it was stored in the 264 tag.   
Circulation
Allow Circulation Renewal for Expired Patrons
This handout covers a new library setting that can be set to permit expired patrons to renew circulations.  This new functionality is optional and not enabled by default.
Hold Groups
This handout covers the new Holds Groups feature, which allows staff to add multiple users to a named hold group bucket and place a title-level hold on a bibliographic record for that entire set of users.
Opt-in Settings for Overdue and Predue Emails
This handout describes the setting for Receive Overdue and Courtesy Emails that, when enabled, allows users to control whether they receive notifications about overdue items by email.
Scan Items as Missing Pieces Angular Port
This handout describes how the Scan Items as Missing Pieces interface now works in the Angular interface.  The functionality is the same as before, but the interface displays more details on the item in question before proceeding with the missing pieces process.
OPAC
Consistent Ordering for Carousels
The display order of titles in a carousel is now stable and predictable, based on definitions by carousel type.  This handout describes this enhancement in Evergreen 3.7.  To get information about how to add carousels to your catalog, check out Adding Carousels to Your Public Catalog in Evergreen's official documentation.
Default Public Catalog to the Bootstrap Skin
As of Evergreen 3.7, the default skin for the public catalog is the Bootstrap OPAC, also known as the BOOPAC, rather than the legacy Template Toolkit (TPAC).  Bootstrap is a free and open-source CSS framework directed at responsive, mobile-first front-end web development.  Bootstrap changes the visual appearance of the OPAC with new graphics and styling.
"Did You Mean?" - Single word search suggestions
This handout covers a new feature to add native search suggestions to the search logic in Evergreen.  When searching the public or staff catalog in a single search class, such as title, author, or subject, with a single search term, users can be presented with alternative search terms if no results are found.
Library Groups
This handout covers the Library Groups search feature, which allows an Evergreen administrator to define a group of organizational units for searching outside of the standard organizational unit hierarchy.  This allows users to search multiple libraries at the same time that are not otherwise part of the same library system.
Sort Holdings by Geographical Proximity
This handout covers a new feature in Evergreen 3.7 that allows patrons to sort holdings within a bibliographic record by geographic distance. 
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About Equinox Open Library Initiative
Equinox Open Library Initiative Inc. is a 501(c)3 corporation devoted to the support of open source software for public libraries, academic libraries, school libraries, and special libraries. As the successor to Equinox Software, Inc., Equinox provides exceptional service and technical expertise delivered by experienced librarians and technical staff. Equinox offers affordable, customized consulting services, software development, hosting, training, and technology support for libraries of all sizes and types.


To learn more, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.org
SubjectsPlus
This guide was created using SubjectsPlus, an open source content management system for information sharing. Interested in how SubjectsPlus could benefit your organization? Learn more by visiting us at: https://www.equinoxoli.org/products/subjectsplus.
Evergreen 3.8
Evergreen 3.8 was released in November 2021. New features and enhancements from the Evergreen 3.8 release are listed below. Descriptions are provided for each of the components featured in the 3.8 release notes grouped together by Evergreen module. Links to individual handouts for several of the features are also provided to offer more detail and supplemental documentation. Handouts are in PDF format.  They can be downloaded and shared to Evergreen staff users as needed.  
 
The Evergreen 3.8 Detailed Summary Grid serves as a dashboard listing descriptions and components of each new feature all in one convenient view.

3.8 Highlights include:
  • Angular Rewrite of Acquisitions Administration Interfaces
  • Holdings Maintenance & Item Attributes Editor Ported to Angular
  • New Triggered Events Logs
  • Override Dialogs
  • Consolidated Patron Notes, Alerts, and Messages
Acquisitions
Angular Rewrite of Acquisitions Administration Interfaces
This handout covers the rewrite of Acquisitions Administration for the Angular platform. The rewrite of the Acquisitions Adminisitration interfaces resulted in significant consolidation and enhanced functionality for more efficient utility. The new combined interfaces are: Claiming, Currencies and Exchange Rates, Distribution Formulas, EDI Attribute Sets, and Fund Administration. 
Administration
Case Insensitive Browse Entries
System Administrators can now select whether a browse entry field's case should be considered. A bib record reingest will be required to apply this change.  The related staff interface is: Administration > Server Administration > MARC Search/Facet Fields
Cataloging
Bibliographic Record Notes
Bibliographic record notes are administrative notes stored in the biblio.record_note table, not in the 5XX fields in the MARC record. These can now be viewed and edited from the Record Notes tab on the bibliographic record.

Browse Heading Navigation
New buttons have been added to facilitate navigation to previous and next headings without returning to the seach prompt when browsing bib records linked to a heading. The related staff interface is: Search the Catalog > Browse

Holdings Maintenance & Item Attributes Editor Angular Port
This handout covers the rewrite of the Holdings Maintenance Editor interface. The rewrite introduces a few changes to display, functionality, navigation, and optional preferences.

MARC Batch Import/Export Separate Edit Date
A new field for "Update Bib Edit" Date has been added to Vandelay Merge/Overlay Profiles as an option separate from the existing "Update Bib Source".
Circulation
Granular Control of how to use Price and Acquisition Cost to determine Item Value
Customization using two new library settings will now allow for the use of acquisitions cost in lieu of price for items in various contexts including, but not limited, to "lost" items. Use is optional. By default, the price field in considered.

Holds Pull List ported to Angular with new Library Selector
The Holds Pulls List interface has been rewritten for the Angular platform. The rewrite introduces a new library/org unit selector to allow staff to view the pul list for any library where they have appropriate permissions.

New Hold Stalling Library Settings
A new pair of library settings now available to support pickup library-based hold stalling. 

New Patron Triggered Events Log & New Item Triggered Events Log
Triggered events logs for both patron and items have been rewritten for the Angular platform with separate tabs for Circulations and Holds. Reimplementation of triggered events logs includes supporting infrastructure for speedier results with large datasets. Triggered events logs are accessible from the following locations:  Patron Record > Other  and Item Status > Detail View or List View.

Override Dialogs
This new development reworks the override action dialogs in the patron display for Check Out and Items Out and in the Circulation > Renew Items Interface. The new dialogs are presented as checkboxes to give staff more control over which events are auto-forced or skipped upon subsequent encounters of triggers requiring an override. The Cancel action can also now be applied once to abort all remaining renewals in the batch.

Patron Password Reset Email
The patron record editor now has a button to send a password reset email to a patron provided the patron has a valid email on their record.

Photo URL
Editing of the patron's photo URL can now be done in the staff interface on the patron registration and edit screen. A new permission controls the ability to actually edit the field.

Void Deposit Billing at Checkin
A new library setting called "Void item deposit fee on checkin" can be enabled to cause items that have deposit billings to be automatically voided upon checkin. The new library setting is not enabled by default.
Client
Angular Grids "Manage Actions Menu"
Angular grid displays now have a "Manage Actions Menu" configuration action that allows staff to control which actions are displayed on the context menu for that grid view.

Consolidated Patron Notes, Alerts, and Message
This handout covers the newly reworked interface where patron notes, messages, alert messages, and standing penalties have all been folded into one Notes Tab on the patron record. 

Staff Catalog Search Filters
A new library setting called "Staff Catalog Search Filters" can be used to customize the list of search filters that are available on the Angular staff catalog advanced search form.
Reports
Add Dewey Call Number Blocks and Ranges to Reports
New view added to reporter with links from Call Number to allow display or filter on Dewey 10's or 100's block or call number range. Accessible by following the "Dewey Classification" link from Call Number.

Hold/Copy Ratio Report Source Change
Standardizes how existing Hold/Copy Ratio report sources count holdable copies and adds a new source named "Hold/Copy Ratio per Bib and Home Library" to break out counts by patron home library. Metarecord copies are no longer counted in existing report sources.

More Granular Age Divisions for Reports
Reports now include an option for more detailed age divisions for users based on date of birth

Report Item Statistics View
A new reports source called "Item Statistics View" has been added to provide copy statistics that are not readily available in a single report. 
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To learn more, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.org
SubjectsPlus
This guide was created using SubjectsPlus, an open source content management system for information sharing. Interested in how SubjectsPlus could benefit your organization? Learn more by visiting us at: https://www.equinoxoli.org/products/subjectsplus.
Upgrade Checklists
To assist with planning for an upgrade, the lists below will provide a summary of the new features included in each release and the default nature of their availability. Many features in new releases are optional. Some are enabled by the addition of new staff permission groups or new library settings. Notes are provided here to indicate whether a new feature is enabled by default and to identify associated configuration details. For full descriptions of new features, see the individual tabs for each Evergreen release.

PDF versions of the checklists are available for printing:  3.7 Checklist and 3.8 Checklist
Evergreen 3.7
Module
Feature
Default Availability
Administration Single Sign On Requires third-party interface
Architecture Block Login of Expired Staff Accounts Not enabled by default; requires use of new global flag
Cataloging Publisher Catalog Display Includes 264 Tag Requires reingest - included in upgrade scripts
Circulation Allow Circulation Renewal for Expired Patrons Not enabled by default; uses new library setting
Circulation Hold Groups Available after upgrade with new staff permission and new library setting
Circulation Opt-In Setting for Overdue and Predue Emails Not enabled by default; requires update to notification action trigger
Circulation Scan Item as Missing Pieces Ported to Angular Rewritten interface ready for use
OPAC Consistent Ordering for Carousels Available - no additional configuration required
OPAC Default Public Catalog to Bootstrap (BOOPAC) A test Bootstrap OPAC may be provided for review of catalog conversion; requires updates to each individual OPAC within a consortium
OPAC “Did You Mean?” Single Word Search Suggestions Dictionary generation and other necessary configuration included in upgrade
OPAC Library Groups Available after upgrade with new staff permission
OPAC Sort Holdings by Geographic Proximity Requires third-party interface
  
Evergreen 3.8
Module
Feature
Default Availability
Acquisitions Angular Rewrite of Acquisitions Admin Interfaces Rewritten interfaces ready for use
Administration Case Insensitive Browse Entries Not enabled by default; requires bib record reingest
Cataloging Bibliographic Record Notes Available after upgrade with new staff permissions
Cataloging Browse Heading Navigation Available - no additional configuration required
Cataloging Holdings Maintenance & Item Editor Angular Port Rewritten interface ready for use
Cataloging MARC Batch Import/Export Separate Edit Date Available after upgrade
Circulation Granular Control of Price & Acq Cost for Item Value Available after upgrade with new library settings
Circulation Holds Pull List ported to Angular with Library Selector Rewritten interface ready for use
Circulation New Hold stalling library settings Not enabled by default; uses new library settings
Circulation New Triggered Events Log for Patrons and Items Rewritten interface ready for use
Circulation Override Dialogs Available - no additional configuration required
Circulation Patron password reset email Available - no additional configuration required
Circulation Photo URL Requires third-party interface to store images
Circulation Void Deposit Billing at Check-In Not enabled by default; uses new library setting
Client Angular Grids Manage Actions Menu Available - no additional configuration required
Client Consolidated Patron Notes, Alerts, and Messages Available after upgrade; upgrade scripts will backup existing notes
Client Staff Catalog Search Filters Available after upgrade with new library setting
Reports Add Dewey Call Number Blocks & Ranges to Reports Available - no additional configuration required
Reports Hold/Copy Ratio Report Source Changes Reports using this source will be identified & updated
Reports More Granular Age Divisions for Reports Available - no additional configuration required
Reports Reporter Item Statistics View Upgrade scripts will create new view in database

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