January 28, 2011
Dear Colleague,
I'm writing to update you on the all-new ProQuest platform.
We have heard from you that you wanted to preview the platform prior to its live debut with users and to be in control of your own migration date. Previews and early migrations are giving us a wealth of direct feedback that's enabling us to focus on important refinements to the platform... refinements that will allow this important initiative to meet your high standards for performance, and ours.
Many libraries have already successfully migrated to the new platform. At the same time, some items have arisen that may or may not affect you. If you are still in the planning stage, I encourage you to schedule your migration when the products and features most important to your library are fully ready. In the weeks ahead, I'll be updating you on the completion of:
- MLA International Bibliography, RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, International Bibliography of Art (IBA), and ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times with Index
- One Click® for Illumina databases. If your institution does not depend on One Click®, you can use a link resolver to link to full-text resources now and can migrate to the new platform at any time. For your reference, a list of Illumina databases is archived at http://www.proquest.com/go/dbsupported
- Further auto-redirect solutions for linking into the new platform. If you are an Athens user, please click on this link for more information at http://www.proquest.com/go/athensredirect
- Linking functionality with Ex Libris products. If you subscribe to Ex Libris SFX, Primo and/or MetaLib, please visit http://support.exlibrisgroup.com
If any of these are critical to your library's service, I recommend scheduling your migration after you hear from me.
Work continues on many fronts, including upcoming enhancements based on feedback from the front lines of libraries. For example:
- Results will display faster with our new approach to displaying thumbnail images
- PDF images will be optimized so that users can see an entire standard-sized PDF page without having to scroll within Adobe Reader
- Articles from our Historical Newspapers will open at 150% to increase readability
- Database start pages will have more images to bring context to content for users
- Multiple enhancements to the Search Results page for improved filtering of results
Additional Support
We're here to help! We have dedicated support teams to answer your questions and provide assistance in walking through items related to the migration. We want to ensure that you have a positive experience when rolling out the new platform to your users and can help you plan a successful transition. Please contact us when you are ready to plan your migration:
- For personal assistance, visit http://www.proquest.com/go/migrate and click on the Contact Support tab.
- ProQuest Technical Support: http://www.proquest.com/go/contactsupport
- New ProQuest platform support tools: http://www.proquest.com/go/migrationsupport
As we continue to communicate on platform developments, I thank you for your involvement in this essential initiative. Know that my team and I are committed to ongoing communication with you as we advance the platform together.
Sincerely,
Tim Babbitt
Senior Vice President
ProQuest Platforms
The ProQuest Platform Endeavor
Libraries face a challenging future trying to stay relevant with users who are bombarded with new information options. The simplicity and allure of the open web puts constant pressure on library technology to keep pace. As firm believers in the role of libraries in research, we are committed to working in partnership with them on revolutionary responses that modernize the user experience.The path to this vision may require some adjustments as new possibilities emerge, but our ultimate destination is vital: the creation of a platform that allows continual delivery of technological innovation to accelerate research.
