Introducing Alma/Primo

The Colgate University Libraries are preparing for a system migration from our legacy system to a new platform called Alma/Primo VE in summer 2025. The expected go-live date for Alma/Primo VE is July 23, 2025.

Why are we moving to a new system?

The Libraries’ current system, Sierra, was originally developed over thirty years ago, during a time when nearly all library materials were print books and serials. As scholarly publishing and curricular needs have evolved, tools to manage both print and digital resources have become vital. Alma/Primo will allow the Libraries to more seamlessly provide access to all of our resources, regardless of format.

What we currently have

Most Library users interact with two of our systems: Sierra and Summon.  

• Sierra is the “classic catalog,” which you may encounter when checking your library account to renew books, requesting materials from LASR, or viewing more detailed information about print books and serials.  
• Summon is a third-party product that allows users to search the library’s physical holdings, as well most of its online subscriptions.  

Because Sierra and Summon are not tightly integrated, users often have to switch between the two in order to get the resources they need.

How will this affect researchers?

• The Libraries’ primary search interface—the search box on the Libraries’ website—will look different as we switch to the Primo discovery service.
• The following services will move to be handled entirely within Primo:
  • Journal Finder
  • Requesting materials from the stacks and LASR
  • Print Reserves
  • Renewing borrowed materials

What isn’t changing?

• Interlibrary Loan requests will still go through Iliad.
• Users will still be able to go directly to our subscription databases like JSTOR, Web of Science, GALE Primary Sources, etc., to search within them.
• Content currently found in Summon will also be in Primo.  

What do I need to do?

Any links you have saved that go to library.colgate.edu or colgate.summon.serialssolutions.com will no longer work after the transition to Primo on July 23.

Bookmarks

• Links that point to any content on either https://library.colgate.edu or https://colgate.summon.serialssolutions.com/ will cease to work at some point on or after July 23, 2025. Unfortunately, because of how different the new system is from the old, there is no way to simply redirect every link to the correct, specific resource.

• The Libraries suggest anyone who has saved links to either of the two domains take some time to review them prior to July 23 and make sure that, at the very least, they have enough citation information to find the resources again in Primo.

• Zotero can be used to quickly capture and save citation information. (It can even download PDFs of articles and store them locally.)

• Please note that for online materials, like articles and some ebooks, the links on a publisher’s website will usually not work properly from off campus.

• Library faculty and staff will be available to assist anyone who with evaluating links before July 23, as well as with finding new links after the migration.

Saved Searches in Summon

Most users do not have searches saved in Summon. To check if you do, first make sure you are logged into to Summon using the login button on the upper right. Once logged in, look for the “View Saved” link (see screenshot below). If there is no number shown, you have no saved searches.