ProQuest regularly enhances and streamlines products that improve the research lifecycle – delivering remarkable content to users while simplifying the workload for your library.

Now, we’re making important changes to simplify many of our databases. This means that libraries are moving to an upgraded, streamlined set of databases upon 2017 renewals. Exact changes for individual institutions are shown on renewal notices.

A simplified subscription database portfolio offers many benefits:

• An improved experience for users - connecting ProQuest databases with research interests and teaching curriculum is simpler than ever.
• Faster renewal management and reduced administration.
• Curated content sets will offer more content, meaning better return on investment.
• Clear, consistent names, making it easier to manage and work with our products.
• New: Direct linking to key publications, popular content sets, and specialized content that advanced researchers focus on.

New database names and configuration appear on your renewal notices. All links will redirect, but your library should update Discovery Services and Link Resolvers at any convenient time between renewal and the end of the year...

 

Library Checklist for Upgrades: Three Essential Changes

 

1. Discovery – You should be able to see the new products in your discovery service — we’ve been working with partners to enable them in their systems. You will need to de-select the existing products in your discovery service and select the new ones instead. The names you see once you log into the ProQuest platform are now identical to the names you need to select on your discovery service.
2. Link resolvers – The same as with your discovery services, you will need to de-select the existing products from your administrator system and select the new ones instead.
3. Usage reports – Usage for the old products will remain available. To calculate the total usage for a particular product for the whole year, add up the usage from the old and the new product(s). Where there are two or more databases merging into one, include all the legacy databases.

For help with any of these steps, contact our support team.

 

You may need to review (Subject to your current setup choices)

 

Custom database links – Redirects will be in place when you upgrade to the new products. Replace old database links on your website, reading lists, etc. with new ones — this article shows how.

Proxy – Libraries with proxy servers should ideally enter entries at the platform level (example). If it is in place, no changes are needed. If not, contact ProQuest support.

MARC records – If you have set up automatic delivery of MARC records, you will get a set of updated records once you access the new, upgraded products. Otherwise, you can request a complete set of MARC records from the ProQuest Administrator Module, which includes relevant added/deleted/changed records. Log into your PAM account using your ProQuest administrator username/password. (Forget or misplace your username/password? Contact customer service).

Custom subject verticals – If you have set up custom subject verticals through ProQuest Administrator Module (PAM), you can revise it to ensure that the new products are added to the relevant verticals. Find information in the PAM User Guide.

Custom sort order per database – If you have set up custom sort order at the database level through PAM for any of the databases that are being discontinued, you can add custom sort order for the new databases. Find information in the PAM User Guide.

Widgets – If you have created ProQuest widgets for your library website or LibGuides that include specific databases only, revise the widget to reflect the new databases.

 

Your patrons may wish to check

 

Database shortcuts – If patrons have set up database shortcuts through My Research, they might have to revise them to add any of the new products to any of them.

Alerts/RSS feeds – If a user has set up alerts at a product level and the product is migrating to a different one, the user needs to create a new alert.

Bookmarked documents – If patrons have bookmarked a document from a database, that link will continue to take them to the same document (possibly on the new product).

 

FAQs on Subscription Database Upgrades

 

Question: I used to be able to search a particular database directly, but now it’s gone. What do I do? I noticed that some products I’m used to searching are no longer available.

Answer: In most cases your upgrade will mean that you are getting access to a wider set of content, so we recommend that you search the new products. However, even if the existing products won't be available as standalone databases anymore, in some cases you will still be able to search and link to the content set – for example, customers upgrading to Earth, Atmospheric & Aquatic Science Database can continue to link to and search Aqualine. Contact our support team with product questions.

Question: If products are no longer available on their own, what happens to the saved searches and alerts?

Answer: In a small number of cases, saved searches will no longer be available. For other cases they will still work and retrieve results. Contact our support team to learn which saved searches will be affected.