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    How to replicate the original Primo page using the Viewit URL information?

    • Product: Alma

    Question

    We have been reported of a broken link, but the our "report a problem" service is only providing us the URL of the Viewit frame.

    In order to investigate the issue, we would like to access the same Primo Page that was viewed by the patron.

    How to replicate the original Primo page using the Viewit URL information?

    Answer

    In most cases, the Viewit URL holds information that can help you replicate the original Primo page.

    Queries from Primo to Alma are created by three main resources:

    1. Alma Records
    2. Primo Central records
    3. Queries from third-party databases directed to the Services Page

     

    Here are some examples for how each one of the resources can be replicated by using the Viewit URL information (Note: these examples are not active).

    Alma Record:

    The Viewit URL will include the  rfr_id and rft_dat attributes.

    For example:

    rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-01EXL_ALMA

    rft_dat=ie=01EXL_INST:51865997650002766,language=eng,view=01EXL_MAIN

    Steps:

    1. Take the reference ID [yellow] and add to the rft_dat number [green]:

    01UODE_ALMA51865997650002766

    1. Search Primo for 01UODE_ALMA51865997650002766 – The original Primo page will be found

     

    Primo Central Record (works the same as Alma records):

    rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-medline

    rft_dat=ie=<medline>12159912</medline>,language=eng,view=01EXL_MAIN

    Steps:

    1. Take the reference ID [yellow] and add to the rft_dat number [green]:

    medline12159912

    1. Search Primo for medline12159912 – The original Primo page will be found

     

    URL from third-party database:

    This query is used when the patron is searching for the title in a third-party database such as Google Scholar, Proquest, Ebsco, Ovid etc. and clicking the ‘find it’ link. The links generates a URL query for the Primo Services page.

    In this case, the services page will first make an initial query to Alma, based on the metadata received in the URL.

    Alma will then respond with availability indication and other enrichment data, so the Viewit URL will be enriched with more data. In some cases the ISSN of the viewit URL may be changed (depends on the metadata of the available inventory in Alma), so in this case it is better to rely on the article's unique identifiers such as atitle and DOI:

    Steps:

    1. Identify that the query was sent from the Services Page. The URL should contain the attribute isServicesPage=true.
    2. Identify the third-party database. The database name is included in the rfr_id attribute. Example: rfr_id=EBSCO:Business%20Source%20Complete
    3. Search the third-party database for the article’s unique identifiers such as atitle or DOI.
    4. Find the article and click the ‘Find it’ link - The original Primo page will be found

     


    • Article last edited: 22-May-2018