Pierce’s library is in the process of moving to a new online platform called Primo.
Theater student Peraza Engelbert explained that the old system is confusing.
“People don’t use the current one that much because it’s pretty hard to find things,” Engelbert said. “Hopefully people use the new system more than this one.”
In the past Sirsi was used for book catalogs and Ebsco’s One Search for other online resources.
Library Department Chair Lauren Saslow, who is in charge of overseeing the implementation of the new platform for the entire Los Angeles Community College District, said that the new platform has been in development for the past two and a half years.
“I think everyone would say it’s very stressful right now,” Saslow said. “We have to develop a whole new process. Things that we did a certain way for the last 40 years, we can’t do it that way anymore.”
Saslow explained that students will have an easier time being able to sign in and access the online sources using Primo.
“The login is a little confusing right now, but for the new platform it will use a single sign-in,” Saslow said. “Once you sign into Canvas, you will be automatically signed into the library, the databases and everything else.”
According to Saslow, Primo will present new resources and opportunities for students due to the uniformity of the platform across other community colleges.
“We already share all of our books across the district,” Saslow said. “Ultimately, we are going to be looking at sharing across the California Community College System, and now that we are on the same system as our local CSUs and UCs, there are possibilities to do sharing that way too.”
Pierce College Technology Librarian Clayton Gediman has high hopes for the new system.
“Right away it’s going to work really well, and it will be more user-friendly than our current system,” Gediman said. “I think students are pretty flexible, they just want to be able to get what they need, and I think that they will be able to do that.”
According to Saslow, Primo will be up in December.
