Get help with LibGuides, CMS, & E-Reserves

The LibGuides A-Z Database List provides a powerful interface for your patrons to browse, sort, search, and share your library's research databases. Behind the scenes, it also gives you a bunch of helpful tools to make managing your databases easier than ever before:

• Organize and filter databases by subject category, vendor, attributes, flags, and more.
• Improve search results by adding alternative names, keywords, and common misspellings to databases.
• Help users critically evaluate resources by adding descriptions and librarian reviews.
• Profile your new, trial, and popular databases to improve discovery.
• Highlight what is important to you and your patrons by utilizing custom flags and fields.
• Inform users of permitted uses and available access modes for each resource.
• Hide individual databases from your public A-Z Database List.
• Add internal notes and login credentials to log important information or reminders for individual databases.

Who can add & manage databases?

Unlike your LibGuides assets library (Content > Assets), the AZ List Management can only be managed by the following users:

• Admin users
• Regular users with the Manage Assets permission (CMS only)

Although all other users can reuse databases in their guides, they cannot add or edit them.

Browse, view, and manage your databases

To view and manage your databases, select AZ List Management (Beta) from the Content menu. On the Database List page, you can:

1. Use the Search & Filter options on the right-hand side of the page to filter your database list using a variety of fields.
   • Additional filters are available by expanding the Advanced Filters panel.
2. Click on any subject in the Subjects column to jump to the setup and management of that subject's associated databases and best bets.
3. Click on the number for a database in the Mapping Count column to open the Show Associated Guides modal to see the guides where the database has been added.
4. Click on a database's QuickView () icon to have a brief overview of a database's details appear at the top of the page
5. Click on a database's Edit Database () icon to edit an individual database.
6. Click on a database's Delete Database () icon to delete it from your system.
7. Use the Preview New AZ List to view the public page for your databases.
8. Click the + Add Database button to add a new database.

Add a new database

1. From the Content dropdown, select AZ List Management (Beta).

2. On the Database List page, click the + Add Database button to open the New Database page.
   • When finished, click the Add button at the top or bottom of the page.

The Customize a database's settings section below will guide you through all of the available database options, which are grouped as follows:

• General database information: Name, URL, alternate name(s), keywords & misspellings, description, & friendly URL.
• Metadata for public page filtering: Vendor, types, associated subjects, and best bets.
• Attributes: New, trial, popular, and custom flags.
• Thumbnail images
• Additional database information: More info field, librarian review, custom fields, and access modes.
• Management options: Internal note, owner, and login credentials.
• Resource icons
• Permitted uses

Customize a database's settings

When adding or editing a database, you can customize the following settings from the Add/Edit Database page. (To make these easier to browse, we've grouped these below to provide some context.)

General database information

1. Public Database Display: Set this option to "Hide in AZ" to prevent the database from displaying on your public A-Z Database List.
   • This is helpful if the database trial has ended, or you cancel a subscription but want to retain the database information in case you subscribe in the future.
2. Database Name: Enter the name of the database to be used wherever the database is displayed.
3. Database URL: Enter the full URL of the database.
   • If you use a proxy server that prepends your proxy URL to the database URL (like EZProxy), we do not recommend including your proxy URL in the Database URL field.
     • Instead, add your proxy URL to your LibGuides System Settings (under Proxy & Library Systems), and set the Use Proxy option to Yes for the database.
   • If you use a proxy such as WAM, where the proxy address is included inside the database URL, then the Use Proxy option will not work for you.
     • In that case, you will want to use the proxied URL in the Database URL field.
4. Use Proxy?: Set the Use Proxy setting to Yes if proxy authentication is required to view the database.
   • When active, LibGuides will automatically prepend your proxy URL to the link URL.
   • Note: This requires an Admin to provide your library's proxy URL in your LibGuides system settings.
5. Alternate Names: Enter any additional names that your staff and patrons may use to identify the database.
   • These can aid in searching for the database, will display on the public A-Z Database List page, and can be helpful if a database is referred to by different names or abbreviations.
6. Keywords & Misspellings: Add any keywords and common misspellings that might be entered by a patron when they search for the database.
   • For example, if you subscribe to JSTOR, you might enter "JSTORE" as a misspelling.
   • These are indexed for searching and are not displayed on the public A-Z Database List page.
7. Database Description: Enter a public description for this database.
   • Note: If a database has a longer description, only the first three lines will be displayed on the public A-Z Database List page.
     • The database's full description will always display on its individual landing page and in any guides where the asset has been added.
8. Friendly URL: Enter an optional friendly URL for the database.
   • Because some database URLs can be lengthy and difficult to read, you can create a shortened, user-friendly URL that you can more easily share and bookmark.
   • The friendly URL will also serve as a stable URL—even if you need to update the database's URL in the future, the same friendly URL can be used to access it.
   • Friendly URLs can contain letters, numbers, underscores, and hyphens. For best results, we recommend using lowercase letters.

Metadata for public page filtering

1. Vendor: Select the vendor for the database.
   • Vendors are added and managed from the Vendors page.
2. Types: Select one or more database type(s) for the database.
   • Types allow you to organize similar databases together to help you easily identify your full-text databases, ebook platforms, etc.
   • Types are added and managed from the Settings > Metadata > Types tab.
3. Associated Subjects: Assign this database to one or more subjects. If you plan on setting the subject as a Best Bet, you must first associate the subject with the database.
   • When a user filters the A-Z List by these subjects, the database will be listed below any assigned Best Bets.
   • The database will also be listed on the Subjects landing page for any assigned subjects.
   • Subject associations can also be managed from the Subjects page from the sidebar.
4. Best Bets: Assign your database as a Best Bet for one or more subjects. Only subjects that have been set as associated subjects will be available for selection.
   • When a user filters the A-Z List by this subject, the assigned Best Bets will be highlighted at the top of the list.
   • The database will also be listed on the Subjects landing page for any assigned subjects.
   • Subject associations can also be managed from the Subjects page from the sidebar.

Attributes

1. New Resource: Select this checkbox to include a "New" flag next to the database's name on the public A-Z page and on the database's individual landing page.
   • When this flag is selected the database will automatically appear in the New / Trial Databases box on the public A-Z Database List.
   • Set an Expires date for the flag to have it automatically removed from the database after the selected date.
2. Trial Resource: Select this checkbox to include a "Trial" flag next to the database's name on the public A-Z page and on the database's individual landing page.
   • When this flag is selected the database will automatically appear in the New / Trial Databases box on the public A-Z Database List.
   • Set an Expires date for the flag to have it automatically removed from the database after the selected date.
     • And select the Hide from public view on expiration to have the database automatically set to Hidden and removed from all public pages once the expiration date passes.
3. Popular Resource: Select this checkbox to include a "Popular" flag next to the database's name on the public A-Z page and on the database's individual landing page.
   • When this flag is selected the database will automatically appear in the Popular Databases box on the public A-Z Database List.
4. Custom Flags: Use the Flags dropdown to assign one or more of your custom flags to the database.
   • Any flags that are selected will be displayed next to the database's name on the public A-Z page and on the database's individual landing page.
   • Flags are added and managed from the Settings > Metadata > Flags tab.

Adding thumbnail images to a database

1. Thumbnail URL: Use this field to display a thumbnail image (such as a logo) next to the database's name.
   • Click the Browse Image Manager button to upload or select an image from your Image Manager library.
   • Use the Thumbnail Alt Text field to set the Alt Text for the image.

Additional database information

1. More Info: Enter additional, auxiliary details about the database in this field.
   • Users will see this information displayed on the database's individual landing page.
   • When added to a guide it will display via a More Info link below the database's primary description.
2. Librarian Review: Add a brief, personalized review of the database to share with patrons.
   • This can help you share a more subjective review of the database with your patrons, in addition to the database's overall description.
   • Librarian reviews will display on the public A-Z Database List and on the database's individual landing page.
   • Reviews will not show for a database asset that has been added to a guide.
3. Custom Fields: When custom fields have been set up, you can enter details into any, or all, of the available fields to convey additional information about the database.
   • When a field has been filled out, it will be displayed on the database's individual landing page.
     • Any fields that are left blank will not be displayed publicly for the database.
   • Custom fields are added and managed from the Settings > Metadata > Custom Fields tab.
   • Custom fields are only available with LibGuides CMS.
4. Access Modes: Select one or more of your custom access modes to define the specific access options/restrictions that are in place for the database.
   • Any access modes that are assigned to the database will be displayed on the database's individual landing page.
   • Access modes are added and managed from the Settings > Metadata > Access Modes tab.

Management options

1. Internal Note: Use this field to store important information about the database that your staff should be aware of, such as expiration dates, vendor contact information, internal-only feedback, etc.
   • These notes do not appear on the public A-Z list.
2. Owner: Use the dropdown to set the ownership of the database asset.
3. Login Credentials: This section is used to store the various login credentials for each database to help you more easily organize and manage the login information for your databases, such as admin logins, stats logins, etc.
   • Click the Select Login Credentials link to choose from the types that have been added to your system.
     • For each credential type, enter the corresponding URL, Login Name, Password, and any Notes.
   • These do not appear on the public A-Z list—they are only visible when editing the database.
   • Login credential types are added and managed from the Settings > Metadata > Login Credential Types tab.

Resource icons

1. Resource Icons: Optionally, you can assign one or more of your system's resource icons to your database.
   • Click on the Select Icons link to select the icons to use.
     • Note: When selecting icons to use, you can choose to override and add a custom URL that will be accessed when the icon is clicked by a patron.
   • Any icons that are selected will be displayed next to the database's name on the public A-Z page, on the database's individual landing page, and on any guides where the database asset has been added.
   • Icons are added and managed from the Content > Assets > Icons tab.

Permitted uses

1. Permitted Uses: Use the dropdown fields in this panel to define the license permissions for the database for your patrons.
   • Any permitted uses that are selected for the database will display on the public A-Z Database List and on the database's individual landing page to allow your patrons to quickly look up a database's permissions.
     • Any fields that are left blank will not be displayed publicly.
   • Permitted uses are added and managed from the Settings > Permitted Uses page.

Report an issue with a database

If you need to make your patrons (and staff) aware of an ongoing issue with a specific database, you can use the Report Issue feature to add a temporary alert message to the database. When the Report Issue is active, the message will be displayed on the public A-Z Database List, the database's individual landing page, when editing the database, and when viewing the QuickView for the database from the AZ List Management page.

To report an issue with a database

1. From the Content dropdown, select AZ List Management (Beta).

2. On the Database List page, locate the database and click its Edit Database () icon to edit the database.

3. On the Edit Database page, click the Report Issue button at the top of the page.

4. On the Report Issue modal, enter the Issue Title.
   • This will be used as the title of the alert message shown to patrons and staff.
5. Enter the Issue Description.
6. Click Submit.
7. After submitting, click the Save button on the Edit Database page.
   • Once the edit has been saved, the alert message will be displayed for the database.

To clear an issue with a database

Once the issue with the database has been resolved you can remove the issue from the database.

1. While editing the database, click the Edit / Clear Issue button at the top of the Edit Database page.

2. On the Report Issue modal, click the Clear Issue button to remove the issue's title and description.
3. Click the Save button on the Edit Database page.
   • Once the edit has been saved, the alert message will be removed from the database.

Export your database list

While viewing your database list, you can export your database records by clicking on the Export Records button and choosing an output format. If you've filtered your A-Z list, your export will only include those filtered records. Regardless of which output type you choose, the exported file will include every available field (URL, subjects, etc.) for each database.

You can export to:

• HTML
• CSV
• TEMPLATE: Will give you an export in the same format as the template used for importing databases, allowing you to more easily update your databases in bulk.
  • Note: Importing/updating databases is not currently available from the new AZ List Management page. Please use the legacy A-Z Database List page for importing and updating in bulk.