Aeon is a request and workflow management software, licensed by Atlas Systems. If your institution is using Aeon, you can embed a "Request Item" button in your Calisphere objects. Users clicking on the button can then log into your Aeon system, and send requests pertaining to the digital object (reference questions, photoduplication orders, etc.).
For an example of the integration, check out the UC Berkeley Bancroft Library's collections in Calisphere.
How does it work?
The "Request Item" button in Calisphere integrates with Aeon through OpenURL: a way of encoding resource metadata into a URL.
To enable Aeon integrations with your collections in Calisphere, we will need to work with your Aeon representative to configure your OpenURL Mapping. This mapping configuration will ensure that the information that Calisphere sends through the "Request Item" button is correctly mapped and represented in the order form that populates in your organization's Aeon system.
How do we get started?
Your Aeon representative will need to configure your Aeon OpenURL mapping with Calisphere.
Here's a template message you can send them:
Dear Aeon representative, My organization works with Calisphere to contribute digital collections. We would like to integrate our Calisphere collections with Aeon, so that users can request reproductions through an "Order Item" button. Can you help us set up the OpenURL mapping for requests that come from Calisphere? The fields that need to be mapped include:
The Calisphere team will need a base URL that will be applied at the repository level for our collections. If needed, they can share an example of a base URL of Calisphere collections that are already integrated with Aeon. |
What metadata fields are included in the OpenURL mapping?
The base URL will pull information from the associated metadata fields in the Calisphere item record.
| Calisphere metadata field | Aeon mapping |
| Identifier | map to 'CallNumber' |
| Collection (name): Title (of the item record) | map to 'rft.title' |
| Title (of the item record) | map to 'ItemInfo1' |
Can we test it out before going live?
Of course! Once your Aeon representative has set up your OpenURL mapping and prepared a base URL, please contact us with that information. If your organization has multiple repositories, please also identify which of your repositories should offer the "Reques Item' option. We'll activate this button on our -test site. Once we receive your approval, we can make sure this button is represented on the production site.