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ReShare Configuration Guide

This guide provides an overview of the process of setting up a new ReShare tenant and preparing it to interact with other tenants on the network and local library management systems.

These instructions are intended for sites planning to host their own ReShare environment versus sites whose ReShare environments will be hosted by a certified service provider.

Install the ReShare software

To begin using ReShare, you must create a ReShare environment by installing the software and creating a tenant for each library in the resource sharing network.

Configure directory entries

Each ReShare tenant requires a directory entry to function properly within the resource sharing network. New tenants should begin by creating a root directory entry and at least one branch entry representing a pickup location.

Configure shared inventory

ReShare works with the shared inventory app to provide bibliographic metadata and holdings information. You must populate the shared index settings to ensure that ReShare can access the data it needs.

Configure library management system integrations

ReShare uses NCIP, Z39.50, and other protocols to provide integrations with a tenant’s library management system (LMS). Each LMS must be configured slightly differently. Please see the linked documentation for your LMS for more details.

Configure request defaults

You can find this setting by navigating to Settings>Resource Sharing>Request defaults

Request ID prefix

Requests in ReShare are assigned a shared identifier that is used by the requester and supplier. This ID is given a prefix that makes it unique within both tenants. It is recommended that you use the symbol of the requesting institution, followed by a dash, as the request ID prefix.

Example: “NJSOOS-”

Default institutional patron ID

ReShare supports a default institutional patron ID. This will be used for check out if there is no institution-specific ID available. The default institutional patron ID is a required field for the check out item service.

(Note that Alma does not use an institutional patron ID for check outs. Alma libraries can populate the default institutional ID with a “-” character.)

To set up:

  1. Navigate to Settings>Resource sharing>Request defaults

  2. Populate the “Default institutional patron ID” field with the barcode of your default patron account.

  3. Save.

Review additional settings

The settings described in this guide represent the minimum configuration required for the system to work. There are additional settings available to support additional ReShare features and customizations. Please see the appropriate settings page for more information.

Configure OpenURL

ReShare only accepts requests via OpenURL at this time. (Support for manual request creation is coming soon.) To submit requests to the system, you will need to configure an OpenURL resolver that has access to the required metadata for successful request creation. This is best accomplished as part of a discovery layer that has access to metadata in your ReShare shared inventory.

 

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