New journals platform – FAQs

1. General

Why is the Microbiology Society upgrading to a new platform? How will my library and my users benefit?

We want to give all visitors to microbiologyresearch.org the best possible user experience. With this in mind we are upgrading our platform to offer a crisp and uncluttered look and feel using responsive design to deliver a great user experience on all devices.

When is the launch of the new platform?

We have scheduled the release of the upgraded microbiologyresearch.org platform for August 2019, with new functionality coming on stream later in 2019.

How will URLs be affected? Is there anything I need to do to ensure continuity?

The platform URL remains microbologyresearch.org.

While many URLs will change when we migrate, we will put in place a comprehensive set of redirects that will persist for the lifetime of the platform, so there should be no interruption in service. If you currently link out to any of our journal subdomains we recommend that you update links out to microbiologyresearch.org to optimize user experience.

Will there be any changes to DOIs?

All DOIs will remain the same. We will reregister our DOIs with Crossref to point to the URLs on the new platform.

How will access be affected? Is there anything I need to do to ensure continuity?

Find more information in this section: Access and authentication.

Which browsers will be supported?

We support current versions of the following browsers on Windows, Macintosh, Android and iOS platforms:

Internet Explorer / Edge
Firefox (Mozilla)
Safari
Google Chrome

All pages function appropriately using any of the browsers referenced above. Please keep in mind that no two browsers (or two versions of the same browser) will display pages the same way.

Will the platform meet global accessibility standards?

We have aimed for WCAG 2.0 AA compliance with the Web Accessibility Initiative recommendations (WAI) and compliance with Section 508 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Can I use the platform on mobile devices?

The platform is designed to be used on all devices: desktop, tablet and mobile phones.

Can I use the platform with cookies or JavaScript disabled?

We recommend leaving cookies in place for the best possible user experience. Access to the site is possible with either cookies or JavaScript disabled, though some functions and content may not be available.

Who can I contact if I have a question about the impact to my library?

Please contact our team via email at [email protected].

How do I stay up-to-date about what and when changes will occur?

This page will be updated during the year and we will send communications to libraries and to the microbiology community whenever relevant.

What training material will be available for librarians and administrators?

The platform will have a dedicated Help and FAQ section for end users of the platform.

2. Migration

Which changes, if any, will be experienced during the migration period? Will there be any interruption of service?

Our aim is to deliver a seamless transition to the upgraded platform, for you and your users. No disruption in service is expected.

What is the migration timeline? What are the plans for a parallel run?

We will be migrating during August 2019 following extensive testing by the Microbiology Society team and a period of secure, private parallel running. As this is an upgrade, not a new platform, we do not plan to offer a public parallel run. As we move closer to the upgrade date we will be communicating with each subscribing library to provide more detailed timeline information.

How will knowledge bases and discoverability services be affected? Do I need to do anything about this?

Although all current URLs will be redirected to the new platform, it will be useful to make updates to URLs used in library catalogues, discovery tools, and hyperlinks to enhance user experience. Please rest assured that we are working closely with our discovery partners to ensure they are prepared for any changes because of our new platform and will ensure that any implications of these are communicated to you. Discovery partners will be aware of what our institutional customers have been told about the new platform and when, and so will have a complete picture of how the implementation of the new platform may affect them.

Will Table of Contents alerts and RSS feeds still be available?

Both Table of Contents alerts and RSS feeds will still be available. We are migrating the subscriber lists for Table of Contents alerts, but users of RSS fees will need to re-establish their feeds after the upgrade.

3. Access and authentication

What do I need to do to ensure seamless access for my users?

We will prepare a concise migration checklist before we upgrade, and all your current subscriptions including trial access will be migrated to the new platform.

What authentication methods do you support for end users?

The platform will continue to support login with IP authentication. We will also be offering Shibboleth and OpenAthens support from 2020.

Is there anything I need to do about my institutions IP ranges?

Your current IP ranges will be migrated to the new platform. You will be able to see your IP ranges in the Admin portal. If you need to update your IP ranges, please do so through the IPRegistry.

Will I need to update my EZproxy stanzas?

The current Microbiology Society stanza from OCLC (help.oclc.org/Library_Management/EZproxy/Database_stanzas/Microbiology_Society_Journals) already lists the correct information for our upgraded microbiologyresearch.org. By consolidating the existing sub-domains, our stanza should become simpler. We are working with OCLC to test this, and will update this page when more information is available.

Will the new platform be secure via HTTPS?

Yes, we are using HTTPS. This means all communications between your browser and the website are encrypted.

4. Admin Portal

If I have an admin account already, will there be any changes to how I access or manage my admin account?

All library admin accounts will be migrated. Your admin account will change slightly. The e-mail address associated with the current library admin account will function as the username for your library admin account on the new platform. You will be able to activate your account by performing a 'password forgotten' routine. Be assured that we will communicate this directly to you when this becomes relevant.

If I don't have an admin account yet, how can I create one?

If your institution subscribes to our journals and your institution has no admin account, please contact our team at [email protected].

Can my institution have more than one administrator registered?

The admin portal of the new platform requires one institutional administrator. This institutional administrator will be able to add a variety of admin roles to the institutional account.

What can library administrators do with their account?

The account will give you access to the admin portal. The admin portal will allow users to see all holdings and download COUNTER reports, add colleagues to admin roles. All settings with regard to access (IP ranges, usernames, Shibboleth settings) as well as link resolvers settings can be seen here.

How do I see which resources my institution has access to?

Once you are logged as an institutional administrator you will have access to the new admin portal. The portal will show you all holdings your institution has access to.

Will there be any changes to usage reports on the new platform?

Libraries will retain access to their existing reports, including COUNTER reports, in the Admin portal.