Library Services will be launching a new library management system and discovery platform in March 2026. This will replace multiple legacy systems and offer a simplified and modern user experience, for both staff and students.
We will replace the current Library Services Platform products, Sierra and Encore, for new products, Alma and Primo.
Replacing the systems offers us the opportunity to provide an intuitive search platform, Primo, for students and staff to search, find, and access library resources easily, and which meet accessibility requirements. The administrative staff facing side, Alma, will allow us to provide better insight into engagement of resources and will enable better tracking of subscriptions, licences and usage data.
Our current Library Search product, Encore, is going out of full support in December 2025, and therefore we need to migrate to a reliable, supported and secure platform.
We are currently building and testing the new systems and aim to go live mid-March 2026.
There will be a pause for academic staff requesting purchasing of new print items. Requests should be submitted by 5 January 2026.
Training on how to use the new Library Search will be advertised closer to the launch date.
There will be minimal impact to users wishing to request, loan and return print items within the collections. However, there will be some cutover arrangements in place, these will be communicated closer to the launch date.
Whilst there will be minimal downtime to accessing resources online, all Queen Mary staff and students are entitled to free membership of Senate House, at any time of the year. This enables you to access their library study spaces, borrow books and use their online resources. Information available here: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/library/finding-resources/using-other-libraries/
Important project updates will be delivered via University wide emails and via Library news items, available here https://www.qmul.ac.uk/library/library-news/
If you have any questions or feedback, please contact the Project Lead, Sarah Maule s.maule@qmul.ac.uk or library@qmul.ac.uk