Releases

Release 1.9

Published on 21 May 2025

New export options

Review request export per package

The corresponding review requests are displayed in the ‘Summary’ tab of the package view. With the new release, it is now possible to export these review requests as a csv file using the ‘Export’ button in order to view them outside of the GOKB and pass them on to providers  if necessary. The ‚Category‘ and ‚Status‘ filters can be used to restrict the output of the list. The following information is output: component name, title_id, pISSN/Print-ISBN, eISSN/ISBN, review request name, review request link, curatory group, date and status.

Export KBART validator result

Another feature is the export of the results of the validation of a KBART file. The output is also in csv format. The file contains information on the Row, Column, Cause and Type (Error, Warning) fields. Export is possible both when importing KBART during package creation using the ‘Export Result’ button and when validating the file using the menu item ‘KBART Validator’. This export can also be used to efficiently notify the creators of the KBART file, e.g. providers, of errors.

Title namespaces differentiated by monograph and serial

For mixed packages, two drop-down lists are displayed for the title_id namespace: one for monographs and one for serial publications such as journals. This takes account of the fact that some providers specify a DOI in the ‘title_id’ field for monographs, but an internal number for journals. These namespaces can be preset on the provider’s details page.

Selection of title names in review requests

Previously, it was very time consuming to change the title name for a review request. This has now been revised. In the review request, you can choose which title name to use as the main title. However, the previous name will be retained as a name variant.

Hide titles in review requests

There have been occasions where some review requests have included unaffected titles, causing confusion during the review process. To make the process easier, these titles can now be hidden by clicking on the small “eye off” icon directly above the tile.

Linking of documentation in review requests

To make it easier to work with review requests, the correct documentation is linked directly from the review request on the GOKB website.

Improved pre-processing of KBART and OAI-PMH documents

For data export as KBART and via the OAI-PMH interface (used by FOLIO ERM, for example), pre-processing has been significantly accelerated, so that the exported data is available sooner after an update. However, the KBART export now also requires the package to have the list status ‘Checked’.

Migration to Grails 6

The Grails framework has been updated to version 6.

Complete overview of changes

A complete overview of all changes can be found in the Github repo of GOKB here and here.

Release Update 1.9.1

The update provides additional functions.

• If changes have not been saved in the GOKB, a pop-up window with a warning will appear when the tab is changed.
• Another new feature is the display of a flag in the ‘Summary’ tab. The AUTO flag appears when a URL has been entered and an automated import or update has been activated.
• Additionally, you can now click the ‘Submit’ button in each tab to save changes.

Release Update 1.9.2

Published on 23 July 2025

Improve sorting of closed review requests

Previously, it was difficult to find closed review requests if they had been created some time ago. To make the searching easier, closed review requests can now be sorted by the date they were last processed. The ‘Last Updated’ column, which can be sorted, has been added to the review request views (dashboard, review request, package view and the full view of the package title).

Preservation search filter for jump with Back button

You can use the browser’s Back button to return to the hit list. The search query filter is retained.

Warning symbol for identifiers for review requests

Review requests have been expanded to provide more clarity on the cause of the review request. If the component identifiers are inconsistent, a warning sign is displayed to indicate the cause of the matching error. This allows more specific checks to be carried out to determine whether it is a duplicate or a correct differentiation of titles (e.g. for a subsequent title).

Extension of the function for differentiated namespaces

Release 1.9 introduced the ability to select different namespaces for the title_id for mixed packages, based on the publication type (serial, monograph). As usual, these can be pre-assigned in the provider view. Whether one or both namespaces are preset during KBART import now depends on the content type of the package. Therefore, we recommend setting this field before the KBART upload. If the content type is not specified, both namespaces will be selected during the KBART upload.

Import approval of large packages

An administrator must authorise the import of particularly large packages (more than 20 MByte for KBART files, or from 30,000 titles when importing from external sources such as we:kb or EZB). Ideally, you should contact the GOKB team in advance to arrange a suitable time for the import. This will help to ensure a smooth process.

Free text field in review requests for editing notes

Review requests now feature a free text field for processing notes. This can be used to provide yourself or other reviewers with notes on more complex issues.

Complete overview of changes

A complete overview of all changes can be found in the Github repo of GOKB here and here.

Published on 29 November 2024

GUI framework Vue version 3

With the update of the GUI framework to the latest version, the front end has been made future-proof and various optimisations have also been made. These changes are not immediately obvious, but have accounted for a large part of the work on the release.

Extension of registration/login

Registration has been completely revised and made more user-friendly. Firstly, there is a drop-down with a selection of the curatory group. This can now be selected independently if it already exists. In the event that the assigned password has been forgotten, a request to reset the password can now be sent directly in the login window via the Forgot password link.

New filter function for test requests and unique URL

The additional search filter for reviews is a new addition. The Component type filter has been added. This requirement came from practice and is aimed at enabling different library areas to explicitly display the review requests to be processed for them. It is possible to filter by reference titles, journals, monographs, etc. Another useful enhancement is that the review requests, which in the past could only be opened as a modal dialogue, can now be opened in a detailed view via the Open Full view button for optimal processing. This view is loaded in a separate tab in the browser window. The URL is unique and can be passed on.

Revision of the review request Import identifier mismatch

When a package is updated and a title identifier is corrected, this review request is triggered, as the GOKB must incorrectly assume that a title has been removed from the package and a new one added. At the same time, the review request is opened to decide whether it is merely a title update or actually a new title. In the first case, there is a new function with which the former title can be corrected.

Repositioning of the curatory group

When editing packages, the curator groups are no longer displayed as a separate panel in the Package properties tab. Instead, there is now a label with the curatory group in the Summary tab. The contact details can be called up by clicking on the name of the curatory group. Also worth mentioning is the addition of the Created on column to the results list display. This allows the list to be sorted according to the most recent packages.

Dialogue window for KBART import

When importing KBART manually, the two options Partial update and Delete removed titles can be folded out under the new item More options. This visual reduction in the dialogue window was made to prevent confusion for users during import. At the package title level, the previous price information area has been removed. This was not used in the past.

Automatic setting of the access start date for initial import deactivated

Previously, for each package title that was included in the GOKB for the first time as part of a package recording, the recording date was counted as the ‘access start date’ if no explicit date was available. This is often a correct estimate for the package history, but is usually incorrect for the first import of a package. For this reason, the date is no longer set automatically when a package is imported for the first time.

Note on changing the URL structure

The URL structure for components has also been adapted with the release. The # character in the original URL, e.g. https://gokb.org/gokb-ui/#/package/[component], is no longer correct. The correct link for components is now https://gokb.org/gokb-ui/[component]. The UUID URLs are not affected by this. We therefore recommend that you always use the persistent UUID URLs when customising saved links.

New interface for importing data from external sources (we:kb) and labelling them

A new feature is the we:kb-GOKB interface. This allows data from the we:kb knowledge base to be automatically transferred to the GOKB at the click of a mouse. When creating a package, the data import is started via the new button Import from external source. A modal dialogue opens in which the data to be transferred is displayed and, if necessary, adjusted to activate the process.

Labelling the origin of packages from external repositories

Packages from other repositories such as we:kb and the EZB are identified by specifying the ‘Import source’ in the package information. This information is also output via the APIs so that it can be filtered in third-party systems.

Complete overview of changes

A complete overview of all changes can be found in the Github repo of GOKB.

Published on 26 January 2024

The central innovations of version 1.7 are the integration of the DDC classification at title and package level and the fact that more views of the GOKB can now be accessed via unique URLs.

Implementation of DDC subject categories

As an innovative and important new feature, the DDC subject categories are now integrated into the GOKB. On the one hand, this is made possible by an automated enrichment of the reference titles of journals and periodicals via the ZDB. On the other hand, the DDC notations can be added manually via a drop-down menu at the package and package title level as well as for the reference titles. Two new fields have been integrated for this data. The options 'Subject' (Type) and 'Value' can be used to filter the search for DDC subject categories. In edit mode, the subject categories can be added under the tab of the same name. With the Edit package title option, the data is selected and saved via the Add button in the field. Multiple assignments are accepted.

Unique URLs

As a further supporting innovation, more views of the GOKB can be accessed via unique URLs, so that you can save the links to specific searches, tabs of the detailed views and package titles as bookmarks or copy and share them. When switching between the tabs of a detailed view, a separate URL is generated for each tab so that users can be taken directly to a tab. In the package, reference title and provider detail view, a code is added to the URL for the individual tab views. The detailed view of a package title is displayed via the Open full view button. A new tab opens in the browser window. This generated URL also leads directly to the title called up. Search queries in the packages, reference titles, review requests, providers and users components also generate a unique URL. The specified parameters are appended in the URL during the search query.

Complete overview of changes

A complete overview of all changes can be found in the Github Repo of GOKb. 

Published on 26 July 2023

The central innovations of version 1.6 are the extension of the search and filter functionality as well as the visual division of the edit view for adding platforms.

New search and filter functionality

In the search views, the "Namespace" filter function has been added for the identifiers. It is now possible to filter specifically for these.

As a further feature, the search results can be exported as CSV.

Create/edit providers and platforms

A recommended short form can now be stored for providers. This is possible both when creating and in the editing view.

The view under the "Platforms" tab for adding platforms have been visually split to make it easier to create or edit an existing platform. On the one hand, there is now the option "Select" to search for and edit an existing platform. If no platform can be found, there is the option to create a new platform via the "Add new" item.

Create and edit packages and package title

Incorrect identifiers are now marked if they cause a validation error. A manually created reference title cannot be saved until a title type has been selected. Another new feature is that when manually creating a new package title, the existing name and IDs are taken as default when selecting the reference title. 

KBART import

New options have been added for the KBART import. Firstly, package titles that are no longer included in an updated list can optionally be marked as "deleted" instead of "archived". Moreover, monographs with a future date in the column "date_monograph_published_online" are displayed with the status "expected" in the title list.

New Login process

The login process has been revised. You remain logged in within a browser. This also applies to opening new tabs. Non-permanent logins are automatically logged out after a certain time and no longer when closing the browser tab.

Complete overview of changes

A complete overview of all changes can be found in the Github repo of GOKB.

Published on 17 April 2023

The central innovations of version 1.5 are an improved display of the review requests as well as optimizations in the validation and the import of KBART files.

Improved display of review requests

In order to improve usability, a new workflow interface is available for processing review requests. The display is now clearer, allowing title and identifier inconsistencies as well as duplicates to be cleaned up more intuitively. Meaningful instructions and hint texts, as well as color highlighting of important information, also ensure better usability. The buttons, which can be used to make title changes, select titles, and merge duplicates, among other things, are now also more informative and thus help to make it easier to process review requests.

Optimizations for validation and import of KBART files

When validating KBART files, a warning now appears if title_id is missing. In addition, conflicts regarding the coverage of journals are identified. Also, more checks are made for incorrect character sets. The system also provides more detailed feedback when importing KBART files, so that users can better understand the sources of errors. Finally, another new feature is that incorrect lines in a KBART file will cause that file to be rejected and thus cause the import to fail. This ensures that packages can be imported into the GOKB in a controlled manner in their entirety (and not unintentionally without important package titles).

Complete overview of changes

A complete overview of all changes can be found in the Github repo of GOKB.

Published on 15 December 2022

The main innovations of the version 1.4 are better KBART validation and a public KBART Validator.

Improved KBART validation 

The validation of KBART files has been revised and is significantly more expressive. Errors in the KBART file are given out with the line number and the erroneous value. This makes it much easier to correct corrupt KBART values. 

Public KBART-Validator

Based on the improved KBART validation, a public KBART Validator has been added. The KBART-Validator can be used without logging in to the GOKB and provides the ability to validate any KBART file for correctness and display errors. It is a tool for both for libraries and providers who want to check their own files. The Validator validates the KBART records in a stricter way than the package upload validation, as it strictly adheres to the NISO KBART standard. Thus, it will throw out errors for values that are accepted by the GOKB but are not included in the KBART standard (such as publication_type "Database"). 

Package list on provider view

On the provider detail view there is now a new tab for the packages of this particular provider. This gives a quicker overview of a provider’s portfolio. In addition, you can still use the package search to filter for a provider to get an identical overview.

KBART export in the package view

Previously, packages could only be exported as KBART files via the package search. In the new release you will find an export button in the package title view of each package. As usual, you can choose between "Raw" or "Processed". "Raw" exports the KBART file based on the Package titles - exactly the curator has imported the file. "Processed" exports additional information about the reference titles in its output (e.g. the bibliographically correct ZDB title version or other identifiers such as the ZDB-ID). 

Linking of external resources 

A primary goal of the GOKB is to provide identifiers from different sources. A link symbol next to the # identifiers of a resource now allows you to jump directly to the corresponding resource in the third-party system, e.g. to the ZDB Opac, to the ISIL agency or to the portal of the ISSN agency. This makes it much easier to search for and, if necessary, correct data. A prerequisite for successful linking is that the third-party system supports direct linking via the identifier.

Complete overview of changes

A complete overview of all changes can be found in the Github repo of GOKB.

Published on 04 August 2022

The key features of release 1.3 are a significant improvement in import behaviour and an optimisation of the search functionality.

New import process

The import process has been significantly revised internally. The import tool YGOR has been removed. Since the import process is now entirely within the GOKB system, it is much faster and provides better feedback. There are several improvements to the import:

• Import progress bar in the package view
  

Import progress and results can now be viewed within the package view, rather than having to return to the Dashboard. After submitting a new import, the progress bar is displayed in the view header. Once complete, the result can be viewed via a snack bar message at the bottom of the view.

• Revision of the job overview
  

The new Import list on the Dashboard replaces previous Job overview. It shows running and completed imports are shown with the result (Success' or Failed`). The links take you to a detailed import report respectively to the package itself. Clickable icons above the list allow you to switch between imports of your own curatory group or between personally initiated imports, as well as to switch on/off the automatic update of the view.

• Test run for package import
  

When uploading a KBART file, the Test run option can now be selected. If a KBART file is imported with the 'Test run' option, an import report is shown in the same way as in the productive import, but no changes to the data have been done. Thus, the new function offers the possibility to check in advance in case of unsafe KBART files whether the import is acceptable or the file should be edited beforehand.

New search and filter functionality

The search and filter views for packages, reference titles, etc. have been revised. The search for the name of a component now supports boolean operators like AND, OR, NOT (watch out for capitalisation!). The default search setting has been changed so that all search terms must occur (AND operator). To filter the data by one of several search terms, these must be explicitly linked with OR. In addition, the search supports right and left truncation with asterisk (*).

System messages as snackbar

System messages such as "Failed Import" or "Successful Import" now appear with a green or red background as a snackbar, i.e. as an overlaying UI element at the bottom of the view. This makes it possible to perceive the respective message without scrolling, even in extensive views. 

Review requests of linked reference titles are visible in the package view

In the package view, the "Review requests" tab previously showed all review requests related to the package itself or individual package titles. This gives curatory groups the ability to edit all open review requests. As new addition a button allows to switch to the review requests of all reference titles associated with the package titles. This allows users to see whether there are duplicates or unsuccessful enrichments for the linked reference titles, for example, and to rectify these themselves or report them to the responsible curatory group.

Creating and linking new platforms

In the view for editing a provider, creating a platform has become much more powerful. Not only can you create new platforms, but you can also search and add existing platforms if they are not already linked to another provider. This makes creating platform duplicates much less likely. 

"Cool URI" for components

Each components such as providers, packages, platforms, titles, etc. is now accessible by a fixed URI based on the GOKB UUID. The URI can be found in the header field of each resource next to the UUID in the interface and can be copied to the clipboard via the corresponding button. The URI is also output via the APIs. This makes it possible to jump back to the specific GOKB dataset from any system that makes use of the URI. 

OpenSearch instead of Elastic Search

Due to changes in licensing terms, Elastic Search has been completely replaced by OpenSearch, a fork that continues the software under the free Apache license.

Complete overview of changes 

For a complete overview of all changes, see the Github repo of GOKB.

Published on 18 March 2022

Differentiation between package curation and title editing

The GOKB creates added value for various usage scenarios: For acquisition on the one hand and data flow into reference systems on the other. In order to cater for these different scenarios, the package and reference title levels in the GOKB are separate but linked. In order to facilitate the management of both levels, curatory groups can now be assigned to package curation, title editing or, as before, to both areas, depending on their capabilities and interests. For example, the acquisitions department of an institution can take on package curation, while the cataloguing department takes on title curation. An assignment is made by the GOKB team and can be requested via info_at_gokb.org or gokb_at_hbz-nrw.de. An associated title editing group should also be named, as otherwise there will be a gap in the correction and management of the associated titles.

Escalation option for review requests 

The curatory groups for package curation have the option of escalating review requests to a title editorial group assigned to them via a button. In this way, a question that extends beyond the scope of work of the acquisitions departments, for example, can be clarified by the relevant editorial team. Title editors can use the same function to escalate review requests for journals to the ZDB.

EZB enrichment 

Journals as reference titles are now automatically enriched with the title identifier EZB-ID of the EZB (Electronic Journals Library). This allows journal titles to be referenced more clearly and efficiently in other systems that work with the EZB. As soon as a new journal title is created in the GOKB, for example by importing a package, an enquiry is sent to the EZB in the background. If a journal title can be found unambiguously, the corresponding ID from the EZB is appended. The previous enrichment by ticking ‘EZB’ during the package import is no longer necessary.

Improved KBART validation

The validation of uploaded KBART files has been improved so that more errors in the file are now caught and the feedback to users is clearer.

Removal of the global search

The header bar for the global search has been removed. It has been found that if there are too many hits for a search, the display is too abbreviated and user-unfriendly. The revision of the global search is a goal of the next release 1.3. 

Update behaviour of KBART data records in packages 

The procedure for comparing with existing package titles has been improved so that package updates by KBART files run more smoothly and without errors. If only one relevant identifier differs, a new package title is created (for journals: proprietary title ID in the title_id field, ZDB ID, eISSN, DOI, print ISSN; for monographs: proprietary title ID in the title_id field, ISBN of the online edition, ISBN of the print edition, DOI). This practically rules out incorrect assignment. Empty identifiers are ignored so that they can be added subsequently without an incorrect assignment occurring.

Complete overview of changes

For a complete overview of all changes, see the Github repo of GOKB.

Published on 12 January 2022

Review requests can now be closed in bulk. This simplifies the closing of purely informative review requests. 

Published on 09 November 2021

New websites and documentation

The GOKB website at https://gokb.org has been redesigned and updated. Here you will find news, presentations and publications as well as the GOKB documentation. In addition, the minutes of the information sessions and the release notes for new versions will also be stored there in future. The documentation in the hbz' service wiki will therefore no longer be updated.

New colour design

The colour design of the interface has been revised. The brown tones have disappeared and, as part of a standardised layout, space has been given to the GOKB red, which is familiar from the GOKB website. At the same time, the colours of the test and production systems have been differentiated: The production system has a red header, the test system a blue one. This makes it easier to distinguish between the two systems.

Conversion of the import process

The import process has been revised and is now much more error-tolerant. The change is hardly noticeable on the user interface, but the GOKB now works in a multi-stage import process in the background: 

1. KBART file is read in and Package title is imported or updated
2. The Package titles are linked to the Reference titles
3. The Reference titles (journals) are enriched with the ZDB ID

This makes the old process, in which a reference title link and a ZDB enrichment was attempted during the import, obsolete. The advantages of the new process are:

1. The import process no longer fails due to a failed link or enrichment
2. Package titles are always created or updated if the KBART data set corresponds to the standard
3. Missing links or enrichment problems are output as Review requests without the package title itself being incorrect

New types of review requests

The reorganisation of the import process also leads to new review requests. More detailed information on this is currently being prepared in the documentation.

Selection of the active curatory group

If you are a member of several curatory groups (e.g. because you are travelling with several hats in the GOKB, e.g. as an institution and association), you can select your currently active curatory group in the header at the top right. This is then automatically noted in the package, for example, when you create a new one. 

Automated data of ‘Access Start Date’ and ‘Access End Date’

'Access Start Date' and 'Access End Date' are date fields of package titles that determine the time when a title appears for the first time in an existing package or when the title is removed from the package (e.g. in the case of a title transfer). This data is not a mandatory field, but provides helpful long-term information on how a package has changed historically over several package updates. For example, the stock of a package on a specific date in the past can be displayed. 

This data can be provided via the KBART file, although providers do not yet do this. Instead, the GOKB now interprets the data in the KBART file in such a way that this data is set automatically using the KBART file name, which must contain a date according to the standard. 

Complete overview of changes

For a complete overview of all changes, see the Github repo of GOKB.