Summon Enhancement Request Guidelines

Guidelines for creating an actionable enhancement request:

  1. Check the CERV Enhancement Portal to see whether something similar to your enhancement request has already been submitted.
  2. Choose “Summon” as the product. This selection covers both Summon and 360.
  3. Create a short but descriptive “Request name,” a one-sentence summary of your enhancement request.
  4. Describe, in as much detail as possible, the functionality being requested, including:
    • Technical requirements
    • Non-technical requirements
    • A clear, concise user story. For example, “As a [patron, staff, system administrator], I would like to [X] so that I can [Y].”
    • Justification/impact–Why is this enhancement important? What is the impact if this is developed or not developed? 
    • Replicate steps with screenshots and other attachments whenever possible.
  5. Enter your “Institution/Consortia Name” and select your “Group” (ELUNA or IGeLU).
  6. Select “Yes” and add an attachment (a document with screenshots, for example); or select “No.”
  7. Click “Add Enhancement” to submit your request.

Tips

  • Bear in mind that your submission is both a kind of “sales pitch” to fellow Summon/360 customers as well as a product specification change request to Clarivate Product Management.
  • Write the enhancement request as a positive statement:
    • NOT – ‘There is no…’ or ‘We can’t…’
    • RATHER – ‘We want the ability to…’ or ‘Allow option for…’
  • Do not include multiple requests within a single enhancement submission.
  • Use feature and configuration terminology from the product documentation wherever possible.
  • You may choose to reference another posted request in the context of your own request. However, do not rely only on providing the reference; provide all the information a user will need to evaluate your request, including the details from the referenced request as appropriate.
  • Do describe the desired outcome of the enhancement. Do not specify how it should be done; Ex Libris will determine development paths and possibilities.
  • Once you’ve drafted a request, have someone who is unfamiliar with the workflow read it. Then, incorporate their feedback to make the request name and/or description clearer.
  • Bugs (functions that don’t work as expected) should be submitted as a Support Case.
  • If your request submission is the result of a Support Case, include the Case Number for Ex Libris’ reference.

FAQ

  • What is the advantage of the CERV enhancement process over Idea Exchange? The enhancements that rise to the top of the CERV process become firm roadmap commitments under the Product Development Collaboration Agreement between Clarivate and the two user groups, ELUNA and IGeLU. By contrast, with Idea Exchange, Clarivate has full discretion and may or may not choose to implement ideas submitted there.
  • What if you have already submitted a great new idea to the Idea Exchange? The community has submitted more than 20 very interesting ideas to the Idea Exchange since June 2025. Great work! Those ideas are all eligible to be considered for implementation by Clarivate. However, if you want them to be considered for the CERV ballot, we ask that you also submit them in the CERV Enhancements Portal. We understand that this is an extra step, but on the positive side it provides a chance to refine ideas.
  • Who can submit new enhancement requests in the CERV Enhancements Portal? All community members may submit new enhancement requests in the CERV Enhancements Portal.
  • Who can vote on the CERV Enhancements Requests ballot items? To be eligible to vote, your institution or consortium must a) have a current license to Summon or a 360 product and b) be a member of either ELUNA or IGeLU. We strongly recommend joining – by gaining the power to influence product development in this way, you’ll be making a long-term contribution to the Summon, 360 and the communities that use them. In addition, ELUNA members are eligible to apply to join the ELUNA Summon/360 Working Group. For information about membership:

Example Request

Request Name: Display parallel titles in Summon

The correction in Summon to index parallel titles as titles (instead of as subtitles) was welcomed; however, the resulting elimination of parallel titles in search results displays was not. In the current iteration of Summon, which parallel title appears in the catalog is solely left to chance, and whichever appears first in a bibliographic record. However, if Summon can display all other title subfields and information in search results, including subfields B, N and P, it should include parallel title information as well.

The lack of parallel titles is problematic for patron search and retrieval. For example, a patron searching for “Pasqualino settebellezze” in our local catalog might think our DVD is the only available copy, since the title they searched for is not visible in our streaming video information.

Summon should still display the parallel titles in search results; preferably exactly as Primo does, with an equals sign between the two parallel titles. Information encoded into bibliographic records is meant to assist patrons with search and retrieval of items, and therefore should be fully visible in search results in our catalogs.

screen shot of results screen screen shot of results screen with parallel title highlighted

These guidelines are based on those developed by the Primo PWG which were based on the references listed below.

References

Collins, Kevin J. and Friesen, Betsy and Greenspun, Cindy and Moore, Lesli. Enhancing Your Enhancement Request. In: ELUNA 2018 Annual Meeting, May 1-4, 2018, Spokane, Washington.

Kucera, Ann, and Pepitone, Anne. Enhancements: Make ’em Sparkle. Webinar, January 28, 2021. Recording | Slides | U-Washington’s enhancement collection form questionnaire

Moore, Lesli M. and Kristin, Sherrie. Enhance Your Request – Tips for better enhancement requests. In: ELUNA 2012 Annual Meeting, May 9-11, 2012, Salt Lake City, Utah.