System Messages
With these settings, you can:
- Create messages that communicate information to users
- Target messages to specific user account pages
- Schedule system messages to appear for a specific amount of time
To create a system message:
1. Visit Aspen Administration > Local Catalog Enrichment > System Messages and click Add New.
4. Check Display in Aspen LiDA if you want the message to show in Aspen LiDA
5. If showing in Aspen LiDA, add the message you want to show here. LiDA only supports text-only messages so you may want to modify/reduce what you have in your Discovery message.
The Message Style default colors are as follows but they can be updated in your Theme Settings and correlate to the Button colors.
- Info (blue): #8cd2e7
- Warning (yellow): #f4d03f
- Danger (red): #D50000
- Success (green): #dff0d8
8. Select a Start Date to Show and End Date to Show for your message if you only want the message to show during a specific time period.
9. Check Dismissable to allow logged in patrons to be able to hide a message if they have already seen it. All Aspen LiDA messages are dismissable by default.
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- When selecting Libraries, this is publishing to the Discovery catalogs that you want this to show on
- When selecting Locations, this is publishing to the Aspen LiDA interfaces that you want this to show on
11. Save Your Changes
System Messages can be set to have start and end dates for libraries who may want to use these for information that has a set time frame - the parking lot is being paved, the library is hosting a large, special event, the library is closed for a holiday, etc.
When creating System Messages in Aspen Administration > Local Catalog Enrichment > System Messages > add a Start Date to Show and/or a End Date to Show.
Add Images to System Messages
You may want to add an image to System Message text to grab the attention of your catalog users. You can do this by clicking on the Insert/edit image icon and uploading an image.
Size Considerations - Too Big
When uploading images into the System Message box, be careful with the size. The size in the box is a pretty accurate representation of how big the image will show in the System Message.
If the image is on the main page and is oversized, it will push down everything else on the page so that users will need to scroll down to access the search box and sign in screens.
Size Considerations - Too Small
When uploading images into the System Message box, you might also want to consider an image with text that is very small. Because Aspen is mobile responsive, these images will resize on mobile devices and scale down. You might want to test on a mobile device to make sure small text is still readable.
Banner System Messages
Some libraries want to have a banner with all the text included in the image.
In this example, the dimensions are 1135 wide x 134 high
Full Width System Messages
If you are using Aspen's Full Width option in Themes, you have the option to stretch your System Message full width as well. You might want to try something like 3000 wide x 150 high.
Adjusting Size of Images
To adjust size of images in a System Message, you can either drag to resize the image or you can click on the < > Source code and manually update the width and height in the box.
Note: Images in System Messages are not available in Aspen LiDA
As of the 24.01 release, libraries are now able to copy System Messages.
This functionality will be available to any staff member with the permissions to add new system messages.
To begin, click into a System Message you'd like to copy.
Then, click the Copy button at the top.
This will automatically open a new System Message with the default name of Copying {new System Message ID}.
Aspen will copy all fields over in the exisitng System Message except for Title and the Libraries and Locations that it is published to.
Be sure to give the new System Message a Title, make any updates to the existing fields, and then publish to your catalogs by selecting Libraries and Locations at the bottom.
