I don’t know if it matters more if I post this to my own site vs submitting on a contact form, but I wanted a record for my own memory anyhow. Yes, I’ve also sent it as a contact, as the complaint itself demonstrates. Here’s what I sent:
A few minor annoyances with the new catalog that I wanted to share: 1) I can’t open new windows for individual results of search; 2) holds default to Amanda Park pickup; 3) putting in card info to place a hold doesn’t actually log in, so I have to log in AGAIN to change pickups back to Oly. (I actually wouldn’t mind being forced to log in to place a hold.) 4) when I hit the return key to get a new line in this form, it submits a search with no terms. (Honestly: I was really chill about my complaints until that happened…it’s incredibly irritating!)
I mean really: hijacking the return key? WTF. It would have been nice to put in some paragraph breaks in that comment.
I am for the most part reasonably happy with the new catalog, but it has all these quirks that just make me “grrrrr” for a moment before moving on. But this thing with the holds has me particularly irritable, since that’s what I do with the catalog (and the library site in general) — I place holds. And that process seems to be much more fiddly than it used to be. Or who knows — maybe I was just inured to the fiddly bits of the old system.
Update: I actually got a really quick response from library staff!
1) Hadn’t heard about that before, are going to look into it.
2/3) Recommended logging in before searching/holding. Although apparently it doesn’t work with “Discovery Catalog” — not that I have any clue what that is. (vs Catalog Search, Power Search or Find It Fast) Not too bad, IMHO.
4) She also found it annoying! Reporting it to the web designer, although I find her idea for improvement a little O.o – namely, make the comment open in a new window w/out search box.
Oh, I just looked up the different varieties of search:
1) Catalog Search: what is says on the box. Apparently this is also the one used in the top-right on the rest of the site.
2) Power Search: same as the first, but with all the crazy options, include boolean drop-downs!
3) Find It Fast: subject drill-down with cute thumbnails.
4) Discovery Search: single-input search form, with some auto-completion. Not sure why this is any better than regular Catalog Search.