Grove for Libraries Announces Contributions to the Aspen 26.05 Release

Grove for Libraries announces contributions to the 26.05 Aspen Discovery release, focused on enhancing patron experience, expanding local control over search behavior, and improving configuration options for libraries.

The 26.05 release expands configuration options for Explore More within Local Catalog Enrichment. Libraries can now choose which supplemental sources are displayed to patrons, remove sources from display, and prioritize resources based on local needs. Additionally, selected web resources can now be excluded for specific libraries, allowing for more intentional curation of which supporting content is promoted in the discovery experience.

This release includes several improvements to search behavior and result presentation. Enhancements include a new audiobook duration facet, improved language grouping for grouped works, and updates to the accessible browse categories view to better support usability across different screen sizes. Author sorting has been updated to be case-insensitive, with missing values sorted to the end of results. Additional indexing improvements support more consistent and relevant search results across collections.

Aspen 26.05 introduces a new plugin system developed in collaboration with Nashville Public Library and Open Fifth that allows libraries to add highly customized functionality without modifying Aspen’s core codebase. This framework supports the development of local integrations, workflows, and proprietary functionality that may not be suitable for inclusion in the shared Aspen platform. The plugin system gives libraries greater flexibility to tailor Aspen to local, very specific needs. 

“These updates reflect our focus on giving libraries more control over how their discovery experience works,” said Grove’s co-founder, Jordan Fields. “Our goal is to provide libraries with tools that are flexible, practical, and that help them serve their patrons better.”

Grove contributions in 26.05 include more than 50 improvements, spanning ILS (Koha, Polaris, Sierra, and Symphony) and eContent (OverDrive and CloudSource OA) integrations, as well as enhancements to the materials request and series module workflows and email customization for saved searches.