Messaging Module Video Overview
Messaging is a powerful component of LibKey Nomad++ allowing the administrator to setup custom messages, links, and authentication loops across any URL on the internet. This can be used for a wide variety of purposes such as:
- Providing a mechanism to automatically authenticate users when they arrive at a library resource unauthenticated
- Provide a message to highlight specific information about a resource at a domain (for example, instructions to contact library staff for a username/password or noting that a particular resource is under trial)
- Creating a custom link to route users in an appropriate direction (for example, bringing them from the New York Times website to ProQuest where the newspapers may be accessed in full text)
- Linking users to an appropriate LibGuide to learn more about how to use a particular resource
- Create a link and message to encourage users to fill out a survey about a resource
- And more!
This is accomplished through a series of Rules that are created by library administrators. The Messaging Module consists of both a List of Rules and Rule Edit pages for each Rule that appears within the List of Rules.
List of Rules:
The list of rules shows all currently programmed rules at a particular library. When rules are created they are automatically made active and will appear for users within one hour. Administrators (and anyone else who would like to) can shorten that time to seconds by clicking on the Manual Refresh LibKey Nomad Configuration button within the Settings area of the LibKey Nomad browser extension.
The sort order for the list of rules is by default set to "last updated" so that the most recently updated rules appear at the top.
Using the Search box you can easily filter the list down by rule name or URL.
Rules that utilize the "Exact Match" are designated by the "Exact Match" bubble as shown
You can also sort the rules by every column and this sort can be combined with the search.
You can unselect rules in the Active column (make sure you click the "Save" button which will appear green after you do this!) to turn off a given rule without deleting it.
Clicking on the trash can icon in the far right of the row will allow you to permanently delete the rule.
The three icon columns (message, link, authentication loop) are provided as a quick reminder of what components of the rule exist for a particular rule.
Rule Edit Page:
The Rule edit page contains sophisticated options for creating and editing rules to achieve a wide variety of effects.
The Rules are divided into three distinct sections, separated by a horizontal rule in the interface, that can be described thus:
Rule Name
- Consists of a single box to name the rule whatever you like. This should be descriptive as it appears in the List of Rules page and is searchable.
Parameters affecting when a rule is executed
These three boxes are all strung together with internal "AND" logic. That is, all three of these conditional elements must be TRUE for the rule to take effect on a given web page.
- URL Match
This is the URL you would like the rule to have an effect on. You can use domains (i.e. "publisher.com") or a full path (i.e. "publisher.com/path") or even specific URL's. Subdomains are included automatically (i.e. "www.publisher.com") so they do not need to be specified and anything that matches further down the path heirarchy is also included automatically. If you would like to make a rule to call out a SPECIFIC subdomain (i.e. "database.publisher.com") you can do this and the domain with the most matching characters will win out.
So, if you have both "publisher.com" and "database.publisher.com" in LibKey Nomad and the user arrives at "database.publisher.com" -- it will be the "database.publisher.com" rule that will be followed but if they simply go to "publisher.com" then it will be the "publisher.com" rule followed instead.
You can also check the box entitled "Exact Match Only" which disables all the wildcard matching described above. It is possible to setup two separate rules: one for exact match only of a URL, and one WITHOUT the exact match which effectively means that it will action on anything EXCEPT for the exact match rule as the exact match rule will be given matching priority.
- Content Link Consideration
The combinations of availability for content to decide if a rule should be executed are as follows:
- Display rule when content link is not present
- Display rule in addition to content link
- Display rule in addition and regardless of content link
- Display rule in place of a content link
This field allows you different combinations of consideration for whether LibKey can present a link to content. The below is a chart showing different English labels for things considered "Content" and which labels are NOT considered content:
| Content Link Consideration Link Labels | Not considered "Content" Link Labels |
| Download PDF | Access Options |
| Article Link | |
| View Manuscript | |
| View E-Book |
"Access Options" is not considered a "content link" because it is unlikely to directly forward to content and instead will forward to a system so that a user may request a piece of content via ILL/Document Delivery.
This powerful feature means it is unnecessary to create separate rules for every domain as LibKey technology already covers over 800 domains across the scholarly publishing world allowing rules to be focussed on addressing unique situations that may exist.
- Authentication Consideration
This field allows you to limit the appearance of a rule based on whether the user is currently authenticated to a particular domain. This is most useful when paired with the "Authentication Loop" type of message to help get users authenticated (and then not bug them again to authenticate once they are!) The following options are:
- User is not authenticated to this domain
- User is authenticated to this domain
- User is or is not authenticated to this domain
The mechanism that determines HOW this happens is performed in a 3 step "waterfall" of checks looking to infer "authenticated status". For each page Nomad++ is active on these steps are performed. It starts with step 1 and continues to step 2 and 3 as needed, stopping when it hits an indicator of being authenticated to that domain. (i.e. if it has a positive indicator on step 2, step 3 need not be evaluated).
Step 1: IP Address Comparison
This IP address is then matched up against a range of IP address(es) supplied by the organization to Third Iron. If the IP falls within this range a positive indicator of the user being authenticated is achieved.
Step 2: Proxy domain in URL
URL re-writing proxies (EZProxy, WAM Proxy, OpenAthens Proxy, HAN Proxy and others) rewrite the URL when authentication is occurring via these technologies and thus a parsing of the URL takes place to look for the presence of the unique proxy domain associated with your organization. If it is present, this serves as a positive indicator of the user being authenticated
Step 3: 55 Minute Timer for Auth Loop/Link
LibKey Nomad++ offers both an Authentication Loop or Authentication Link type of rule for libraries to configure for their resources. When either one of these is used, Nomad locally remembers on the user's computer what the domain is and notes a time stamp for when that link was clicked. If it is less than 55 minutes ago, the user will be assumed to be authenticated. This is done to assist in situations where IP address or URL re-writing detection techniques are not valid. Examples include SAML access solutions (such as OpenAthens) or situations where the vendor that is authenticated "sheds" the proxy out of the URL (several vendors do this, including ProQuest). Thus, Nomad makes the reasonable inference that if the user already followed a path using the Nomad++ tool to authenticate against that platform and most sessions across vendors are an hour in length, that if its been < 55 minutes then the user is LIKELY already authenticated so there is no need to keep presenting the user with an authentication message.
Parameters affecting what is displayed for the user
If all the parameters affecting WHEN the rule is executed match, then this section outlines what is displayed for the user.
- Message
This is a free text space (including emojis if you would like!) which allows you to communicate a message to a user. Really long messages will automatically be line wrapped when displayed. This field is optional. For example, you could have a rule that has no message but instead provides an Authentication Loop Link.
- Link Type
Messages may optionally include a link. The default toggle is "No Link" but the other options are:
- Authentication Loop: This will provide a link that automatically applies authentication to the page the user is currently viewing. Clicking the link then should bring the user to the authentication point and back to the existing page upon successful authentication. Configuration of this authentication prefix is shared with general BrowZine/LibKey configuration information already known by Third Iron. The "Link Text" field is required with this option.
- Authentication Link: This is similar to the custom link below EXCEPT that it will invoke the 55 Minute Timer noted in the "authentication consideration" section above so should be used when you are creating a link to a point of authentication for a domain and where an "auth loop" would not work for various reasons. This provides additional flexibility in providing authentication pathways for users.
- Custom: A custom link is just as it sounds - you can specify any link in the "Link URL" field (required) and specify custom text (required) to go with it. This is great for leading users away from one domain and bringing them to another.
Once any modifications to a rule are made the grey "SAVED" button will turn to a green "SAVE" button prompting you to click this to save and then return back to the Rule List to continue editing or creating additional rules.