VuFind Version 5.0 Released

Published Jul 16, 2018

Version 5.0 of VuFind, the popular open-source discovery interface, was released today, a year after the last major release (4.0).

This version improves the software’s compatibility with recent language and operating system releases and adds several significant new features.

Some key additions:

New features to improve compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including optional user-initiated account removal and support for encrypted session data.
Significant improvements to the "Channels" interface for serendipitous resource discovery, including a streamlined user interface and several new channel providers (such as "new items" and "trending items").
Improved support for rendering geographic data.
PHP 7.2 compatibility.
Optional user access to their own account history.
Upgrades to the latest Solr, SolrMarc and Zend Framework component versions.

Additionally, several bug fixes, new configuration options, performance enhancements and minor improvements have been incorporated.

Although VuFind was largely developed by and for academic libraries, we've found applications for it in other organizations, including smaller specialized libraries. Our blog has details of selected projects. In general, we recommend VuFind for organizations with purely bibliographic records and little or no need for customization, a custom graphic design, integration of other features or content, etc. For organizations with those requirements, our Andornot Discovery Interface (AnDI) is a perfect choice.

In comparison to the release schedule for VuFind Andornot’s own Andornot Discovery Interface, which shares the same Apache Solr search engine as VuFind, is continuously upgraded with each project we use it for. Earlier sites built from AnDI can be upgraded as needed, and we’ve begin doing so upon request by clients. Upgrades include any new features and bug fixes added or made to AnDI since the initial build of the site, plus upgrades to key components, such as Solr, .Net versions, Javascript libraries, and more.

Contact us to learn more about VuFind or AnDI and how either might offer your users an improved search experience for your collections and resources.