In July of 2023, Northwestern Elements experienced a substantial upgrade, transitioning from Elements version 5.21.0.2926 to version 6.11. This upgrade was successfully carried out through a seamless collaboration between Galter Library and FSM Information Technology, with minimal impact on users.

The Elements URL remains unchanged. While there have been slight adjustments to user roles within Elements, we anticipate no issues for our users. Please refer to the Northwestern Elements Guide for more information.  

Some changes users will notice:

• The Elements homepage has been redesigned to create an action-oriented dashboard-style experience. The familiar ‘My Actions’ section has been re-vamped adding new visuals and additional guidance information to ensure researchers are empowered to complete key tasks. 
• The Elements menu has been rearchitected to focus on key use cases, providing users with a clear overview of the functionality available to them, while the new design creates more space within the menu and improves readability. There is a new ‘menu search’ to allow you to quickly find the page you need.

We anticipate that Elements users will enjoy an enhanced experience and will be able to make the most of the newly designed pages. To ease the transition for users, Galter Library has created several short videos detailing specific workflows in Elements.  

• Claiming and Rejecting Publications: https://youtu.be/Efe7D32xc7Q  
• Claiming Author Identifiers: https://youtu.be/qY4yShHpMdg  
• Manually Entering Publications: https://youtu.be/iBoq3Ku25_g  
• Optimizing Name-based Search Settings: https://youtu.be/fm20W9cZ6l0 

In addition to these videos, Galter Library holds semi-regular training in curating and refining publication data in Elements. Helpful resources for users include:

• Northwestern Elements Class: A one-hour recorded class for administrative super users to refresh their skills after attending an in-person class or for new super users to learn how to use the Elements interface. Sign up for future classes: Northwestern Elements or email ghsl-ref@northwestern.edu to view a recorded class.
• Northwestern Elements Online Guide: Step-by-step instructions and FAQs for any Elements user.
• Northwestern Elements Consultation: Meet with a Galter Library staff person to review Elements via a live Zoom session, email ghsl-ref@northwestern.edu.