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    October 30th, 2021LISWire aggregatorUncategorized

    The Koha Klassmates program was introduced back in 2015 by ByWater Solutions as a way to provide hands-on experience for Library School students before they enter the workplace. Koha Klassmates offers free hosted installations of the Koha Open Source ILS to library school instructors for use in their classrooms. Today, we celebrate six years and more than 40+ school programs that have implemented Klassmates.

    William Helling, Associate Program Director, IUPUI Department of Library and Information Science, recently shared some feedback with us about the program and how his students have gained valuable knowledge from the program.

    Many years ago, I decided to use the Klassmates program in my Library Systems class in order to give some hands-on experience to my students, many of whom had never seen an integrated library system interface before. I have continued ever since, building on this model, to have students involved in all aspects of creating a library with Koha from the ground up. Students are very grateful for the opportunity to learn how a system works at all levels, especially since they can use this knowledge in their careers. The Klassmates program allows me to educate current and future librarians in skills that they would not otherwise be able to gain.

    Klassmates
    ByWater Solutions supports libraries using Koha around the globe through our first rate support services and via the Koha Klassmates program.

    Learn more about Klassmates and see who is currently using the program! https://bywatersolutions.com/klassmates.

    Stephanie Reid, Professor at Mohawk College for the Library and Information Technician Diploma Program, recently shared feedback about the program.

    Our program really wanted to provide students with a hands-on learning cataloging experience. Klassmates does this. After learning the theory, students apply it by inputting the data within the correct fields. The feedback has been very positive. Students feel like they are not only learning the material, but even better, they are learning how to apply it. This makes them more employable. It's real world experience.

    About ByWater Solutions
    ByWater Solutions is a full service, high quality Open Source support and implementation company dedicated to providing libraries with a lower cost, more advanced level of support for their systems than a traditional proprietary solution can offer. ByWater Solutions has a proven track record in first rate implementation and support services with library systems of all sizes for the Koha ILS, Aspen Discovery, Folio LSP, Coral ERM, and Libki PC Management.

    Our highly ranked, comprehensive support is what sets our company apart from any other vendor in the industry. Partnering with ByWater Solutions not only lowers the cost of implementation and maintenance of OSS, but more importantly empowers libraries by giving them the flexibility and freedom they deserve. For more information please visit: https://bywatersolutions.com.

    For More Information
    Jessica Zairo
    Director of Library Sales & Outreach
    ByWater Solutions
    bywatersolutions.com
    Phone:(888)900-8944

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    October 30th, 2021LISWire aggregatorUncategorized

    Library Location: Penticton, British Columbia

    Library Information: Municipal public library

    Library URL: https://www.pentictonlibrary.ca

    Discovery URL: https://search.pentictonlibrary.ca

    Library Background
    The Penticton Public Library is a municipal library located in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada, a community of 33,000 people. The city is situated in the south Okanagan Valley nestled between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake. The Okanagan Valley is part of the interior plateau known as the Okanagan Highland, surrounded by the Cascade Mountains in the west and the Monashee Mountains to the east. Library Service in Penticton began on Sept. 18, 1909, when the Penticton Public Library Reading Room and Library was opened.

    When did you make the decision to switch to Open Source?
    We chose to explore new ILS options in the Fall of 2020. Our major considerations were essential features, ease of use, and high value for the cost. As we learned more about the products in the marketplace it became evident that the open-source technologies functioned at a very high level. When conducting our evaluations, one advantage with open source was how easy it was for us to learn about these tools without having to wait for a library vendor to provide a full demonstration, or relying on the word of another library with different use cases than our own.

    Why did you decide to move to Koha ILS?
    Of the software products we learned about through live demonstrations, testing, and interviews, Koha ILS had the most intuitive interface, and the highest number of highly sought-out features. For example, it was very important to us that the ILS be accessible through a web browser: there is no desktop software to install, staff can have multiple tabs open to perform different types of work, and we can share URLs between staff for training and other purposes. Koha has some very significant features, such as batch modification tools and staged marc records management. There are also some smaller, quality of life tools that end up making a big difference, such as checkout receipt templating, and being able to keyword search system preferences.

    How has the cost-savings helped your library?
    We completed our migration this past summer. Over the life of our contract, we expect to experience significant cost savings as well as efficiency. This will free-up valuable resources to dedicate to enhanced patron experience.

    How has this provided new ways of working for staff?
    Our technical services department in particular has benefited tremendously from switching to Koha. For example, when we load vendor records we now have the ability to automatically add holdings information. The system will also do copy-adds when an ISBN match is found in the system. It’s also frighteningly simple to add Z39.50 indexes, meaning it’s easy to find marc records when we don’t have a suitable one available. Print on demand spine labels has also saved us valuable time.

    We also have a homebound delivery service. Using a custom SQL report along with Koha’s housebound module we are able to create custom homebound delivery slips.

    Quotes from Library Staff:
    "OMG this is so much better" - Library page performing circ tasks in Koha for the first time!

    "This while you wait feature is dangerous"- Heather Buzzell, Chief Librarian with way too many books on the holds list!

    What challenge(s) was your library addressing by adding a discovery layer?
    There have been a number of challenges we were looking to solve by switching to Aspen Discovery, but overall our goal was to better curate our collection and services via an online catalogue.

    What integrations have you tied into Aspen Discovery?
    Overdrive and Sydentics Unbound. We are also looking at making Aspen become our new website. Stay tuned!

    Lessons learned from the migration?
    Getting dirty manipulating library data is a lot of fun, and very important, but ultimately your job as the client is to be a good coordinator. Know when every meeting is well in advance (make a schedule!), know which topics are being covered and which team members you need to work with. Make sure you really listen to the needs of the other staff. Never make decisions in a vacuum. All of this will ensure your data gets migrated properly, that you have the settings configured beforehand, and that each team member has the proper training to do their job. Also, migration day is all about triage. If circ is working and patrons can access the catalogue, you’re 75% of the way there. We decided to stay closed for the first 4 hours of our go-live date and that ended up being a lifesaver.

    Quotes from Patrons
    I love that I can now review my reading history

    Being able to place a purchase request and get immediate feedback on my request is very helpful

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    October 28th, 2021LISWire aggregatorUncategorized

    Over 150 books focussing on climate change and sustainability from 39 German, French and English-language publishers can now be freely read, browsed and searched as part of an unprecedented and innovative virtual showcase, created in support of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow.

    Streamed through the Exact Editions platform, the showcase includes books from fiction, non-fiction and children’s literature genres that cover topics from air pollution and economics to biodiversity and agriculture. The collection of titles constitutes a comprehensive resource that aims to spread awareness about the need for urgent combative actions against the climate crisis across society.

    The showcase opened for an initial period of four days around the Pre-COP Meeting in Milan, and is live from today until the end of 22 November in support of the main COP26 Glasgow Meeting. The initiative, which has been supported by the International Publishers Association (IPA) and Save the Children, is the first time that publishers have participated in such a freely-available and virtually streamed collection, and is an example of how the publishing industry at large is taking steps to emphasise the importance of sustainability.

    Exact Editions’ leading digital archiving technology means each individual book, publisher sub-collection and the complete showcase all benefit from the advanced search function, which enables readers to pinpoint references to specific key terms, topics or authors instantly. Titles can be navigated seamlessly through fully-linked contents pages and a helpful variety of views: single-page; double-page; and thumbnail.

    Click here to access the COP26 Virtual Book Showcase until 22 November:

    https://exacted.me/COP26ShowcaseGlasgow22Nov

    Click here for more information about the books included:

    https://institutions.exacteditions.com/cop26

    Chairman and Co-Founder of Exact Editions, Adam Hodgkin, said: “We are so proud to be working with internationally prestigious publishers to present such an important showcase of books, whose climate-driven subject matter is hugely relevant as society evolves to be more sustainable. We are aiming to reach audiences far and wide during the next 3 weeks and spread the word about these brilliant free resources, which have been so generously made available by the publishers.”

    Jim Martin, Publisher at Bloomsbury, commented: “The climate crisis is beginning to affect every part of our lives, and the publishing industry is no exception. This forward-thinking initiative is a great way to bring powerful, influential and thought-provoking books to as wide an audience as possible during COP26, and we are very pleased to be involved.”

    About Exact Editions:

    Exact Editions is a digital publishing company based in London. It is a team of producers, developers and designers that turns periodicals and books into dynamic, user-friendly digital editions. Exact Editions specialises in digitising content, selling subscriptions and providing streaming solutions across web, iOS and Android platforms. Exact Editions are also the innovators of ‘Reading Room’ technology, which enables publishers to provide streaming, time-limited access to digital editions.

    For more information, please visit: shop.exacteditions.com

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    October 26th, 2021LISWire aggregatorUncategorized

    Atlanta, Ga., October 26, 2021: Equinox Open Library Initiative, a trusted leader in providing open source technology development and support for libraries, presents “Transforming Services in Response to COVID-19” on October 27, 2021 at the Internet Librarian 2021 Conference. Lisa Carlucci, Jason Goodson, and Angela Kilsdonk present Equinox’s recent initiatives as part of the conference theme of “Innovation In Library Technology & Communities.”

    The conference presentation provides information about two rapid response initiatives led by Equinox in 2020 to support the emerging needs of libraries in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic: the launch of a remote training program for library staff, equinoxEDU, and the design of automated curbside pickup functionality for the open source integrated library systems Evergreen ILS and Koha ILS. The presentation will be available on Equinox’s website in November.

    “As library staff pivoted to working from home, the Equinox team moved quickly to develop a series of open educational resources to support libraries,” said Angela Kilsdonk, Product and Education Manager at Equinox. “These projects led to the launch of a new open educational program, equinoxEDU, which provides online instruction focused on open source library technologies and related topics.”

    Equinox’s presentation delivers an overview of the planning, implementation, and management of these initiatives, as well as the involvement and feedback from equinoxEDU participants, open source community members, and Equinox partners.

    “In leading these initiatives, we worked closely with our library partners to understand the immediate needs facing libraries in adapting to new service and staffing models,” said Lisa Carlucci, Executive Director. “Equinox’s work is driven by the communities we serve. We listen, we respond, and we share.”

    The Internet Librarian 2021 Conference opens on October 26, 2021 and runs through October 28, 2021. Additional details and schedule can be found here: https://pheedloop.com/IL2021/site/home/

    Follow Equinox Open Library Initiative on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Vimeo for the latest updates.
    To receive news directly in your inbox: https://www.equinoxOLI.org/#signup

    For more information:
    Laura Barry
    Communications Coordinator
    Equinox Open Library Initiative, Inc.
    EquinoxOLI.org
    laura.barry@equinoxOLI.org
    877.OPEN.ILS (877.673.6457)

    About Equinox Open Library Initiative
    Equinox Open Library Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is the successor to Equinox Software, Inc. Equinox's mission as a nonprofit is to promote and support a thriving ecosystem for open source library communities in order to provide libraries worldwide with innovative, affordable, and sustainable open source solutions. We are devoted to reducing barriers to library technology and services, expanding library access to open source software, and providing high quality technology, consulting, and support services.To learn more, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.org.

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    October 25th, 2021LISWire aggregatorUncategorized

    Atlanta, Ga., October 25, 2021: Equinox Open Library Initiative, a trusted leader in open source technology development and support for libraries, is pleased to announce the latest release, Version 10.0, of the Fulfillment open source interlibrary loan management system. Fulfillment leverages intuitive design and efficient workflows to maximize value and impact for library users, allowing community members to have expanded access to resources across their state and beyond their consortium. The Connecticut State Library has relied on Fulfillment ILL for statewide resource sharing since 2016, averaging more than 700,000 interlibrary loan items filled annually since implementation.

    “Fulfillment provides a single place for participating libraries in Connecticut to send and receive interlibrary loan requests,” said Brad Bullis, Digital Content and Innovation Coordinator in the Division of Library Development at the Connecticut State Library. “Fulfillment allows libraries an interface that is intuitive in its design and the borrowing and lending functions are clearly defined allowing for users to create a logical workflow. Fulfillment is a key component of the Connecticut State Library’s mission to support and enhance resource sharing among libraries.”

    With this new release, Fulfillment takes interlibrary loan to the next level, delivering powerful reporting functions and an enhanced, robust suite of tools to provide better and more streamlined services for library communities. Fulfillment’s web based platform is user friendly and works with any integrated library system, saving staff time and offering significant cost savings for libraries. Fulfillment also amplifies collections management needs by highlighting collections with the most demand.

    “The aim is to make interlibrary loan as efficient for staff as possible,” says Andrea Buntz Neiman, Equinox’s Project Manager for Software Development. “Fulfillment benefits from over ten years of active open source community engagement from the designers, users, and current developers who built Evergreen ILS. Libraries deploying Fulfillment benefit from that proven work from the community.”

    Libraries and consortia seeking an established, modern, affordable, and scalable resource sharing system will appreciate the improvements Fulfillment offers. Moreover, implementing Fulfillment with Equinox includes support from experienced librarians and developers, and a transparent, open software development process. Equinox releases all code developed to publicly available repositories. Libraries will also benefit from custom training resources and connector options for Fulfillment.
    Follow Equinox Open Library Initiative on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Vimeo for the latest updates.
    To receive news directly in your inbox: https://www.equinoxOLI.org/#signup
    For more information:
    Laura Barry
    Communications Coordinator
    Equinox Open Library Initiative, Inc.
    EquinoxOLI.org
    laura.barry@equinoxOLI.org
    877.OPEN.ILS (877.673.6457)

    About Equinox Open Library Initiative
    Equinox Open Library Initiative provides innovative open source software for libraries of all types and delivers extraordinary service at exceptional value. As the successor to Equinox Software, Inc., Equinox Open Library Initiative builds upon more than a decade of trusted service and technical expertise, providing consulting services, software development, hosting, training, and support for Evergreen ILS, Koha ILS, and other open source library software. To learn more, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.org. For Equinox Library Services Canada, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.ca.

    About Fulfillment
    Fulfillment is an open source interlibrary loan management system which leverages intuitive design and efficient workflows to maximize value and impact for libraries. Fulfillment provides community members expanded access to library resources across their state and beyond their consortium. Launched in 2011, Fulfillment facilitates sharing between separate library organizations, uniting collections and information in a combined union catalog. Fulfillment is highly customizable and is compatible with any integrated library system (ILS). Fulfillment benefits from an active open source community, where it is continuously updated and supported by Equinox and the designers, users, and developers who built Evergreen ILS. To learn more, please visit https://www.equinoxoli.org/products/fulfillment/ .
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