BiblioCommons Launches New Features to Support Libraries in an Online-Only Environment

Toronto, Ontario, May 8, 2020—The BiblioCommons Team is proud to announce a number of new feature improvements across the BiblioCommons platform to support libraries in serving their communities in an all, or mostly, online environment.

As public libraries closed their buildings to the public in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team at BiblioCommons reached out to our library partners to determine which enhancements would help the most as libraries worked to deliver and enhance online services to their communities. These new enhancements include:

BiblioWeb

• A new Online Resources template, supporting the ability of libraries to use page builder to more easily and effectively promote the library’s online resources with images and visually appealing webpages. Just like all templates, libraries can add, edit and delete modules to give the page their own look-and-feel. This template has been added to the Template library.

BiblioEvents

• BiblioEvents now supports the ability for staff to list an event’s location as virtual and not require an address.
• BiblioEvents will also feature the ability for staff to pre-set a filter to promote and search virtual events without the display being cluttered by currently cancelled in-person events. Patrons can still easily find and search the complete calendar of events by removing the filter. (Coming mid-May.)

BiblioCore Catalog

• The ‘Access online’ filter is now pre-applied to all user searches, giving patrons immediate visibility of titles they're able to borrow online without needing to wade through physical formats not currently available while the buildings are closed to the public. Library staff can control this option easily via the Library Administration panel, and turn it off when they are ready to re-open. Patrons can easily unapply the filter, if they want to browse the physical collections.
• Staff now have the ability to hide navigation items in site headers without deleting them.
• For libraries with BiblioSuggest, a setting has been added to allow staff to prevent users from making suggestions for purchase while the library buildings are closed.

According to Natasha Hesch, Director of Product at BiblioCommons, “We’re so happy we were able to work with our partner libraries to prioritize which enhancements would help them the most. And it’s been great to see our R&D team come together to deliver these enhancements so quickly. We hope these improvements will help libraries serve their communities in these challenging times.”

All but one of the enhancements are already in production across BiblioCommons sites now, and the additional feature will be live within the next couple weeks.

About BiblioCommons

BiblioCommons builds software that transforms the public library's essential online services—your website, your catalog, your events calendar—from transactions to experiences worthy of your public library. BiblioCommons powers integrated online experiences for many of the top public libraries of all sizes across the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

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For more information, please contact:
Maxine Levine, Library Engagement and Marketing Manager
647-436-6381 x 2026
maxine@bibliocommons.com

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