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Discovery Layer

Industry

Library staff and industry experts from across North America joined the BiblioCommons team virtually for BiblioCon ’23. Read all the details about sessions and tangible takeaways.

BiblioCon ’23: Watch Our Library Partners Pave the Way Forward

Read the Blog

Industry

The web is moving towards delivering personalized user experiences, building communities, and leveraging new technologies. This is the shift to Web 3.0. But to understand where we’re going, we need to look back at where we were with Web 1.0 and where we’re currently at with Web 2.0.

How the Evolution of the Web Impacts Libraries

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Website and Events Management

Today, designing a library website is more than just creating web pages with information. Rather, it’s now about building a platform geared toward engaging users.

5 Best Practices for Designing a Library Website

Website and Events Management

In this third instalment of the webinar series, we will look at what type of content is worthy of being on your homepage.

Master The Art Of Creating Homepage - Worthy Content

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Marketers are in the driving seat of bringing their library’s vision to life by steering the messaging, reaching out to the community, creating pathways for the library’s voice and personality to rise to the top.

Library Marketing: From Building Public Relations to Becoming Visionary Storytellers

Website and Events Management

Industry

Hear from BiblioCommons engineers about the work they do to build and maintain the tech that powers The Commons.

Introducing BiblioCommons Engineering

Industry

An integral part of the public library experience is walking into a branch and being greeted by a bookshelf filled with staff reading recommendations. Learn about replicating experience online.

Collages in the Cloud

Discovery Layer

Web accessibility fundamentals are simple enough, but most developers aren’t taught accessibility in school and it’s something that’s often taken for granted.

Towards Web Accessibility: 7 Key Lessons

Website and Events Management

Accessibility

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re planning to attend PLA Conference 2020, happening February 25th - 29th in Nashville, Tennessee.

4 Things We're Looking Forward to at PLA 2020

Industry

The way your community accesses content (whether for education or entertainment) has changed. Learn more about the different types of content marketing.

What Is Content Marketing and Why Should Libraries Care?

Website and Events Management

Email Marketing

Learn more about customer-focused content, how it applies to the library space, and how can you best use it on your library website.

Creating Customer-centered Content at the Library

Website and Events Management

Everyone knows high-quality images are critical to any successful website. Learn how to attribute images with these few simple guidelines and tools.

Best Practices for Attributing Images on Your Library’s Website

Website and Events Management

Accessibility

Words have importance, but right now words are not enough. To that end, BiblioCommons team-members have started a fundraiser for Black Lives Matter Toronto, and BiblioCommons will match donations.

Words Are Not Enough Right Now

Industry

June is Pride Month and this year BiblioCommons is excited to unveil BiblioBingo — our Pride Month Bingo card!

June is Pride Month!

Industry

What makes a great website? Well, that’s a big question, but a very important part of any website are the visuals and images used.

Image Management on Your Library Website

Website and Events Management

Here are 15 great sites where you can find royalty-free images for use on your website and other marketing materials.

Beautiful, Free Images to Jazz Up Your Library Website

Website and Events Management

Website visitors that use assistive technology to read the screen may have trouble understanding and navigating your website. Learn how to design websites that are accessible and easily browsable for all.

Ensuring Images on Your Library Website are Accessible

Website and Events Management

Accessibility

Emails have permeated people’s lives more than ever before. Email marketing is an incredible way to reach users. Get some foundational tips.

Email Marketing Fundamentals for Public Libraries

Email Marketing

How do you know if the primary purpose of your email is being fulfilled? Dissect the structure of your email and consider the inverted pyramid method.

Creating Focused Emails That Will Delight Library Patrons

Email Marketing

What an event! On February 24-25, library staff, industry experts, and BiblioCommons gathered together for BiblioCon ’21. Get the inside scoop on announcements, speakers, and sessions.

BiblioCon ’21: Highlights of the Online Library Conference

Industry

Get ideas to help you write email subject lines that will grab your recipients’ attention.

5 Simple Tips to Write Pro Email Subject Lines (Plus Examples)

Email Marketing

Do patrons notice the design of your catalog and your website? They sure do, and we’ve found that library patrons are very proactive about sharing feedback when given the opportunity.

Using Library Patron Feedback to Improve the Online User Experience

Discovery Layer

Website and Events Management

Email is a mainstay of a cost-effective marketing strategy for businesses to grow customers, and it’s also a way that libraries can engage members and make personal connections with them.

Tailor Your Email Marketing to Create a Better Patron Experience

Email Marketing

For years we’ve heard that laughter is an incredibly powerful medicine. The lists and blogs we share below will make you chuckle, they’ll warm your heart, and spread a little bit of joy and sparkle in your day.

New Year's (re)Solution: Laughter

Industry

Times are changing, exponentially faster than we may want to admit. Libraries are connectivity hubs providing all kinds of community services through tools for digital collaboration and experiences.

Library 2.0: Why Everyone’s Talking About Digital Accessibility

Discovery Layer

Website and Events Management

Accessibility

Industry

How people experience disabilities and accessibility barriers can vary from person to person. Which is why accessibility barriers are commonly grouped into these four pillars.

Library 2.0: The 4 Pillars That Make Your Services Digitally Accessible

Discovery Layer

Website and Events Management

Industry

Accessibility

Inclusive design benefits everyone. What does it mean to your library patrons and visitors? Dive deep into the concept of inclusive design and assistive devices and technologies.

Library 2.0: Are You Ready for the Assistive Technologies Your Library Patrons Are Using?

Accessibility

Industry

How is it performing for people with unique challenges? Find out if your website’s design and function need to be improved.

Library 2.0: Top 5 Ways to Make Your Website More Accessible

Website and Events Management

Accessibility

Getting started with accessibility standards and compliance can feel overwhelming. You may feel the need to make major changes, even doing a total reboot or rebuild.

Library 2.0: Tips for Website Compliance to Put into Action Today

Website and Events Management

Accessibility

Colors are an excellent way to convey emotion and create a unique personality for your brand, but using the right color combinations takes planning.

Library 2.0: Can Everyone See Your Website Colors?

Website and Events Management

Accessibility

Read about the importance of engaging your visitors, growing the number of card-carrying patrons, and increasing the lending of your collection to expand participation in all community services.

Library 2.0: How to Evaluate the Success of Your Library’s Website

Website and Events Management

Accessibility

There’s a lot more to digital accessibility than technical compliance with standards. It’s a mindset, where you become aware of people’s unique abilities and changing needs.

Library 2.0: What We’re Doing About Accessibility at BiblioCommons

Accessibility

Discovery Layer

Website and Events Management

According to user experience professionals, inclusivity is at the heart of making digital platforms useful, usable, and enjoyable for users of any identity, background, or experience.

Library 2.0: Inclusive Images and Text Take Your Website Beyond Technical Compliance

Website and Events Management

Accessibility

How do you get people excited about digital books, audio books, and magazines, along with all the other resources available at your library?

Library 2.0: How Accessible Is Your Mobile App? (Tips to Make It Happen!)

Mobile App

Accessibility

Pilar Martinez, CEO at Edmonton Public Library, discusses how the integration across the BiblioCommons suite of products helps EPL provide consistent user experiences.

How EPL Gives Customers A Complete Window into Everything the Library Has to Offer

Discovery Layer

Mobile App

Website and Events Management

Email Marketing

Accessibility

Pilar Martinez, CEO at Edmonton Public Library, explains why EPL decided to subscribe to BiblioEmail for email marketing.

EPL Sends Fully Customizable Emails With Content Pulled Directly From Its Website

Email Marketing

Pilar Martinez, CEO at Edmonton Public Library, reflects on the intricacies of library catalogs and the benefits of being a BiblioCommons Library Partner.

How EPL Makes All Formats Easily Discoverable on Its Online Catalog

Discovery Layer

Pilar Martinez, CEO at Edmonton Public Library, shares their experience with an old mobile app and how things have changed since subscribing to BiblioApps.

EPL Provides a Unified Experience Between the Mobile App and Website

Mobile App

Pilar Martinez, CEO at Edmonton Public Library, shares how her library leans on BiblioCommons' in-depth knowledge of cataloging and libraries to give users the best online experience.

EPL Makes it Quick and Easy for Users to Browse Its Collection and Find Services

Discovery Layer

Mobile App

Website and Events Management

Email Marketing

Hear from Heather Kearns, Marketing Coordinator at Lawrence Public Library.

Lawrence Public Library Maintains its Website With a Small Marketing Team

Website and Events Management

Hear from Polli Kenn, Reader Services Coordinator at Lawrence Public Library.

Lawrence Public Library Creates Personalized Readers Advisory Services to Connect with Patrons

Discovery Layer

Hear from Dan McMahon, Systems Administrator at MARINet.

MARINet Increases Patron-Placed Requests

Discovery Layer

Hear from Jessica Trenary, Systems Librarian at MARINet.

MARINet elevates the UX and Design of its Catalog and Mobile App

Discovery Layer

Mobile App

Find out what you should be looking for when evaluating different patron catalog options.

The State of Discovery Layers for Public Libraries

All-in-one or la carte, BiblioCommons offers a strong foundation of flexible modules that bring integrated library experiences on any device to your patrons.

Discovery Layer

Brochure

An Integrated Suite Worthy of Your Community's Love

Discovery Layer

Mobile App

Website and Events Management

Email Marketing

Learn how BiblioApps + Self-Checkout can be an alternative solution to self-checkout machines.

Enhance Patrons’ Mobile App Experience with Self-Checkout

An independent consultant found that using the BiblioCore catalog correlated with substantially increased circulation.

Mobile App

Report

Correlation Between BiblioCommons And Increased Library Usage

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Libraries that subscribe to BiblioCommons services see higher library usage than public libraries who don’t use BiblioCommons.

Discovery Layer

Infographic

With BiblioCommons Libraries Thrive

See Infographic

Discovery Layer

Find out about how to automatically add Hoopla and OverDrive titles to your BiblioCore catalog so that patrons can discover eContent without leaving the catalog.

Serve the Online Patron and Save Staff Time with BiblioCloudRecords

Discovery Layer

Learn all about how BiblioSuggest makes it simple for patrons to recommend new titles in your catalog and streamline your workflow.

Making it Easy: Manage Patron Suggestions with BiblioSuggest

Discovery Layer

Hear from Marcie Stanley, Marketing and Communications Supervisor at Arapahoe Libraries.

Creating a Personalized Email Experience for Library Patrons

Email Marketing

Get the details about how segmenting audiences and personalizing email campaigns has improved email engagement metrics for this public library.

Arapahoe Libraries Transforms their Email Marketing Strategy

Get Inspired

Email marketing for libraries that’s personalized, automated, and integrated.

Email Marketing

Brochure

BiblioEmail Brochure

Email Marketing

User testing is a great way to get specific feedback about your patrons’ experiences, preferences, and behaviors. Find out more to improve your website's user experience.

How to Conduct User Testing to Create Extraordinary Patron Experiences

Website and Events Management

Industry

Get an at-a-glance view of the email marketing solution for public libraries.

BiblioEmail Feature Sheet

Email Marketing

Get an at-a-glance view of the event calendar solution for public libraries.

BiblioEvents Feature Sheet

Website and Events Management

Get an at-a-glance view of the website management solution for public libraries.

BiblioWeb Feature Sheet

Website and Events Management

Get an at-a-glance view of the mobile app solution for public libraries.

BiblioApps Feature Sheet

Mobile App

Get an at-a-glance view of the online catalog/discovery layer solution for public libraries.

BiblioCore Feature Sheet

Discovery Layer

Hear about ways to leverage existing website content to create personalized emails for patrons without the tediopus work of copying and pasting.

Send Emails That Will Strengthen Your Relationship with Patrons

Email Marketing

Explore what makes a great list and find out how to manage individual and group staff accounts. Plus, get tips on polishing up your staff profiles.

Patrons Love Staff Picks: Connect With Your Community

Discovery Layer

Find out how a library successfully worked with their city colleagues to improve their reach and develop an online platform that the entire city benefits from.

Leveraging the Liberated Library: Why Everyone Wins When Libraries Break Out of Their City Website

Website and Events Management

Get ideas of how to leverage existing BiblioWeb features to serve your online community better while physical libraries are closed to the public.

Enhancing the Online-Only Public Library Experience

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Learn ways to provide a fresh, engaging, and easy-to-use online catalog that promotes endless opportunities for searching, exploring, and borrowing.

Increase Patron Engagement by Providing Endless Pathways for Discovery

Discovery Layer

What does an effective and engaging mobile app look like? Hear about the key things you should look for when evaluating possible mobile app solutions for your library.

The Guide to Evaluating a Mobile App Solution

Mobile App

Hear how best to promote your launch (social media tips and tricks), incentivize staff and give them the tools to help patrons as they transition to a new online catalog.

Implementing New Software: Strategies to Engage Staff and Patrons

Find out where to start with your website journey, learn about repurposing evergreen content, and get practical tips to streamline the design process.

Discovery Layer

Website and Events Management

Guide

Designing Your New Website Homepage

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Gain practical advice on seasonal content creation and learn from real-world strategies developed by Chicago Public Library and Saint Paul Public Library.

Website and Events Management

Report

Best Practices for Seasonal Content Marketing

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Strategically plan and organize your email campaigns, plus get suggestions on common email marketing metrics to track performance and measure success.

Website and Events Management

Template

Email Marketing Planning

Download Template

Email Marketing

A website homepage is prime real estate for libraries. Hear from two libraries that designed a new homepage and simultaneously developed a new marketing strategy.

Not Everything Can Go on the Homepage

Website and Events Management

Get an introductory look at GA4 and hear about the next steps libraries can take to migrate from Universal Analytics, plus key reports to use in GA4.

What You Need to Know About Google Analytics 4

Website and Events Management

Discovery Layer

Industry

How can you ensure your patrons are properly represented? Learn effective strategies Pima County Public Library uses to reflect its current demographic.

How to Create Online Content to Reflect a Diverse Community

Website and Events Management

Promoting online resources on your website can be pretty daunting. Get data and examples from public libraries that effectively do this on their websites.

Best Practices for Promoting Online Resources

Get ideas that you can take action on today to make your public library’s website more diverse and welcoming to many in your community.

Website and Events Management

List

10 Tips to Support a Diverse Community Online

See List

Website and Events Management

See what major brands are doing and learn ways to keep your brand front and center by merchandizing services, personalizing experiences, and maximizing UX.

Lessons Learned from the Brands You Love 2.0

It’s up to software vendors and users to create inclusive digital spaces. Find out how we’re doing that in BiblioCommons products.

Website and Events Management

Industry

Brochure

Providing an Accessible and Inclusive Digital Library Experience

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As institutions committed to ensuring access to information, do public libraries have a responsibility to address misinformation?

Public Libraries & the Battle Against Misinformation

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Learn how to easily integrate books, movies, and music into your blog posts, and add blog posts into your catalog to cross-promote your staff expertise and collections.

Level Up to Better Blogs

Website and Events Management

Hear the panel talk about tools libraries use to schedule curbside pick-up times to ensure efficiency, safety, and customer service.

Community Discussion: Considering and Supporting Curbside Service

Discovery Layer

Website and Events Management

Industry

Maximize the impact of your marketing strategies with insightful tips and effective methods to engage your audience and increase library users.

Best Practices for Seasonal Content Marketing

Website and Events Management

Find out how two public libraries have quickly organized to create and promote new online programs to serve their communities.

Planning and Promoting Your Library's Online Events

Website and Events Management

Get inspired with new ideas and receive practical tips to create and promote your online summer reading experience in this unique year.

Supporting Summer Reading Online

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Hear from three libraries as they discuss their plans, ideas, and pilot projects to help people find jobs and support small and local businesses.

Supporting Job Seekers & Entrepreneurs in 2020: Panel Discussion and Idea Sharing

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Hear a panel of four libraries as they discuss their ideas to support students, parents and educators, and address the digital divides families are facing in their communities.

Supporting K-12 Students in 2020: Panel Discussion and Idea Sharing

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Learn ways you can ensure that your library’s lists of book, movie, and music recommendations reach and resonate with your community.

What to Read, Watch, or Listen to Next: Creating and Promoting Lists Your Patrons Will Love

Bypass spam filters and increase your email open rates with this comprehensive list of words and phrases that might flag your emails as spam.

Discovery Layer

List

Spam Trigger Words to Avoid Using in Your Email Subject Lines

See List

Email Marketing

Learn how to broaden and deepen patron engagement with your library by providing an exceptional, modern mobile experience with BiblioApps.

Increasing Patron Engagement With the All-New BiblioApps

Review the recommended guidelines to optimize app design, functionality, and user experience, to make your library available for everyone.

Mobile App

List

The Public Library Mobile App Accessibility Checklist

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