Webinar recap: The fight against book bans

Innovative hosted a webinar with Illinois State Senator Laura Murphy and Chicago Public Library Commissioner Chris Brown on the topic of book bans in America.

Senator Murphy discussed of Illinois’s anti-book ban legislation, which made history when it was passed in June 2023.

Commissioner Chris Brown talked about how Chicago declared itself a book sanctuary in September 2022, as well as how the Chicago Public Library has made a point of making endangered books available to borrow across their 81 branches.

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Library Events Success Story

“Vega Promote has been a big success here. Patrons and staff have found it very easy to use, and a big improvement on the previous registration experience we gave them,” says Middle Country Library Assistant Director Ryan Gessner.

Middle Country Public Library started using Vega Program and saw a quick implementation, a better mobile experience for patrons. Read the customer spotlight for more details!

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What do you want to see at IUG 2024? Make it happen!

The Innovative Users Group is hosting IUG 2024 in Detroit from March 25-27, and they are accepting applications for presentations now through November 30!

Have tips for increasing program attendance? Or being successful in leadership change? Figure out what you know to be the fastest workflow for inventory? Share with your peers!

Not an IUG member yet? Your entire library can join for a very reasonable fee!

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Kids Catalog for Vega Discover enters beta testing!

We’ve been working on offering themed catalogs for Vega Discover, and beta testing is starting now!

What does this mean?

Libraries will be able to have Vega Discover themes for kids or other categories—local history collections, special collections like sheet music, or whatever category you want!

Libraries can define their collections by category or location, choose theme elements from a design library, and have a themed catalog available within a few weeks.

Stay tuned for details when themed catalogs are available in Vega Discover!

Learn more: Vega Discover user documentation

Welcome to the family!

More libraries are choosing the Vega Library Experience every day! Here are the latest libraries to select and implement Vega LX:

• Roseville Public Library, Indiana
• Ray Township Public Library, Michigan
• Ypsilanti District Library, Michigan
• Warren-Trumbull County Public Library, Ohio

November is Library Marketing Month!

Innovative celebrated Library Marketing Month by hosting two webinars on the topic of marketing public libraries. Recordings are now available to watch on demand.

Consultant Cordelia Anderson joined us for a session on Shifting to an Integrated Marketing Strategy, including how to:

• Document your audiences
• Create campaign objectives
• Develop messaging
• Select the right channels
• Evaluate your marketing efforts

Just getting started with marketing at your library? Check out Marketing Maven Kathy Dempsey’s session Marketing 101 for Librarians; sign up to watch on demand!

Library Leadership Podcast: Creating Civil Engagement Programming

Lauren Deering, Coordinator of Civic Engagement, and Adriana Blancarte-Hayward, Senior Manager of Outreach Services, both with the Community Outreach and Engagement Department at New York Public Library, talk about creating civic engagement programming in libraries on this episode of the Library Leadership Podcast.

Listen here: Episode 140. Creating Civic Engagement Programming with Lauren Deering & Adriana Blancarte-Hayward

The Complete Vega LX Platform at a Glance

Vega LX is the first library experience platform of its kind. Encompassing a complete suite of modules, it empowers staff to effectively communicate and manage a full range of programs and services for the library community. Vega LX integrates seamlessly with your ILS through Vega Connect, and expands your patron reach and engagement through one or more of these solutions:

Available now:

• Discover — A user-friendly discovery experience, rolling all formats into a single display
• Promote — Send targeted communications to marketing contacts and segments
• Promote Web — Build a modern library website to promote your ever-evolving services
• Program — Create, approve, and manage library events and room bookings

Coming soon:

• Interact — Provides two-way communication with patrons via chatbot or digital assistants
• Analyze — Uses key data to quantify your library’s value and ROI

What People Are Saying

“We need to be the cutting-edge resource our community needs us to be. These new tools from Innovative will refresh our online presence, make it easier to connect with our cardholders, and streamline processes for staff so they can spend more time providing assistance and resources for our patrons.”

Jim Wilkins, Library Executive Director, Warren-Trumbull County Public Library