Polaris ILS: empowering the modern public library

Streamlined Staff Workflows, Minimal Effort

Polaris is built to increase staff productivity and efficiency from day one.

Its intuitive Leap web client requires minimal training, so your team spends less time on software and more time serving patrons.
Routine tasks are simplified across all modules – from cataloging to circulation – with thoughtful refinements that reduce clicks and save time.

For example, the latest Polaris release introduces a patron import feature in Leap that lets staff upload .TRN or .CSV files to create or overlay patron records, simplifying student and seasonal patron onboarding.

This bulk-import workflow eliminates tedious manual data entry and helps avoid mistakes when adding large groups of new users. With an interface that streamlines everyday operations, even complex processes can be completed in just a few steps.

The result is an ILS that lets your staff do more with less effort every day.

Exceptional Patron Experiences

Deliver an intuitive, engaging library experience to your community.

Polaris ensures your patrons have a user-friendly online catalog (PAC) that makes discovery easy – whether they’re searching for a book or borrowing an eBook.
Patrons can find and check out digital content right from your catalog, thanks to Polaris’s seamless eContent integration that keeps them on your site when something interests them.

Polaris also elevates patron communications: with modern email notices powered by LX Starter, libraries can send attractive, customized emails for holds, overdues and more, improving the way you connect with users.

In short, Polaris helps you meet patrons where they are – providing convenient self-service options, timely notifications, and an overall experience that keeps them coming back.

Work Anywhere with Polaris Leap

Empower your staff with ultimate mobility.

The Polaris Leap web client lets staff perform circulation, cataloging, acquisitions and other tasks from anywhere with an internet connection.

Whether in a back office, out in the stacks, or at a community event, staff have full access to Polaris through a responsive web interface that works on laptops and tablets.
Imagine conducting a storytime at a farmer’s market or managing a pop-up library – Polaris Leap makes it possible by bringing core ILS functions to whatever location you need.

This flexibility not only boosts productivity, it also enhances customer service.
Staff can assist patrons on the fly, look up accounts or place requests without running back to a desk.

Polaris Leap truly takes your library beyond the four walls, enabling real-time service anywhere in your community.

Connected, Future-Ready Platform

Polaris is an open and future-focused platform that works the way your library works.

It offers extensive interoperability – integrating with third-party vendors, social media, and outside resources so you can connect Polaris with the tools and content you already use. From syncing with eBook providers (OverDrive, cloudLibrary, etc.) to supporting self-service kiosks and discovery layers, Polaris fits seamlessly into a modern library ecosystem.

Polaris also shines in multi-library environments, with strong support for consortia and multi-branch configurations. Administration is flexible, allowing consortium-level oversight alongside local library customizations. And as your needs change, Polaris keeps pace: Innovative (part of Clarivate) releases regular updates driven directly by librarian feedback.

In fact, Polaris 7.8 was shaped by votes from libraries on their “wishlist” features – delivering enhancements like new staff-side options and time-saving workflows that were built for librarians, by librarians.

With Polaris, you gain a partner committed to your success, ensuring your technology is never static and always ready for what’s next.