Polaris ILS: empowering the modern public library

Keep your library running smoothly

Every day, library staff support the people and communities they serve, helping patrons find resources, access services, manage accounts, place holds, borrow materials, and connect with programs.

Polaris brings the workflows behind those moments together, from circulation and collections to reporting and administration, so staff can keep service moving smoothly.

Built for consortium scale

Shared systems must balance two needs: consistency across the consortium and flexibility for each member library.

Polaris helps consortia coordinate circulation, collections, patron services, permissions, shared policies, and analytics across large library networks, giving teams visibility to support member libraries and make better decisions for the communities they serve. Central teams can manage common standards and workflows, while individual libraries and branches retain the local control they need to serve their communities.

From shared catalogs and resource sharing to branch-level configuration, Polaris helps consortia operate as one network while giving leaders the insight to understand usage, identify needs, and support member libraries more effectively.

Work wherever your library works

Library service does not always happen behind a desk.

Staff may be issuing library cards at a school, checking out books from a bookmobile, helping patrons at a community event, or moving between locations during the day. Polaris gives them access to the same familiar workflows they use at the branch, making it easier to provide reliable service wherever it is needed.

This is not simply about how staff access the system. It is about taking library services beyond the building.

Built to connect with your library

Every library has its own technology ecosystem. Self-check kiosks, RFID, authentication services, eContent platforms, payment providers, and local applications all need to work alongside the library system.

Polaris APIs and established integrations help libraries connect these services, exchange data, and support workflows that reflect their local needs. This gives libraries more freedom to extend Polaris and make the most of the technologies they already use.

Extend the experience with Vega LX

Polaris remains the trusted operational foundation public libraries rely on every day. Circulation, cataloging, acquisitions, patron management, reporting, and administration continue to be at the core of the platform. But the value of Polaris goes beyond managing library operations.

Polaris provides the foundation that enables libraries to deliver services wherever their communities need them. Once that operational foundation is in place, Vega LX extends the experience into the world and Polaris and Vega LX work together as a connected ecosystem. Polaris powers the workflows and data that staff depend on, while Vega LX helps libraries shape how patrons discover collections, engage with programs, explore services, and connect with the library online.

• Vega Discover: Patron discovery and online catalog experience
• Vega Program : Event management, room booking, registration, and promotion
• Vega Promote: Email marketing and patron communications
• Vega Mobile: Mobile access to library services and patron account tools
• Vega WebBuilder: Library website and digital experience management

Built for what comes next

Polaris is built with public libraries, not just for them.

Feedback is gathered through direct customer conversations, enhancement requests submitted through Idea Exchange, and the Innovative Users Group community, giving libraries multiple ways to share priorities and help guide future development.
Idea Exchange is a dedicated customer feedback portal where library staff can submit ideas, comment on suggestions from other libraries, and vote for the enhancements that would make the biggest difference to their teams.

That steady exchange with the library community helps Polaris stay focused on the work libraries do every day, while giving them the flexibility to adapt as their communities change.

One platform, local flexibility

Polaris supports different approaches to consortium management. Policies can be established centrally where consistency matters, while settings can be adapted at the library or branch level where local practices differ.

That balance helps consortia:

• Coordinate shared circulation and holds policies
• Maintain local rules and service models
• Manage permissions across organizations and staff groups

• Use analytics to understand network-wide activity, identify local needs, and make better service decisions

• Support centralized or distributed technical services
• Deliver a consistent patron experience across member libraries
• Expand resource sharing through Polaris, Vega LX, and Rapido