Innovative, from Clarivate, is proud to announce the successful implementation of the Polaris library services platform at Clutha District Libraries, a network of five community branches serving residents across New Zealand’s South Island.
This implementation underscores Polaris’ growing global footprint and commitment to supporting libraries of all sizes.
Clutha District Libraries, a collective of five community libraries located in Balclutha, Lawrence, Milton, Owaka, and Tapanui, serve residents across one of New Zealand’s most scenic rural districts. With Polaris, Clutha has gained a modern, robust, and scalable web-based LMS that empowers staff with powerful tools for collection management and delivers a significantly enhanced customer experience.
“We are thrilled to bring Polaris to our community,” said Debbie Duncan, Head of Libraries and Visitor Information at Clutha District Council. “Polaris provides our staff with intuitive tools to manage our collections more efficiently, while our customers enjoy a more engaging and visually appealing experience. One of the biggest advantages is the ability for both staff and patrons to easily view and access items in multiple formats across our libraries, along with their location. This represents a real step forward for us.”
Serving a Unique Community
Clutha District Libraries are not only gateways to information, but also an essential part of a region rich in history and natural wonders. First home to the Māori and later shaped by European settlers, the gold rush of 1861, and coal mining, today Clutha is largely an agricultural community. It’s also famously home to the world’s smallest penguins – the little blue penguin (kororā)-and the rarest penguin, the yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho).
Building on Polaris: Clutha’s Next Chapter
Polaris is a modern, robust, and scalable web-based integrated library system (ILS) designed to optimise staff workflows and elevate patron services through intuitive tools for circulation, cataloguing, reporting, and enriched customer-facing functionality. Looking ahead, Clutha District Libraries will continue to enhance its digital ecosystem by implementing Vega Discover, a next-generation discovery layer that presents all formats in a unified, intelligent search interface and supports personalised features such as reading lists and smart showcases. Patrons will also soon enjoy the convenience of Vega Mobile, a customisable library-branded app that provides seamless access to catalogue search, holds, e-content, account management, and more on iOS and Android devices.
Innovative is proud to support Clutha’s libraries in their mission to provide knowledge and connection to their communities, ensuring access to resources is as unique and inspiring as the district itself.
Take the Next Step with Polaris and Vega
To learn more about Polaris, Vega Discover, and Vega Mobile, or to see how these solutions could support your library, contact us or book a demo.