When Rochester Hills Public Library wants to ensure a message is clearly communicated to all users, they take a three-pronged approach: publishing the same message on their website, online catalog, and as part of their patron email notices.RHPL has implemented Vega Discover and LX Starter with their Polaris ILS to begin building a more integrated ecosystem for their staff, and a consistent user experience for community members.

Join us to hear from two libraries using LX Starter to discuss their implementation, email templates, set it and forget it approach for easy management, and patron reactions to the new notices. Katie LeBlanc from Clinton-Macomb Public Library (Polaris) will share how branded email notices help patrons quickly identify communications from the library. Becky Bowers from Princeton Public Library (Sierra) will share her experience implementing the new solution.Learn more about how these modern email notices can improve library branding and only require minimum maintenance work once set up is completed. LX Starter is included at no additional cost for Polaris and Sierra libraries. It provides modern, professionally-designed email templates for patron circulation notices and future releases will include additional automated email journeys for patrons.

This video is an overview of all the exciting new features in Sierra 6.1 (December 2023). Highlights include SAML login for Sierra staff users, reprinting bills, using item status change date in Create Lists, protecting Global Update command files from accidental overwrite, and exporting user permissions.

The majority of library budgets are spent in three areas: staff, collections, and space. So why do we spend the bulk of our marketing efforts on events and programs? In this session we will discuss how to expand your marketing efforts to include and prioritize offerings such as collections, online resources, physical spaces and staff expertise. Using real examples, we’ll review how marketing and communications are essential to supporting and communicating a library’s strategic priorities. Finally, we will explore how this broader approach can help to strengthen your library’s reputation and brand.Participants will learn: • How to expand their marketing efforts to include collections, online resources, physical spaces and staff expertise• How marketing and communications are essential to supporting and communicating a library’s strategic priorities. • How this broader approach can help to strengthen a library’s reputation.

Do you want to add a personal touch to your patrons’ browsing experience? Look no further than our new kids catalog and themed catalogs! With the theme builder, you can easily customize your homepage with your favorite images or choose from one of our pre-built themes for kids.

Whether it’s a photo of your library or a stock photo, you can make your homepage truly your own. The themed components build on our already user-friendly and intuitive homepage builder, so you don’t need any technical expertise to get started. With Vega Discover premium, you can create multiple online catalogs with customized homepages and resources for specific age groups or unique collections at your library.

Learn more about the weeding workflow in Leap with this deep-dive session. This session reviews the three major elements of the new workflow: weeding templates, weeding record sets and the approval dashboard.

When marginalized people seek services, public libraries are there for them. When you want to proactively reach underserved community members to tell them how you can help, where do you begin? How can you connect with such a diverse audience, which can include BIPOC teens, disabled individuals, unhoused folks, immigrants, and others?This session starts with the basics of outreach communication, then shows you how to apply those strategies to get your messages to those in need—especially those who don’t have email or internet service. Along the way, you’ll learn how to craft attention-getting messages and where to place them so they’ll be seen, online and offline.These strategies will be especially helpful to those who don’t have prior communications training, or who don’t have a plan or a dedicated staffer for outreach. Any library worker will leave this session with more knowledge and confidence in communicating with hard-to-reach segments of their communities.

Are you looking for an intuitive, appealing way to bolster your library brand and amplify engagement with your community?This webinar might have the answers you are looking for.Join us as the Innovative product team presents a case study that demonstrates how the Vega product suite can help you invigorate communication efforts from your library and deliver a consistent, patron-first experience.In this session, you will learn how curated content like showcases and events can seamlessly be featured on your library website, your Discover home page, or even in your circulation notices and marketing communications. Vega enables libraries to realize their branding vision through tight integrations and easy to use drag and drop design building tools.

In February we announced an exciting new partnership with LibraryIQ. LibraryIQ is an analytics and reporting solution that uses real-time data to offer actionable insights to libraries in categories spanning collection management, service development, patron engagement, and strategic planning. Over the past few years, LibraryIQ has quickly become the analytics solution of choice for many public libraries, integrating with Innovative’s Sierra and Polaris library systems, and now joining the selection of analytics in the Vega Library Experience (LX) platform.

Watch this webinar to see a demo of the LibraryIQ platform and learn more about the five areas of CollectionIQ, DiversityIQ, CommunityIQ, PatronIQ, and MetricsIQ. Sara Roberts, Director of Account and Product Management, will present examples of how libraries can and have used LibraryIQ for data-driven decisions on weeding, purchasing, book programs, and displays. Cori Iannaggi, LibraryIQ Solutions Specialist, will dig into the details on how to navigate the tool.

Come learn more about the new features in Polaris 7.6 (April 2024). Highlights include new options for bulk waiving fines, as well as several technical services enhancements for Leap with the advanced MARC editor, item templates, ad-hoc bulk change, and acquisitions workslips.

Learn more about Polaris on our website: https://www.iii.com/products/polaris-ils/

The role of today’s library worker is evolving in ways that can impact their well-being. Because the library serves as a welcome, safe place for all members of the community, library workers often find themselves on the front line of helping people in crisis. Additionally, in many areas, library resources and staff are being challenged for connecting their communities to vital resources.

At Innovative, a part of Clarivate, we are committed to supporting library workers and invite you to join us as we share resources and strategies that promote Well-Being for Library Workers.

This session featured international library consultant and former ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo leading a discussion about wellness basics; factors that impact the wellness of library workers; understanding and identifying signs of stress, burnout, and anxiety; exercises to promote well-being and selfcare, and much more.

During this webinar, participants will:
• Conduct a wellness assessment especially for library workers
• Learn basic self-care and mindfulness strategies that can be applied situationally
• Create a “Wellness Toolbox for Librarians”

Rest APIs provide a connection between two different systems, enabling those systems to communicate with each other. Polaris and Sierra libraries can use Rest APIs to extract data from other systems to create customizations that maximize their ILS according to the specific needs of the communities they serve. In this session, Jason Boland, Senior Training Consultant at Innovative, explores the possibilities of using Rest APIs, shares ways other Polaris and Sierra libraries have used them, and how the Innovative training team can help you take advantage of Rest APIs at your library.

You’ll come away from the webinar with:

– A deeper understanding of Rest APIs – what they are, and how they function
– Ideas for how your library can leverage them to get the most out of your ILS
– Awareness of Innovative resources to help you get started or expand your use of Rest APIs

The Sierra product manager will provide a quick tour of the exciting new features recently released in Sierra 6.2 (June 2024). Highlights include batch cancelation of order records, placing holds on multiple volumes and multiple items of a bib, improvements to the management of macros, how to use the “Verify Heading” feature in item records, how to maintain location-based scopes using the Sierra client, and recent improvements in Sierra API.

Social media provides an opportunity for libraries to engage with people outside of the four walls of the library. Libraries have been using social media since its inception, but we have typically relied on it for promotion, not engagement. In this webinar, we’ll discuss how to shift from promotion, which is a one-way conversation, to engagement, which is a two-way conversation. Cordelia Anderson discusses strategies such as active listening, trending topics, analytics, social media as a customer service point, and much more. We will also discuss the pros and cons for centralized and decentralized management of social media, and how governance and policy can be balanced with creativity and flexibility.

You’ll also walk away with current examples of great social media trends in libraries.

Spend time online with one of the nation’s leading experts on library safety and security. Dr. Steve Albrecht has trained thousands of library employees on handling challenging, entitled, eccentric, or even threatening patrons who may want to disrupt the library. His popular program offers practical and realistic communication, service, and de-escalation tools which will make your facility a better, safer place to work. Enjoy Steve’s real-life experiences as a 24-year library security consultant, mixed with his use of humor. Learn safety and security measures, personal protection methods, and how to activate your “high-stress” customer service skills. Here’s what Steve covered in this fast and empowering program:

Enforcing Our Code of Conduct: Knowing Dr. Steve’s Essential Eight
Creative Customer Service Tools
Having “Crucial Conversations”
Dr. George Thompson’s Verbal Judo: The L.E.A.P.S. Model
Our Top 10 List of Challenging Patrons
Managing Homeless, Mentally Ill, or Substance Abusing Patron Behavior Issues
Using Space, Distance, and Proxemic Barriers
Setting Better Boundaries With Patrons
Preventing Sexual Harassment of Staff by Patrons
Safety and Security for Rural Library Locations
The Run-Hide-Fight Response to Active Shooters
Our Library Facility Security Plan
Better Support From Law Enforcement

To learn more about upcoming webinars and events at Innovative: https://www.iii.com/events/

Jason Boland, Senior Customer Education Trainer, shares more about the new case management system.

You will come away with insight into the benefits of this change as well as learn more information about:

How to easily log-in
Case submission and management
Tips to enhance your user experience

In February 2024 we announced an exciting new partnership with LibraryIQ. LibraryIQ is an analytics and reporting solution that uses real-time data to offer actionable insights to libraries in categories spanning collection management, service development, patron engagement, and strategic planning. Over the past few years, LibraryIQ has quickly become the analytics solution of choice for many public libraries, integrating with Innovative’s Sierra and Polaris library systems, and now joining the selection of analytics in the Vega Library Experience (LX) platform.

Watch this webinar to see a demo of the LibraryIQ platform and learn more about the five areas of CollectionIQ, DiversityIQ, CommunityIQ, PatronIQ, and MetricsIQ. Sara Roberts, Director of Account and Product Management, will present examples of how libraries can and have used LibraryIQ for data-driven decisions on weeding, purchasing, book programs, and displays. Cori Iannaggi, LibraryIQ Solutions Specialist, will dig into the details on how to navigate the tool.

Saying “no” to new or unusual requests and endeavors can be the default response for many librarians. There are numerous and undoubtably valid reasons why we might resist change or taking on additional projects. However, when Jennifer Nelson, State Librarian, New Jersey State Library, challenged herself to more frequently say “yes,” it had a surprising impact on her career.Jennifer joins Innovative to present an inspiring and informative webinar, The Surprising Benefits of Saying Yes, to share her experience and offer other library workers insights into advantages of answering in the affirmative.Participants will come away from this session:• Feeling more empowered to say “yes”• Energized to serve their community in new ways• With an appreciation for the positive consequences of taking risksFor more information, check out our website: www.iii.com
Join Riti Grover, Director of Monarch Library System along with our Senior Product Manager, Angela Nolet, to discuss why Monarch chose Vega Program, their approach to implementation, and the unique features available for consortia.

With close to 50 enhancements released in 2023, the functionality of Vega Program continues to grow. From grid view calendars to resource management, we’ve been working with our consortia partners to ensure Program is robust enough to meet their needs.

For more information, check out our website: www.iii.com

The Monarch Library System includes 32 member libraries across four counties in Wisconsin. As a development partner, they helped guide the tools available today that provide Consortia- with needed the functionality they need. Through a phased implementation plan, member libraries have a branded website and a shared calendar that shows all consortium events.

Join Riti Grover, Director of Monarch Library System along with our Senior Product Manager, Angela Nolet, to discuss why Monarch chose Vega Program, their approach to implementation, and the unique features available for consortia.

With close to 50 enhancements released in 2023, the functionality of Vega Program continues to grow. From grid view calendars to resource management, we’ve been working with our consortia partners to ensure Program is robust enough to meet their needs.

For more information, check out our website: www.iii.com

Libraries rely on social media as one of the top ways they communicate with audiences. However, not all social media platforms are the same, and not all content is equal. Join us for a webinar about getting the most out of your social media presences.

Cordelia Anderson, library marketing and communications consultant and the author of Library Marketing and Communications: Strategies to Increase Relevance and Results, from ALA Editions. discusses the Dos and Don’ts of social media, some of the hurdles libraries face, and how to increase engagement with your audiences.

For more information, check out our website: www.iii.com

Small changes can make a big difference over time. Putting useful practices into play at your library can help create the kind of safe, secure, and service-oriented policies, procedures, and operations that will improve staff motivation and morale and make for more satisfied patrons.

Join Dr. Steve Albrecht as he provides a one-month template, using practical ideas to help library leaders and staffers create a safer, more secure, more-service driven library.

Learning Agenda (a sample of topics Steve covers):

• Service Keys: Service Blueprinting; the Patron’s Customer Value Model; Social Media Policies; Four Workplace Cultures; Photo and Video Policies; Preventing Service Fatigue.

• Safety Keys: Parking Lot Perils; First Responder Lists; First Aid Kits; Code Pink Drills; Space Re-Designs; Domestic Violence Civil Orders.

• Security Keys: Visitor Policies; Safe Room Kits; Lockdown Drills; Locking Door Hardware; Citizen’s Arrests; Panic Alarms.

For more information, check out our website: www.iii.com

Learn more about the new features in Polaris 7.7. Highlights include a split screen MARC editor for editing multiple bibliographic records, additional technical services workflows in Leap and several enhancements from the first round of MEEP voting.

For more information, check out our website: www.iii.com