Leading U.S. Public Libraries Partnering with Innovative on the Most Modern Library Platform Available
EMERYVILLE, Calif. July 22, 2020 – Innovative, a ProQuest company and leading global provider of library software, today announced that six public libraries joined the Development Partner program for Vega, a new patron engagement and discovery solution for public libraries. The partners include The Central Arkansas Library System, The Ferguson Library, Jefferson County Library Cooperative, Mid-Hudson Library System, MidPointe Library System, and Springfield-Greene Library System.
Vega, a new ultramodern platform from Innovative, promises to increase engagement and amplify collections of all types, helping public libraries strengthen and advance their crucial role in communities across the world. The first release, Vega Discover, offers interconnected search results that are more accurate and relevant, and an intuitive design that makes it easy for people to uncover content with the simplicity they expect from modern technology. The Vega platform will expand beyond discovery to include intelligence, analytics, marketing tools and services for public libraries, and easily integrate data and third-party software. A rich set of APIs offer deep connectivity to digital content providers, catalog enrichment sources, and more.
“Now, more than ever, libraries need to be available anywhere, anytime. Like its namesake, the next North Star, Vega will lead people to a purposeful destination,” said Yariv Kursh, General Manager of Innovative.
Vega is designed specifically to address many of the unsolved challenges inherent in current public library solutions. Features include:
- Robust Discovery – Delivers personalized experiences with re-imagined lists, reading history, recommendations, and library outreach to promote higher-quality interactions.
- Work Roll-Ups – Eliminate endless scrolling by combining formats and editions into a single search result with one smart “hold” or “check-out” button, simplifying workflows and offering at-a-glance availability.
- Showcases – Provide access to related materials, people, and topics in a visual interface that encourages people to explore and uncover further areas of interest.
- Patron Engagement – A portfolio of tools, such as customer relationship management, marketing automation, website builder, and event management to strengthen libraries’ connections to their communities.
- Accessibility – Responsive user interface works across devices, adheres to latest accessibility standards, and supports multiple languages.
- Cloud-based Design – Built as software-as-a-service, on a new multi-tenant platform.
“We are honored that these institutions are partnering with us on Vega. Their feedback will ensure that the platform meets the unique needs of public libraries in today’s world,” said Kursh.
The Development Partner program advances Innovative’s products through advisory discussions, usability testing, and beta testing. The public libraries participating for Vega represent millions of patrons and a combined annual circulation of over 10 million.
- “As the world moves more and more to on-demand services, people expect the same from the library. We want to improve our ability to engage patrons with content and targeted communications, and we believe Vega is the right solution to accomplish that,” said Maisam Nouh, Information Technology Supervisor at The Ferguson Library in Connecticut.
- “We are always in pursuit of better ways to both engage people more deeply with library services and maintain our commitment to patron privacy, as well as avenues to connect people with great content that they may not have otherwise found to further demonstrate the value of their library. That’s core to the design of Vega and we believe our patrons and staff will embrace the new solution,” said Travis Bautz, Executive Director at MidPointe Library System in Ohio.
- “The Vega platform by Innovative Interfaces is a compelling option for library resource discovery and management. The adoption of BIBFRAME imagines new possibilities for discovery through data exchange across heterogenous systems, and a primary focus on community engagement empowers public libraries to respond to current and future demands for public service. With Vega, we are pleased to maximize our investment in Sierra and continue our long-standing relationship with Innovative Interfaces as we explore new library service paradigms and build a toolset that is responsive to evolving community needs,” said Tobin Cataldo, Executive Director at Jefferson County Library Cooperative in Alabama.
- “The year 2020 has not played out as any of us expected. Curbside service and limited public access to our facilities has made the need for intuitive virtual browsing and discovery of the depth and breadth of library collections and resources even more critical. I’m pleased that Innovative is making the investment and working with customers to deliver solutions that fill this need,” said Nathan James, Deputy Executive Director for Technology & Collection Innovation at Central Arkansas Library System in Arkansas.
- “Our library strives to be an integral part of our community and we need technologies and products that will support that vision. We are excited about the direction of Vega and look forward to a system designed for staff efficiency and an improved patron experience,” said Renee Brumett, Electronic Resources Librarian at Springfield-Greene County Library District in Missouri.
- “People expect libraries to provide modern tools, experiences, and outreach, and until now that technology has been behind. We’re excited about Vega modernizing that experience and the ease of use it offers – we expect no learning curve as it’s designed with the same principles that guide so many of our experiences today on services like Amazon and Netflix,” said Laurie Shedrick, Assistant Director and Technology Operations Manager at Mid-Hudson Library System in New York.
Vega will support Sierra and Polaris public library customers worldwide. Discover will be available for development partners in August 2020, with patron engagement capabilities to follow in 2021. To learn more, visit the Vega overview page: www.iii.com/products/vega.
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About Innovative
Innovative, a ProQuest company, provides leading technology solutions and services that empower libraries and enrich their users worldwide. Innovative offers one of the most comprehensive portfolios of library automation products on the market today, serving academic, public, national, consortia, and corporate and special libraries. Headquartered in Emeryville, California, Innovative has a global presence—serving thousands of libraries in 66 countries and offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.iii.com.