As we look back at 2024, it was an exciting year for Innovative™ and our library community. We’re celebrating the standout moments of the year by showcasing the most-read articles and resources that had everyone talking. Here’s a look at the topics that were most popular across our website:
LX STARTER
Since LX Starter’s launch less than 2 years ago, 174 Sierra™ and Polaris™ libraries have implemented this groundbreaking, integrative solution to automate and personalize patron email notifications. More than 25 million emails have been sent to library users through the Library Experience (LX) Starter suite since January 2024. Impressive!
LX Starter also added support for library consortia in 2024, providing member libraries with tools to create branded email notices while allowing central offices to manage them seamlessly. Developed in collaboration with eight consortia, this solution reflects real-world testing and feedback.
If you are thinking of adding LX Starter to your library and expanding community reach, remember that it comes at no additional cost for Sierra and Polaris libraries and has an easy web-based design interface. You can download the LX Starter Fact sheet here or watch our LX Starter Webinar on best practices. With over 29,000 searches for LX Starter, improving patron communications is our most popular topic of the year.
POLARIS
Our customers report spending 70% less time on catalog management and maintenance after implementing Polaris – an incredible testament to Polaris’s ease of use and efficiency. Talk about saving time while delivering excellence! Polaris is powerful, but combined with our Vega™ LX suite, you get access to a wide range of tools all within one single, secure ecosystem.
We understand how essential it is for libraries to stay current, which is why we always make it a priority to showcase and explain every enhancement made to our award-winning ILS. With biannual rollouts, Polaris keeps your library equipped with the latest features, and you can explore what’s new by watching our latest webinar here or reading the release notes.
To learn more about Polaris and how it integrates with the Vega LX engagement suite, download our portfolio overview.
SIERRA
«Better than any other ILS I have used,” said one Associate Director in our customer survey, so it’s no wonder that our customers have searched for Sierra updates 19,256 times on our website this year. The latest Sierra version 6.3 brings us an exciting array of updated features that can be found on our Roadmap.
Sierra is used by many of the largest libraries in the world including New York Public Library (New York), Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library (Ohio), Tulsa City-County Library System (Oklahoma), San Francisco Public Library (California), Montreal Public Library (Canada), Auckland Libraries (New Zealand), and Malmo Stadsbibliotek (Sweden).
With active development and user-driven enhancements, each Sierra release brings to life new features inspired by your ideas through Idea Exchange, alongside user experience improvements, API extensions, and workflow efficiencies. Your voice drives these updates, making Sierra a platform that evolves with your needs and visions.
Want to find out how Sierra can help you increase staff efficiency? Check out our brochure here.
LIBRARY IQ
In early 2024, we proudly announced our partnership with Library IQ, and since then, we’ve heard from many libraries interested in this game-changing solution. Library IQ leverages real-time data to deliver actionable insights, empowering libraries to excel in collection management, service development, patron engagement, and strategic planning.
Customers love that Library IQ:
- Integrates seamlessly with Innovative’s Sierra and Polaris library systems and
- Allows libraries to maintain relevant collections
- Helps them visualize patron engagement in real time
Want to learn more? Download the Fact sheet here and watch our in-depth webinar here where we show how this incredible tool can elevate your library’s performance and impact.
VEGA LX SUITE
We started with a vision to help libraries around the globe engage their local communities and personalize how they interact with their patrons. Now it’s an active and integrated ecosystem that includes Vega Discover, Promote, WebBuilder, and Program. These products all focus on improving your patron relationships and expanding community impact. Our customers say that Vega LX tools help their patrons find resources easier and contribute to seamless workflows across platforms for library staff.
These tools enable your library to connect with patrons more easily and attract both younger and older generations alike. If you are looking for the best strategy on how to utilize social media in today’s ever-evolving library world, find out more here.
WRAPPING UP…
Get ready for another exciting year with us! Innovative maintains close collaboration with its customer community to ensure our products deliver the most effective library services platform, empowering libraries to achieve greater efficiency.
We are looking forward to seeing some of you at our annual Innovative User Group Conference in Denver March 13-15, 2025. Customers play a key role in driving enhancements, supported by a consistent development process and dependable release schedule. Find out more about the IUG 2025 here.
If you’d like to get involved with product development cycles, you can view our product roadmaps online, sign up for Idea Exchange, or become a member of the IUG for additional product development conversations.
Contact us to find out why our products are the perfect choice to prepare your library for the future.
Cheers to 2025 – and a happy new year!