Innovative™, part of Clarivate™, is pleased to announce that the Mid-Hudson Library System in New York is the first library consortium to launch LX Starter for consortia, providing all member patrons with modern, engaging email notices.
LX Starter takes patron email notices to the next level, offering libraries a modern design experience that includes a selection of templates to appeal to different audiences. Included for all Sierra and Polaris libraries, LX Starter gives libraries an easy-to-use design tool and email circulation notices integrated with the ILS, without the need to purchase additional third-party services or integrations.
For consortia, central staff can have oversight of notices while maintaining the customization appropriate for each member library.
The Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS) is a consortium of 66 libraries that was established in 1959 by the state of New York, and includes public libraries in Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Putnam, and Ulster counties. MHLS has long been a valued partner to Innovative and our product development efforts, helping Innovative to test and develop not only LX Starter, but also Vega Discover—and their role as a development partner reaches back to helping to shape Encore Duet.
“I’m so pleased that we have been able to release this tool to our members,” says Laurie Shedrick, Assistant Director and Technology Operations Manager at Mid-Hudson Library System. “LX Starter will upgrade our patrons’ email experience while enabling staff to have more control over patron facing emails. Plus, LX Starter provides an opportunity to manage messaging in a modern and easy to use interface without exporting our patron’s private data. The platform management provides central oversight and each library the autonomy they need to manage their own notifications.”
LX Starter for consortia is being developed in partnership with library consortia using Sierra and Polaris. Library consortia will be able to benefit from all of LX Starter’s features, while also being able to administer email communications for each institution in the consortium and its members. The Mid-Hudson Library System is one of eight beta partners who have been testing LX Starter for consortia.
“Working closely with libraries is essential to ensuring we can provide the functionality that library consortia need,” says Taylor Fisher, Senior Product Manager. “The fact that Mid-Hudson Library System was ready to launch LX Starter for consortia while we’re still beta testing is a testament to the fact that we’ve taken the time to listen and build it right.”
Additional features in LX Starter include an image library to catch the reader’s eye, Syndetics Unbound cover art, and email performance metrics while ensuring email communications are safe and secure. LX Starter notifies library users of holds, overdue items, and any fines in their preferred language. Vega Discover libraries can also add their Showcases, highlighting library collections to your patrons.
LX Starter is available to Innovative libraries as part of their Sierra and Polaris library subscriptions, and LX Starter for consortia will be released later this year. Click here to learn more about LX Starter.