Library Technology Guides

Royal Veterinary College chooses Koha open source library management system, hosted and supported by PTFS Europe.. Royal Veterinary College has chosen Koha as its new library management system, to replace the previous SirsiDynix Symphony system. The college has also implemented Aspen Discovery as the library portal to their resources. PTFS Europe has implemented the new systems and will provide ongoing hosting and support services to the college to ensure its success in supporting these collections into the future. [Full Announcement].

Northern Onondaga Public Library chooses Springshare's Patron Point. Springshare announced today that Northern Onondaga Public Library has selected the Patron Point platform to enhance their communication and outreach protocols. [Full Announcement].

The best new Vega Program features from 2024. As 2024 draws to a close Innovative shares the impactful features, improvements, and bug fixes that have enhanced library's event management experience. With regular Vega releases, the company has focused on improving workflows and usability – read on to discover how these changes elevate your library's event management solution. [Full Announcement].

ByWater Solutions promotes Catrina Berka to Lead Educator and Enica Davis to Lead Data Migration Specialist. ByWater Solutions, America's forefront provider of Open Source library technology support, announced the promotion of Catrina Berka to Lead Educator and Enica Davis to Lead Data Migration Specialist. [Full Announcement].

ByWater Solutions welcomes Heather Harmon. ByWater Solutions, an open-source community contributor and America's forefront provider of Open-Source library technology support announced that Heather Harmon has joined the ByWater Solutions team as a Project Coordinator. [Full Announcement].

Clarivate announces New $500 million share repurchase authorization. Clarivate, a leading global provider of transformative intelligence, announced that its Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase program of up to $500 million of the Company's outstanding ordinary shares through open-market purchases for a period of two years, from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026. The new share repurchase program replaces the current share repurchase program which terminates December 31, 2024, under which the Company repurchased $300 million of ordinary shares, including $200 million during the third and fourth quarters of 2024. Clarivate also announced that it prepaid $75 million of term-loan debt so far during the fourth quarter, bringing total prepayments in 2024 to $133 million. [Full Announcement].

Texas State University Libraries go live with FOLIO using EBSCO FOLIO support. The Texas State University Libraries have successfully transitioned to the FOLIO library services platform with support from EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO). This migration — completed alongside the adoption of EBSCO's other SaaS offerings — was finalized in Fall 2024, replacing the university's previous library management system and discovery infrastructure. [Full Announcement].

ByWater Solutions announces December 2024 Community Giveback winner. Each month, ByWater Solutions selects one library to be awarded $500. These funds are meant to support libraries and their communities and fill gaps in funding to further library goals. The December 2024 winner of the ByWater Community Giveback is the Rochester Public Library District library in Rochester, Illinois. [Full Announcement].

bird further simplifies scholarly publisher evaluation. Paratext announced a substantive enhancement to bird: Base Inventory of Research Databases. The new Browse Publisher function is more than new feature; it is a unique portal to the entire realm of scholarly publishing. bird, launched in February 2024, is a comprehensive catalogue/index to 8,100+ research databases, spanning 177 academic departments, 34 formats from 2,000 publishers. [Full Announcement].

University of Tulsa selects TIND Digital Archive. The University of Tulsa (TU) has selected TIND Digital Archive (TIND DA) as its new digital collections platform to preserve and provide access to its extensive archival and research collections. With its modern and intuitive user interface and advanced metadata tools, TIND DA will help TU make its materials more accessible to researchers, students, and the public. [Full Announcement].

Sage acquires the scientific and medical publisher Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.. Sage, a leading independent academic publisher, has acquired Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., a renowned global media company publishing more than 100 peer-reviewed journals in biotechnology and the life sciences, specialized clinical medicine, public health and policy, and technology and engineering, as well as the leading B2B media brands Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN) and Inside Precision Medicine. [Full Announcement].

Harvest University joins CLiC and is live on Koha with ByWater Solutions support. ByWater Solutions, America's forefront provider of Open Source library technology support, announced that the Harvest University in Colorado has joined CLiC with Koha support from ByWater Solutions, migrating of over 34,000 bibliographic records. [Full Announcement].

A Court of Thorns and Roses, Taylor Swift and Harry Potter among the most borrowed titles on hoopla Digital This Year. hoopla Digital, the only all-in-one digital media app for public libraries and their patrons, today revealed the top digital media titles borrowed by library patrons in 2024. Based on circulation figures from library patrons across more than 10,000 U.S. public libraries, the data shows what digital library content was most popular across a variety of categories – including eBooks, audiobooks, BingePasses, movies, TV shows, music, comics and manga. [Full Announcement].

Five ways magazine archives enhance academic research. EBSCO and Library Journal recently conducted a focus group with academic librarians in the U.S. to discuss the value of magazine archives in college libraries. The focus group findings provide evidence that magazine archives play a valuable role in enhancing academic research. Here are some of the ways magazine archives can be beneficial. [Full Announcement].

Equinox designs children's theme for Aspen Discovery for Central Skagit Library District. Equinox Open Library Initiative, a trusted leader in open source technology development and support for libraries, is pleased to announce the release of a children's theme for Aspen Discovery designed for the Central Skagit Library District, a member of the Skagit Evergreen Libraries. [Full Announcement].

Library automation leader Biblionix launches advanced Events & Rooms Management system for public libraries. Biblionix, a leading provider of cloud-based library management systems, today announced the launch of its Events & Rooms Management System. This new addition to the Apollo platform streamlines the coordination of library events and room bookings through an intuitive interface designed specifically for public libraries. The system introduces separate tabs for events and rooms, automated fee management, and customizable terms, allowing libraries to efficiently manage their room spaces and programming. It seamlessly integrates with library calendars, enabling both staff and patrons to view availability, book spaces, and receive automated reminders. [Full Announcement].

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council partners with PTFS Europe to give residents better access to books and e-content via a mobile app. Sefton Libraries has partnered with PTFS Europe to launch LiDA, the companion app for their Aspen Discovery Library Engagement Platform. Aspen LiDA provides a comprehensive mobile solution which Sefton Libraries were keen to introduce for their library patrons. Users are empowered with a quick and convenient way to search the library catalogue and manage their library account. Library patrons have access to a digital library card and can easily manage their library account activities (such as renew material and place reservations) with just a few taps. [Full Announcement].

EBSCO Clinical Decisions introduces Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Advisory Council. EBSCO Clinical Decisions announced the formation of its Generative Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council. Established in June 2024, the Advisory Council was created to provide an independent source of expert oversight and pioneer the responsible, safe, and effective use of generative AI in clinical decision support. This cross-disciplinary council consists of leaders from health care, patient advocacy, legal, technology, and informatics sectors. [Full Announcement].

LexisNexis Risk Solutions announces definitive agreement to acquire IDVerse. LexisNexis Risk Solutions, part of RELX, has entered into an agreement to acquire IDVerse, a provider of AI-powered automated document authentication and fraud detection solutions. IDVerse will become part of LexisNexis Risk Solutions Business Services. Founded in Australia and launched commercially in 2018, IDVerse uses AI to combat fraud and deepfakes. Its proprietary technology is powered by a deep neural network which verifies the authenticity of identity documents and, with consumer consent, matches the consumer's face to the photo on a document using biometric algorithms for identity verification and liveness detection to detect a fraudulent submission. IDVerse's technology is capable of verifying more than 16,000 types of identity documents globally across organisations in various industries and the public sector. [Full Announcement].

The American Library Association receives transformational gift to fund scholarships. James W. Lewis of Washington, DC has made the largest individual bequest to the American Library Association in the association's history. The approximately $25 million bequest is truly transformational and will fund scholarships for aspiring librarians, ensuring future generations of highly educated and committed librarians prepared to meet the informational needs of their communities, according to Leslie Burger, ALA Interim Executive Director.  Mr. Lewis' gift will fund library school scholarships for students with demonstrated financial needs. These scholarships will benefit legions of young people who would otherwise be unable to pursue professional librarianship.  [Full Announcement].