Library Technology Guides

Gale and ConnectEDD Publishing announce partnership to offer Jimmy Casas' PD Resources on Gale eBooks Platform. Gale, part of Cengage Group and ConnectEDD Publishing, have partnered to bring the professional development resources of best-selling author, leadership coach, and K-12 professional learning expert, Jimmy Casas, to school districts nationwide via the Gale eBooks platform. This collaboration offers a unique collection of acclaimed professional learning resources that provides districts and educators with unlimited and simultaneous access to the digital content they need when they need it for PD growth and student success. This partnership makes Gale the only aggregator of professional learning eBooks to offer ConnectEDD's PD resources, which were previously only available through individual purchases on Amazon. [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].

Celebrating the enactment of the New Jersey Freedom to Read Act 2024. EveryLibrary is celebrating the historic signing of the New Jersey Freedom to Read Act, S2421/A3446, into law by Governor Phil Murphy on December 9, 2024. This landmark legislation solidifies New Jersey's commitment to free expression and intellectual freedom, ensuring that every student and library patron has access to diverse perspectives and materials, free from unconstitutional censorship or unwarranted restrictions. [Full Announcement].

Natural Language Understanding in Library Research Platforms - Findings from EBSCO's Natural Language Search Beta. EBSCO's Natural Language Search Beta, an upcoming search mode for EBSCO Discovery Service and EBSCOhost that uses AI to parse queries, finds that Natural Language Search is complimentary to more traditional search. [Full Announcement].

Civica acquires Daymap to advance its school management platform. Civica, a global GovTech champion supporting the needs of citizens and those who serve them, has acquired Loop Software Pty Ltd and their core product Daymap as part of its mission to deliver high-quality, innovative solutions for its customers. This strategic acquisition will enhance Civica's school management platform by integrating Daymap's advanced student and learning management system, thereby improving the user experience for all school stakeholders across a wide range of educational activities. Daymap has long provided schools with a comprehensive, flexible learning and teaching management solution, offering essential functions such as attendance tracking, communication and scheduling. Additionally, Daymap's Parent Portal enables parents to stay connected with their child's school life. Daymap focuses on reducing teacher and administrative workloads by integrating written and audio feedback tools with assessment criteria, streamlining grading and feedback storage for greater efficiency. [Full Announcement].

Axiell celebrates over 300 libraries using Quria as their library services platform. Axiell, the world's leading provider of software and services for the cultural sector, announces that over 300 libraries across Europe are now using Axiell's Quria solution as their library services platform of choice. Launched in 2017, Quria is a comprehensive library services platform where all resources and workflows can be managed centrally. Quria offers, among many other things, a range of features that help libraries to automatically maintain an attractive offer on different devices, quickly adapt to changing needs, optimise shelf space and evaluate stock usage efficiently. The bibliographic information is handled in a ground-breaking metadata model based entirely on linked data according to IFLA-LRM and RDA.Drammen Public Library in Norway, the first library to go live with Quria. [Full Announcement].

Congratulations to these Innovative libraries named 2024 ULC Top Innovators. The Urban Libraries Council recently named their 2024 Top Innovators, a group of public libraries filled with success stories rooted in strategic programs that address community needs. Innovative shared that it work directly with four libraries honored by the ULC this year, including San Francisco Public Library, Miami-Dade Public Library System, Denver Public Library, and Gwinnett County Public Library. [Full Announcement].

Follett Content partners with Florida School District to help rebuild Ssudents' home libraries lost in floods. Despite the widespread destruction and heartache unleashed by the one-two punch of hurricanes Helene and Milton, Florida communities — such as those in Hillsborough County — are trying to return to a semblance of normalcy. Just one aspect of the rebuilding process is tending to the hundreds of pre-kindergarten through high school students significantly impacted by the floods resulting from the two hurricanes. [Full Announcement].

OverDrive and Ex Libris announce new integration for streamlined discovery of digital resources in Alma and Primo. OverDrive announced a new integration with Ex Libris, a ProQuest company, allowing academic institutions to seamlessly discover OverDrive ebooks and audiobooks within the Alma and Primo library services platforms. This integration, highly requested by academic institutions, simplifies access to OverDrive's extensive collection of digital content, offering a powerful solution to enhance discovery for students, faculty, and researchers. [Full Announcement].

EBSCOlearning and Mindstone announce Mindstone AI Skills training from EBSCOlearning. EBSCOlearning, a division of EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO), and Mindstone announce Mindstone AI Skills Training from EBSCOlearning, a program and online platform focused on offering skills development and training to organizations seeking to upskill their non-technical workforce on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their everyday jobs. Mindstone AI Skills Training from EBSCOlearning focuses on real-world, practical applications and ensures individuals at all levels in an organization can use the latest AI tools in their daily work activities. [Full Announcement].

Announcing the launch of the Schlager Digital Library, the only DRM-free library reference and e-text course solution for primary source content. Schlager Group has officially launched the Schlager Digital Library platform, a one-stop e-text and library reference resource providing hand-selected primary sources suitable for undergraduate and graduate research and classroom instruction. Today's platform release also marks the launch of Essential Primary Sources, the company's introductory content collection. The Schlager Digital Library platform was developed in partnership with NewGen KnowledgeWorks, known for their expertise in enhancing accessibility, improving the user experience, and creating efficient content management systems. The platform provides 100% DRM-free content, allowing for unlimited use and downloads for a frictionless research experience. Available on any - or multiple - devices, the platform delivers the flexibility that busy students and faculty need. [Full Announcement].

ODILO and Deel announce strategic partnership to drive global growth and innovation. ODILO, the Spanish ed-tech that allows all organizations and institutions to create their own Unlimited Learning Ecosystem, has announced a strategic partnership with Deel. The fastest-growing startup, an all-in-one HR and payroll platform for global teams which helps companies simplify managing a workforce, complements ODILO's expertise in training and developing employees with Unlimited Learning Ecosystems. This partnership marks the first of its kind, blending the strengths of two innovative companies to maximize their impact while reducing marketing initiatives' costs. By focusing on Spain and the UAE as the initial markets, the partnership will leverage ODILO and Deel's branding and growth to expand visibility and reach in key regions. [Full Announcement].

OverDrive launches Heights Press: A Cleveland-Inspired publishing imprint. OverDrive announced the launch of Heights Press, a boutique publishing imprint inspired by the vibrant creativity and community spirit of Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Rooted in OverDrive's Cleveland home, Heights Press reflects the company's deep mission to support schools and libraries in promoting literacy and a love of reading. Heights Press debuts with “Hickory Hollow” a six-book series for middle-grade readers, along with a series of video shorts. The initial titles are now available exclusively for public libraries and schools worldwide for readers using the Libby, Sora, and Kanopy Kids apps and platforms. [Full Announcement].

Meet OverDrive at 76th Frankfurter Buchmesse: The future of global content distribution. OverDrive, the leading global content distributor, will be at the 76th Frankfurter Buchmesse. OverDrive's leadership team will be available to discuss how the company helps publishers and authors expand their reach and achieve success through its trusted digital distribution platform. With tens of millions of users per month and billions of engagements worldwide, OverDrive is uniquely positioned to get content in front of the right audience. [Full Announcement].

OverDrive content catalog joins OpenAthens Federation. OpenAthens announced that OverDrive, the world's largest digital content provider, has joined the OpenAthens access management federation. OverDrive took the business decision so it can more easily scale access to libraries in the education and healthcare sectors, creating a more seamless experience for users worldwide. [Full Announcement].

Mackin announces acquisition of Booksource, a national book provider for classroom libraries. Mackin, a leading provider of PK-12 print and digital titles, high-quality maker educational products, and classroom curriculum materials, is pleased to announce it has acquired Booksource, a leading provider of books for classroom libraries and school curriculum. [Full Announcement].

Six public libraries recognized as Top Innovators across all of North America by Urban Libraries Council. The Urban Libraries Council, North America's leading nonprofit and membership organization for urban libraries, has named six public libraries as “Top Innovators” for 2024 as part of its annual Innovations Initiative. The Denver Public Library, Gwinnett County Public Library, Miami-Dade Public Library System, San Francisco Public Library, Toronto Public Library, and Virginia Beach Public Library receive the “Top Innovator” award for the originality of their work, demonstrative and measurable outcomes, and the potential for other libraries to replicate and implement these most innovative of programs. [Full Announcement].

Indiana University selects Symplectic Elements as faculty activity reporting system. Digital Science, a technology company serving stakeholders across the research ecosystem, is pleased to announce that Indiana University has selected Symplectic Elements as its new faculty activity management and reporting system. This strategic decision marks a significant advancement toward the university's goals of streamlining the management and reporting of the work and accomplishments of its faculty. [Full Announcement].

CCC Introduces RightFind Curriculum to Simplify the Use of High-Quality Copyrighted Content in K-12 Curriculum. CCC, a leader in advancing copyright, accelerating knowledge, and powering innovation, announced the launch of RightFind Curriculum, the only all-in-one combined content and licensing solution that enables K-12 educators, EdTech companies, curriculum developers, and custom publishing companies to easily search for, discover, and incorporate high-quality, copyrighted content into curriculum and instructional materials, EdTech applications, and online platforms. [Full Announcement].

OverDrive and Youth Communication announce co-produced anthologies spotlighting teen stories. OverDrive announced fifteen anthologies created in partnership with Youth Communication, a nonprofit youth media organization that promotes youth literacy and civic engagement through youth-led media. The anthologies are produced via Youth Communication's rigorous writing program where teens work with professional editors to share their personal stories. Written by teens for teens, common themes include body image, bullying, gender identity, living with a disability, recovering from trauma, and more. [Full Announcement].