Library Technology Guides

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].

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].

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].

Friendswood Library launches Polaris, Vega Discover and Vega Program. Innovative, part of Clarivate, announced that Friendswood Public Library in Friendswood, Texas have launched Polaris as their new Integrated Library System, Vega Discover as their new discovery layer, and Vega Program for event and room booking management. [Full Announcement].

Friendswood Library launches Polaris, Vega Discover and Vega Program. Innovative, part of Clarivate, announced that Friendswood Public Library in Friendswood, Texas have launched Polaris as their new Integrated Library System, Vega Discover as their new discovery layer, and Vega Program for event and room booking management. [Full Announcement].

How Two Libraries Are Maximizing Value and Efficiency with DDA Services via GOBI. Managing an e-book collection in today's academic library can be a challenge. Libraries face ever-growing collections, increasing costs, and complex user demands—all while operating with limited staff and budgets. These constraints make it difficult for libraries to maintain the breadth and depth of collections needed to support their communities. Enter Demand-Driven Acquisition (DDA), a collection development strategy designed to help libraries manage costs and improve efficiency by allowing patrons to drive the acquisition process based on their actual usage. [Full Announcement].

UT Southwestern Medical Center Selects TIND Digital Archive. The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center has selected TIND Digital Archive to manage, preserve, and showcase their digital collections. UTSW will be migrating a rich image collection from CONTENTdm, audiovisual collections from Aviary, and digital exhibits from Omeka. [Full Announcement].

Cedar Park Public Library (TX) launches Call Handling from Unique. Unique Library announced the launch of call handling for Cedar Park Public Library this week. The service offers an innovative way for patrons to interact with the library without tying up staff with inquiries, while enhancing the patron experience. The Austin, Texas area library is a new client to Unique. [Full Announcement].

Clarivate reveals Citation Laureates 2024. Clarivate, a leading global provider of transformative intelligence, unveiled the Citation Laureates 2024 list – used to forecast future Nobel Prize recipients. These 22 exceptional scientists and economists spanning six countries have demonstrated such groundbreaking impact in their fields that their work is considered of Nobel stature. Experts at the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) at Clarivate have identified 75 Citation Laureates prior to their Nobel success – often several years before they received Nobel honors. This year's Citation Laureates have made significant contributions to advancing key areas, including clean energy, nanotechnology, 3D protein structures, the economic impact of corruption, heart disease, molecular dynamics, quantum computing, genetic imprinting and condensed matter physics. [Full Announcement].

Freedom to Read Foundation files Amicus Brief in Little v Llano County. The Freedom to Read Foundation, the Texas Library Association and the American Library Association File Amicus Brief Supporting Public Library Users' Freedom to Read Ahead of En Banc Hearing Before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Freedom to Read Foundation and the amici library organizations' brief argues in support of a group of several citizens of Llano County, Texas, who initiated a lawsuit to challenge the Llano County government's decision to remove a large number of books from the Llano County Library shelves. The books, representing a diversity of views and ideas, were removed because certain county residents and county officials complained that the books' contents were objectionable. [Full Announcement].

Center for Research Libraries welcomes new president Jacob Nadal. The Center for Research Libraries announce that Jacob Nadal, currently the Director for Preservation at the Library of Congress, will succeed Greg Eow as CRL President, effective November 18, 2024. Nadal is a nationally recognized expert on preservation who has served in leadership roles at a variety of independent, academic, and government organizations. He brings to CRL expertise in collections management on the largest scales, and deep knowledge of shared print initiatives and digital preservation, including extensive experience with digitization programs with global reach such as Google Books. [Full Announcement].

NEH announces $37.5 million for 240 humanities projects nationwide. The National Endowment for the Humanities announced $37.5 million in grants for 240 humanities projects across the country. These grants will support a feature-length documentary on the Women Airforce Service Pilots, the first female pilots to fly for the U.S. military in World War II, and their fight for recognition as veterans after the war; a new book on the history of the travel souvenir; and the refinement of remote sensing methods for conducting noninvasive surveys and analysis of buried archaeological sites of Indigenous settlements in the US. This round of funding, NEH's third and last for fiscal year 2024, will support vital humanities education, research, preservation, and public programs. These peer-reviewed grants were awarded in addition to $65 million in annual operating support provided to the national network of state and jurisdictional humanities councils. [Full Announcement].

ShanghaiRanking's Academic Ranking of World Universities 2024. The 2024 Academic Ranking of World Universities is released today by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy. Since 2003, ARWU has been presenting the world's top universities annually based on transparent methodology and objective third-party data. It has been recognized as the precursor of global university rankings and the most trustworthy one. This year, more than 2,500 institutions were scrutinized, and the best 1,000 universities in the world are published. [Full Announcement].

Schlager Digital Library: Now available to WiLS members. Schlager Group, an educational publisher best known for their focus on primary source documents and critical analysis, announced a new collaboration with WiLS, a non-profit membership organization serving libraries and cultural institutions, primarily in Wisconsin. Effective immediately, WiLS consortium members are eligible for special member institution pricing on the Schlager Digital Library, the unlimited use, DRM-free essential collection of over 2,500 primary sources specially selected to support 2-year and 4-year courses of study across U.S and world history, ethnic and gender studies, American government, and religious studies. [Full Announcement].

IMLS announces $22.5M investment in U.S. Library and Archival Services Initiatives. The Institute of Museum and Library Service announced 85 awards totaling $22,533,904 to support libraries and archival services across the country. The FY 2024 awards were made through National Leadership Grants for Libraries and the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program. The awarded grants search on the IMLS website contains a complete list of grantees and project descriptions. [Full Announcement].

Exact Editions partners with the Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA) on a deal for research libraries. Exact Editions has partnered with the Greater Western Library Alliance to provide a deal for select research libraries across the United States, available until the 1st of July 2025. The deal includes discounted prices on bundles of titles. The research libraries can select from over 180 esteemed titles across the Exact Editions platform, spanning a range of research areas, including science, music, geography, art and more. Exact Editions aims to provide academic libraries with the opportunity to invest in a diverse assortment of digital resources for their students. [Full Announcement].

EBSCO Information Services announces 2024 EBSCO Solar Grant winners. Information Services will award $300,000 in grants spread amongst five libraries: Biblioteca Daniel Cosío Villegas, Mexico; Royal Oak Public Library, Michigan; Williamsville Public Library, Illinois; Carnegie Public Library, Arkansas; and The University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine Library, Texas. These libraries will receive an EBSCO Solar grant to help pay for the installation of a solar array. The grants offset the cost of installing solar panels and allow the libraries to reduce their electricity expenditures. [Full Announcement].

Exclusive new service helps librarians complete book series collections. An exclusive new service from Titlewave will alert PreK-12 librarians when the latest titles in a book series have been released. The Series Notification service allows educators to receive monthly notification emails about upcoming and top-selling titles. With the new service — free to Titlewave users and available within their account settings — librarians can now conveniently shop current and previous series titles, plus receive a sneak peek into what's coming next. Beyond providing librarians an easy way to stay current, the service is crucial to students as studies show those who embrace a book series will yearn to read more about their favorite characters. Literacy experts also note an engaging series boasts the potential to help reluctant readers fall in love with books. [Full Announcement].

New on the Schlager Digital Library: Women's History, U.S. Slavery, and World History. Schlager Group, an educational publisher best known for their focus on primary source documents and critical analysis, is pleased to announce Schlager Digital Library collection updates for the first half of 2024. All customers gained immediate access to the nearly 400 primary sources and critical historical documents added to the collection from three new Schlager Group titles, including Schlager Anthology of Women's History, Milestone Documents of U.S. Slavery, and Milestone Documents in World History, 2nd edition. [Full Announcement].

Register today for the 2024 koha-US Annual Conference. Registration for The koha-US 2024 Annual Conference is now officially open. This year we will be "Blazing New Trails" in Round Rock, Texas August 13th through 16th. We've got 4 days packed with great Koha content, including two keynote speaker sessions (David Lankes and Jean Darnell). As always, we will be broadcasting as much of the conference as possible online, but we would love to see as many as possible in person. [Full Announcement].