LibraryPass is pleased to announce Michael Berse has joined the company as VP, Product Development, effective August 1, 2024. Berse will lead product optimization and enhancements for the Comics Plus platform, which delivers unlimited, simultaneous access to high-interest, immersive digital content to avid readers in 3,000+ School, Public, and Academic libraries.
Michael Berse is a seasoned technology manager and entrepreneur with over 20 years of library-market experience. After a career working in and with public libraries for over a decade (including at Hauppauge Public Library and Library Journal), Berse founded Capira Technologies in 2013, a company dedicated to providing innovative mobile application and SaaS solutions for libraries. Its flagship CapiraMobile app and various other solutions, including "Text to Checkout" and Curbside Reservation cloud platforms, significantly enhanced library services during the COVID-19 pandemic. OCLC, Inc. acquired Capira Technologies in 2020, where Berse served as Lead Software Engineer until departing in December 2023.
"Mike is a rare talent in that he can seamlessly parse through technical requirements and align development needs with business goals," said Ian Singer, CEO of LibraryPass. "I speak for the entire LibraryPass team when I say we're extremely excited and thankful Mike's joining us at this time to help us make critical enhancements to the Comics Plus platform and plan for our future product releases over the next few years, particularly improved curation tools."
"In Product Development, I'll be focused on implementing strategies that combine our business goals and unique customer needs," said Michael Berse. "My primary goals are to optimize the overall user experience and modernize our mobile apps, while boosting team collaboration to ensure Comics Plus exceeds our customers' expectations. By creating our first comprehensive product roadmaps and prioritizing customer-requested features like curation tools and performance improvements, we'll continue to excite readers and drive circulation."
Read All The Comics!
With Comics Plus, readers of all ages can access thousands of digital comics, manga, and picture books through their school or library, with unlimited simultaneous access — no holds; no wait lists; no borrowing limits.
About LibraryPass
LibraryPass curates high-interest, immersive digital content that helps School, Public, and Academic libraries expand their reach and engagement—without breaking their materials budget. With Comics Plus, schools and libraries can offer readers thousands of new and backlist digital comics, manga, and picture books from popular publishers like ABDO, Andrews McMeel, BOOM! Studios, Capstone, Cherry Lake, Dark Horse, Europe Comics, Fantagraphics, Humanoids, Image Comics, Kodansha, Lerner, Manga Classics, Oni Press, Papercutz, Tokyopop, TOON Books, UDON Entertainment, Yen Press, and dozens more. Every title is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for offline reading, with unlimited, simultaneous checkout to maximize circulation through book clubs, reading programs, makerspace activities, and other engaging initiatives.