Despite the challenges everyone has faced in 2020, Softlink IC continued to focus on delivering even more functionality and enhancing existing functionality. Our Liberty users are a diverse bunch. What is critical for our legal libraries may not be so for our medical, theological, or public libraries. It is a balancing act that we think we got right again this year!

All our new features and enhancements bring value to our Liberty users, so it took some time for us to agree on the top 5. They all benefit our library and knowledge center customers.  However, there is one that has generated quite the buzz to squeeze it into first place. So, without further ado, listed from 5 to 1 here are our top 5 Liberty new features for the year.

Number 5 – Stocktake in the Mobile App

Library staff need to complete stocktakes. These days, doing a stocktake is not the onerous task it once was. Not only is the Liberty stocktake process simple and flexible, it can now be done via the Liberty Link app on a mobile device.

A new “Stocktake” option has been added to the mobile home page. Clicking the Stocktake tab displays a list of all stocktakes and stocktake sections in the system. There are two buttons at the top that can be used to scan items. No need to drag a scanner up hill, and down dale, to wherever the collections you need to stock take are located. Staff can just wander over with their mobile device, click the Scan Items or Bulk Scan button as applicable and scan away!

Number 4 – Email Newsletter

Contacting library members and keeping them informed is a major task of library and knowledge center staff. There are several ways staff have been able to do that using Liberty, from making the most of information boxes on the library’s Home page to email notifications.

This year, we have made it possible for staff to create newsletters within Liberty and email them to library members. No need to create newsletters outside of Liberty then attach it to an email and send to all the borrowers. Simply pick and choose the resources you want included in the newsletter, then select your borrowers, then send the newsletter on its way.

Number 3 – AI Enhance

Another function added to our Library Link app. With ease and efficiency, library staff can add valuable metadata to resource records automatically.

Using a mobile device that includes the Liberty Link app, staff simply photograph a page of text or photograph in a selected resource. The photographed metadata is then automatically processed and added to that resource.

Number 2 – Visitor Logging

As libraries looked forward to the day they opened to visitors again, the need to deploy a contact tracing mechanism was paramount. Sure, a document can be created to include a table with headings to identify what information your visitors need to include. It can be printed out and put at the library entrance. But not only is it a time consuming and clumsy way to get the job done, visitor details are exposed to others.

Our visitor logging function makes it easy for staff and visitors to record their visit. No mess, no fuss and no sheets of paper to keep track of. Staff can determine what details their visitors need to record. The visitor details are then secured and can’t be viewed by others!

So now is the moment you have all been waiting for. It’s time to announce our Number 1 feature for 2020…. DRUMROLL!!!

NUMBER 1 – ‘Smart Serials’

The Liberty Serials module has always provided the tools necessary to create serials of all types. This year, we focussed on making it even simpler to use!

With a major shakeup of the interface there have been several beneficial enhancements including:

• A wizard to guide Serials staff through creating the serials record.
• A range of volume, issue, and year prediction templates from which to choose.
• Same page view of holdings, predictions, and subscriptions information.
• Simplified bulk weeding of serial volumes and copies.
• Smart navigation option between serial issues.
• Easy removal of subscriptions and associated interests via the serial Details screen.
• Easier management of copy assignment changes and skipped claims.

The feedback from our Liberty users has been amazing. From the reception it got at the Virtual User Group Meetings, to the huge number of registrations for the smart Serials training boot camps. So, all things considered, it really is a worthy Number 1 on the list of Liberty new features for 2020.

If you’d like to learn more about Liberty, or you already use Liberty but would like more information about our Serials module, just contact us. We’d be happy to give you all the information you need.