Track 1: Our Systems Levelled Up
In 2025, Liberty Digital’s upgrades were:
- Sideloading – For offline access, content version control, and bypassing vendor restrictions.
- ERM Module – For smarter, centralized subscription tracking to reduce digital licensing costs and time spent managing them.
- Improved Dashboards & Automated Reporting – To share insights to stakeholders more efficiently.
- Metadata & AI enhancements – To reduce manual cataloging work
In 2025, illumin’s upgrades were:
- Search for more email attachment types – To quickly find important correspondence and attachments directly in the platform.
- More comprehensive request Audit Trail – A more detailed record with initial request values to track all changes and activities more effectively.
- Another Time option for Priorities – Added ‘Ten Days available’ priority option for better tracking of research requests.
In 2025, The Aurora Product Suite (Montage and Astria) upgrades were:
- Montage v2 (public discovery layer) – Improved SEO, security, and mobile responsiveness, with powerful API integrations for enhanced public user experience and cataloging efficiency.
- Astria (web-based administration portal) – Fully web-based, platform agnostic, with updated dashboard design and customizable interface – set to replace the Aurora desktop product.
These were our major developments since acquiring the AIT company last year.
Track 2: We Showed Up Around the World
This year, we met with our customers and spoke with prospects at conferences and Softlink IC events across the world. The conferences we attended and products we showcased in 2025 were:
- Queensland Public Libraries Association’s LEaD Conference – Townsville, QLD AU – 26-28 March (Aurora Product Suite)
- Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals’ Supplier Showcase – London, UK – 30 April (Liberty Digital)
- Canadian Association of Law Libraries Conference – Calgary, Canada from 25-28 May (Liberty Digital and illumin)
- American Association of Law Libraries Conference – Portland, Oregon US from 19 – 22 July (Liberty Digital and illumin)
- Romanian Library Conference – Oradea, Romania from 2-5 September (Liberty Digital)
- New Zealand Law Librarians Association Conference – Auckland, NZ from 18-19 September (Liberty Digital and illumin)
- Annual ‘SWITCH’ Conference of the New South Wales Public Libraries Association – Penrith, NSW AU – 11 – 14 November (Aurora Product Suite)
- Australia and New Zealand Theological Library Association Conference – Brisbane, QLD AU – 26-29 November (Liberty Digital)
Alyx, Jeo, and Matt from the Softlink IC team with the Onelog team at the American Association of Law Libraries Conference, Portland, Oregon US – 19-22 July 2025
And each year, our User Group Meetings (UGMs) bring customers together to share updates, exchange ideas, and help shape product direction.
In 2025, Softlink IC hosted an online UGM for the Aurora Product Suite, enabling public library teams to explore what’s next for Montage and Astria. Liberty Digital and illumin UGMs were held in Port Moresby, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Wellington, bringing together professionals from special libraries, law firms, research organizations, and government teams to discuss enhancements, workflows, and priorities around discovery, reporting, and digital collections.
L-R: Attendees taking on the AI Challenge during the 2025 Liberty Digital and illumin UGM series
Track 3: Skills, Strategy, and System Confidence
With pressure increasing on libraries, knowledge centers, and research teams to remain relevant and demonstrate value, Softlink IC noticed our customers prioritized building practical capability and future-ready workflows.
Across webinars, bootcamps, and other sessions, we focused on sharing practical skills to improve resource discovery, modernize the OPAC, and strengthen digital collections. The most useful topics of the year included modernizing the OPAC, digitization and digital collections, system upgrades and decision-making, mobile engagement, ERM workflows, and public library transformation.
We believe the outcome was greater confidence in existing systems, improved user experiences, and workflows aligned to long-term organizational goals – equipping library teams with the credibility and insight required to advocate for better systems, expanded services, and informed investment.
Track 4: The Softlink IC Team Continued to Evolve
In 2025, Softlink IC continued strengthening the team and supporting our customers across product development, finance, and service delivery.
Over the year, we welcomed Ros, Tristan, Anna, Kat, Michael, Emily, and Suzie. In mid-November, Sarah concluded her time as General Manager after more than 20 years with Softlink IC. We thank Sarah sincerely for her leadership and contribution to the business.
From 2026, Shaun will step into the General Manager role, bringing nearly two decades of experience across education technology and libraries in Australasia and North America, including leadership roles within the Volaris Group.
Bonus Track: The Most-Read Blogs of 2025
Our most-read blog: Digital Library vs Physical Library: The Ultimate Face-off
Finally, the most-read blogs on Softlink IC’s website revealed what librarians and knowledge teams needed most this year. They were:
Happy holidays and see you next year! From the Softlink IC team.