While Softlink IC’s integrated library management system (ILMS), Liberty, is chock-a-block with brilliant features, the 5 most popular library management system features of all time are a mixture of unsurprising but commonly required functionality in an ILMS, and a couple that are unique to Liberty.

Judging from our customer’s feedback, there are several other features that give the top 5 a run for their money but we’ll let you know what they are another time!

1. Z-Cataloging

Librarians love Z-Cataloging. It is a quick and efficient way to ensure the titles added to their catalog include a corresponding MARC record.

Got any existing titles with no MARC records? No problem. Use the Z-Cataloging function to locate and import it. No need to reinvent the wheel by manually creating MARC records, unless you are cataloging internally produced documents of course!

Liberty library staff simply set up their preferred sources and they are set to go. If for example, cataloging staff prefer to use Library of Congress records, they just set it up as a searchable source.

Staff simply need to scan, or type in the ISBN to return the applicable MARC record and at the click of a button, the record is imported into the catalog!

Some of our customers have used the feature to catalog thousands of records in a matter of days, not months or years!

2. Customize the Homepage With Carousels

The library’s Homepage is a great way to market your library’s resources and services. The ease with which the library Homepage can be customized by library staff is one of the most commented on features by our Liberty customers.

Carousel information boxes grab the attention of library users! The opportunity for library staff to easily create one or more is a much-loved feature. Carousels can be used to display new titles, or titles of specific subjects or topics. Once created, carousel information boxes can be easily edited.

There is no need to budget for Liberty support staff to create a new Homepage “skin” to incorporate carousels. Liberty library staff can do it themselves and there’s always a Help guide, and Softlink IC support staff for reference or advice.

3. Embedded PDFs

Our customers never cease to love the ease with which their users can read embedded PDFs online, whether it’s an ebook from third party providers (or cataloged eresources generated internally by the organization). In the case of third party provided eresources, their users can read them within Liberty.

For library staff, there’s no waiting for usage reports from third party ebook providers. This means accurate usage statistics can be generated quickly. With such an emphasis on statistical reporting, and provision of digital resources, it is proving one of the top 5 all-time favorites with Liberty users.

4. Cover Images in Emails

Library staff send emails to their users for various reasons. Most commonly, they email their users reminder notices for items that need to be returned to the library.

An email notice that just lists the title and information such as the due date serve a purpose, but how many times have you been asked by a notice recipient, “What does XXXX look like”?

Now, we know library staff are very familiar with their resources but sometimes, just sometimes, they can’t think of the title’s:

• Book jacket color and design.
• Report front cover.
• Dimensions.

Sure, they can search the online catalog and give their user that detail, but it can take up precious time! So, Liberty enables staff to send notices that include the cover images of resources due for return. It’s a win/win.

5. Single Sign On

Single Sign On? What’s that you ask? It’s an authentication method that enables users to login to the organization’s domain and access various systems without having to log in to each one.

Our library staff love it because it means their users don’t need to log into the organization, then log into the library site using a different login if they want to:

• Access the library.
• Manage their renewals, requests, reserve items.
• Ask for assistance.

Anything that makes it easy for their organization’s staff to contact the library is an advantage! For library staff, that their users are automatically signed in makes it simple for them to not just get better usage statistics but find even better ways to target their services to their users.

It was difficult to choose the top 5 favorites, but the feedback from our customers made them the winners. Mind you, there’s quite a few others that just missed out by a whisker. We’ll list the next 5 another time!

Want to know more about Liberty and how it will make life easier for both your library’s staff and users? Just contact us. We will be happy to answer your questions. Or, if you know you want to see more, just request a demo.