Saturday, January 16th, 2010

Library Anywhere, a mobile catalog for everyone

Following on our announcement of Shelf Browse, here’s another new product. We think this one’s a pretty big deal.

Announcing Library Anywhere! Check it out on our ALA handout (available here).

  • A mobile catalog for any library, up and running in minutes.
  • Mobile web and apps for iPhone, Blackberry and Android.
  • Cheaper than you’d guess.
  • Search, place holds, and more.
  • Showcase hours, branches, and events.
  • No installation process.
  • Works with 90% of current OPACs.
  • Comes with an “accessible version” that provides a fully Section 508-compliant version of your existing catalog.

Unlike Shelf Browse, available now, Library Anywhere is “coming soon.” So, we’re looking for beta libraries.

UPDATE Library Anywhere is now available! Read more about Library Anywhere in our launch post, or try it out with one of these libraries. Read all our blog posts about Library Anywhere here.

Labels: library anywhere, mobile, mobile web

30 Comments:

  1. Randy Orrison says:

    Is this a LibraryThing for Libraries product, or is it for everyone? Can I see my LibraryThing catalog on my iPhone?

  2. carport says:

    I'm ready to try it now! I'm unloading boxes of books to new bookshelves (in a room without a computer), and would love to be able to verify that they're in my LT catalog. Thank you, Tim.

  3. Casey Durfee says:

    Library Anywhere is a product we're selling to library systems. It's not a tool to browse your personal LibraryThing catalog from a mobile phone.

    We already have a (limited) mobile interface for LibraryThing.com here:

    http://www.librarything.com/m/

  4. Anonymous says:

    I understand that creating additions to LTFL increases the revenue for LT, but honestly it is seeming like the regular LT users are kind of getting the shaft a bit. The /m/ library thing is woefully behind the times in presentation and usability. The whole reason LTFL has been a success is that it allows libraries to leverage the wealth of data supplied by the library thing users as a whole. How about a little love for the little guy? The ability to view my catalog from my iphone would be awesome, not to mention incorporating a bar code scanner/add to my collection type of thing (see Amazon iphone app).

    Love LT, just saying regular (i.e., not libraries) users helped you all become what you are today, throw us a bone…

  5. Tim says:

    Thanks for the note. It's not for nothing that we're getting into mobile more strongly. We certainly intend to do more on the LT.com side. The problem there is the Amazon Terms of Use, which prohibit the use of their data in apps. We can still make a mobile *web* version of the site, but our hope is to solve the problem in a way that's better than that.

  6. Mike says:

    Does this work with an Innovative opac? (not Encore) If so, how? 😉

  7. Tim says:

    It does. Magic. It works by magic.

  8. Mike says:

    LOL! Looking forward to seeing it in action…

  9. vj says:

    Polaris?

  10. The Short Stack Librarian says:

    I'd love to try this out for my library!

  11. Abby says:

    vj—yes, it works for Polaris.

    Short Stack—email me (abby at librarything.com) and I'll get you more details.

  12. the unquiet librarian says:

    Do you know if this will work with Follett Destiny 9.5 OPAC? (Destiny Library Manager). Thank you!

    Buffy Hamilton

  13. Jakob Voss says:

    Can you give any more details about the technical requirements? "Works with 90% of current OPACs" may also mean that your library is in the remaining 10%. Which of Z39.50, SRU, OpenSearch, MARC, Dublin Core do you need? Or can you say that all OPACS that are currently searchable in the import function in LibraryThing will work without additional requirements? Do you include information about the holdings and the current availability status – there is no standard way to get this (beside the suggested Document Availability Information API (DAIA))?

  14. Abby says:

    Follett Destiny—yes.

  15. Anna says:

    I'd like to see it for our collection since we have such colorful books–can't wait for that day!

  16. Anonymous says:

    Voyager?

  17. KimGriggs says:

    Would love to see more screenshots, a video, or test environment.

    Also I appreciate your transparency with the prices. It would be great if you could be as transparent with the technology. There is no such thing as magic so a little bit of detail would be awesome.

    Thanks.

  18. jimmythegeek says:

    I'm the Technology Coordinator for the Goodnight Memorial Library in Franklin, KY. We'd like to be a beta tester for you.

  19. Abby says:

    Hi Jimmy,

    Send me an email? abby (at) librarything.com

  20. Michelle says:

    How do I sign my library up to be a beta library?

  21. Abby says:

    Michelle—you email me. abby@librarything.com

  22. alpana says:

    Hi Abby: I would like to be a beta tester. Have you recieved my email request yet? Please send me the information. thanks!

  23. Is this out of beta yet? Have any Millennium (III) libraries gone live yet? I would love to see some more screenshots.

  24. Would like to know more about the protocols being used to make this happen. Z39? Screen scrape? Something more magical? We’re a SirsiDynix site. Please contact me with more information. We might be interested in beta testing.

  25. Vern Mastel says:

    Would be interested in being a beta test guinea pig.

  26. Daniel Kiely says:

    I would also be interested in being a BETA tester.

  27. Mary Jo Matousek says:

    does it work with alexandria Library systems, and what does it cost for a school district?

  28. Lynnb says:

    I’m using the app on an Android phone and it works great with my library. My only question is how to get it to save my 11 digit library card and password info to access my account at the library. It doesn’t save me any effort to drag my library card out each time to enter the number into my phone. Would be nice to have some user guide info available. Thanks.

  29. How we can use it? Is it possible to access our library catalog, library electronic materials and some of our services via cell phone with Library AnyWhere? What is the cost? Is it possible to access this product as demo?

    We use Millennium Innovative library automation system. We have 132 databases ( http://ww2.lib.metu.edu.tr/en/yan.php?id=321) and 23.000 students. Thank you for your help.

  30. Shawn says:

    Ever since I upgraded the app a while back it never works anymore. I’m running Android 2.2.1 on my phone. The app is version 1.2 Every single time I try to do anything I just get a message saying that there was a problem trying to get the information, try again later.