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Archive for the ‘library anywhere’ Category

Monday, March 26th, 2012

Custom Branded Library Apps

Branded apps are now available from Library Anywhere: get the power of Library Anywhere along with custom colors and branded apps downloadable under your library’s name in the app stores!

Branded apps have the same base functionality as Library Anywhere (including catalog integration, account functions, OverDrive integration, a custom homepage, and barcode scanning). But they’re also a complete white label solution—the app is yours alone, with no references to Library Anywhere or other libraries. Branded apps give you the ability to set a custom background color, have a custom app icon, a custom app launching screen—and most importantly, they are downloadable under your library’s name in the Apple and Android app stores.

Check out Tulare County’s iPhone app, now available on iTunes (and soon available on Android phones as well).

Learn more
Contact us for more information or to upgrade your existing Library Anywhere to a branded app.

Email me (abby@librarything.com) with any questions about this or any of the LibraryThing for Libraries OPAC enhancements. To subscribe, contact Peder Christensen at Bowker—toll-free at 877-340-2400 or email Peder.Christensen@bowker.com.

To learn more about the ways in which LibraryThing for Libraries products can enhance your catalog, sign up for a webinar. Webinars are held each Tuesday at either 10am or 2pm Eastern.

Labels: app, branded apps, library anywhere, LTFL

Tuesday, March 20th, 2012

LibraryThing at Computers in Libraries

Tim and I are headed to DC this week for Computers in Libraries. We’ll be at booth #323, so stop by!

We’ll be showing off our new custom branded Library Anywhere mobile apps, our newest addition to the LTFL enhancements, Stack Map, AND a sneak peek at a brand new feature, BookPsychic.

Stop by to see any and everything!

Also remember, we do webinars every Tuesday to show off both Library Anywhere and all the LibraryThing for Libraries enhancements for your library catalog (tags, similar books, other editions, series, awards, shelf browse, reviews, and Lexile measures)! Click here to register. On the Browse Meetings page, search for LibraryThing to see a listing of all upcoming webinars.

Labels: BookPsychic, branded apps, CIL, CIL2012, library anywhere, librarything for libraries, LTFL

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012

At PLA in Philly, sneak peek at new features!

In Philadelphia for PLA? Stop by the LibraryThing booth! Kate and Tim are camped at booth number 2312

We have some new improvements and features for both Library Anywhere and LibraryThing for Libraries to show off.

SNEAK PEEK at BookPsychic
BookPsychic is personalized recommendations for your patrons. The more they rate, the better their recommendations become! The more they discover, the more your collection circulates. BookPsychic will be available early Q2 2012.

Click image above to view PDF handout

New for Library Anywhere: Branded apps
Get the power of Library Anywhere along with custom colors and branded apps downloadable under your library’s name in the app stores! Branded apps are a complete white label mobile solution—the app is yours alone, with no references to Library Anywhere or other libraries. Branded apps are available now—contact us for more information or to upgrade your existing Library Anywhere to a branded app!

Click image above to view PDF handout

Read about Library Anywhere and the rest of our LibraryThing for Libraries enhancements, including our newest addition—Stack Map, on the Library Thing for Libraries homepage.

Stop by the booth at PLA to learn more, or email me (abby@librarything.com) at any time!

Learn more
Email me (abby@librarything.com) with any questions about this any of the LibraryThing for Libraries OPAC enhancements, or our mobile product, Library Anywhere! To subscribe, contact Peder Christensen at Bowker—toll-free at 877-340-2400 or email Peder.Christensen@bowker.com.

Labels: app, BookPsychic, branded apps, library anywhere, librarything for libraries, LTFL, PLA, PLA12

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

One-Click Access to OverDrive in Library Anywhere

We’re pleased to announce that Library Anywhere, our mobile product, now has one-click access to OverDrive!

You can add a search OverDrive button to your Library Anywhere homepage. This doesn’t take you out to OverDrive mobile as a regular external link would, but runs the search within Library Anywhere—giving you search results and book detail pages.

It will pass you into OverDrive when you reach the point where you need to enter your account information to download the book, request it, etc.

You can also include a “do this search on OverDrive” link on the catalog’s search results page in Library Anywhere—so if you search “the help” in your regular catalog in Library Anywhere, it will ask you if you want to try that same search on OverDrive.

The screenshots above show:

1. Searching “the help” on Portland Public Library’s regular catalog. See the button that suggests preforming the search on OverDrive?

2. The same search done on the OverDrive catalog. Note that the search summary screen tells you which formats are available and number of available copies.

3. The full page for The Help in OverDrive, with links to place a hold, etc.

Want to see it live? Try a search on one of the following Library Anywhere libraries:

Lackawanna County Library System (try the “eBooks and eAudio” link on the homepage to get right into OverDrive)
Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library Service
Adelaide City Council Libraries
Mountain View Public Library
Portland Public Library
Dover Public Library

The goal is to tie the OverDrive catalog together with the regular OPAC in a more seamless way. This is a FREE upgrade, available to any Library Anywhere subscriber. As is always the case, any eBooks that already have records in your regular catalog already have working links out to the digital content—this is an addition to that.

If you’re interested in adding OverDrive to your existing Library Anywhere subscription, just email abby@librarything.com

About Library Anywhere
Library Anywhere is the mobile catalog and homepage for over 200 libraries and library systems worldwide. Browse for libraries using Library Anywhere by simply clicking the … menu within Library Anywhere and choose “Select a Library”. Read more about Library Anywhere here.

To order Library Anywhere, or get a free trial, call 877 340-2400, or email Peder.Christensen@bowker.com. You can also email questions to Abby@librarything.com.

Learn more: Attend a webinar
We do weekly webinars to show off both Library Anywhere and all the LibraryThing for Libraries enhancements for your library catalog (tags, similar books, other editions, series, awards, shelf browse, reviews, and Lexile measures)!

Webinars are scheduled for every Tuesday at either 10am or 2pm EST. Sign up for one today and I’ll tell you everything you ever wanted to know, and more, I promise. Click here to register. On the Browse Meetings page, search for LibraryThing to see a listing of all upcoming webinars.

Labels: ebooks, library anywhere, OverDrive

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

200 Libraries on Library Anywhere

iPhone version

We’re pleased to announce that in the year since we launched, over 200 libraries now use Library Anywhere as their mobile catalog and homepage. Library Anywhere takes an existing OPAC and makes it mobile—you can also create a custom homepage with Library Anywhere (add hours, events, contact info and more)—making it your entire mobile library website.

Library Anywhere is flexible, and works with a wide variety of systems—which means we’re used by a wide range of libraries—from small public libraries and school libraries to large universities and huge consortia of public libraries. A few examples (of many):

Ocean State Libraries (RI, WebPAC PRO)
Libraries Online (CT, WebPAC PRO)
Institute of Technology Carlow (Ireland, WebPAC PRO)
Özyeğin University (Turkey, WebPAC PRO)
University of Cincinnati Libraries (OH, WebPAC PRO)
University of Houston (TX, WebPAC PRO)
Wake County Public Library (NC, Horizon)
City of Playford, (Australia, Horizon)
Richland County Public Library (SC, Horizon)
Chandler Public Library (AZ, Sirsi e-Library)
Milwaukee County Federated Library System (WI, WebPAC PRO)
North Vancouver City Library (Canada, Sirsi e-Library)
Clifton Forge Public Library, (VA, Polaris)
Samuel Merritt University (CA, Koha)
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (NJ, Voyager 7)
Southampton City Libraries (UK, Spydus)

New Features
We’ve released a number of pretty substantial updates recently—version 1.4 of Library Anywhere is now live in the iTunes app store, and in the Android market. Some of the new features include:

Barcode scanning
Our new barcode scanning feature is available in both the iPhone (and iPad, iPod Touch, etc.) and Android apps. It lets you quickly scan the ISBN on a book and see if your library has a copy. Read the more about barcode scanning here.

Multilingual capability
Library Anywhere now includes the ability for any library to translate or edit any of the strings of English text into whatever language they like.

Libraries can also choose to have multiple languages and link between them—one in Spanish, one in English, for example. Read more about multilingual support in Library Anywhere here.

Built-in web browser
The Version 1.3 update of Library Anywhere added a built-in web browser. This means that when you click external links in Library Anywhere (that go to ebook records, mobile databases, etc.), they no longer completely leave Library Anywhere, but launch a browser within Library Anywhere. That makes it simple to just close and go back to the page you were on before.

Saved Searches/Booklists
We’ve added the ability to include booklists on your Library Anywhere homepage.

If you can make booklists in your OPAC (new items, staff picks, etc.) then you can feed those same lists into Library Anywhere. Just choose the ‘action’ type Direct catalog URL, and put the URL to the OPAC list in there, as in the image below:

Screen rotation
We’ve enabled screen rotation for iOS, so when you’re on your iPhone or iPad, you can now move your phone to switch between portrait and landscape mode.

Incredible statistics
We recently added a comprehensive statistics section to Library Anywhere, keeping track of traffic, users, native app vs. mobile web use, and more. Read more in this blog post, which also includes a screencast.

More coming
We have a number of additional updates coming down the pipeline, so stay tuned.

About Library Anywhere
Library Anywhere is the mobile catalog and homepage for over 200 libraries and library systems worldwide. See all the libraries using Library Anywhere by simply clicking the … menu within Library Anywhere and choose “Select a Library”. Read more about Library Anywhere here.

To order Library Anywhere, or get a free trial, call 877 340-2400, or email Peder.Christensen@bowker.com. You can also email questions to Abby@librarything.com.

Webinars are scheduled for every Tuesday afternoon at 2pm EST. Sign up for one today and I’ll tell you everything you ever wanted to know, and more, I promise.

Click here to register. On the WebEx registration page, under Attend a Meeting click “Browse Meetings” and then “Monthly” to register for scheduled webinars.

Labels: app, iphone app, library anywhere, librarything for libraries, mobile, mobile catalog, mobile web

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Barcode scanning in Library Anywhere

We’ve just added a great new feature to Library Anywhere—barcode scanning.

Our new barcode scanning feature is available in both the iPhone (and iPod Touch, iPad, other iOS products) and Android apps for Library Anywhere. It lets you quickly scan the ISBN on a book and see if your Library Anywhere library has a copy.

Search more than one edition
The Library Anywhere book scanner is unique in that it searches not just for the exact ISBN you give it, but for any other editions of that title that might be in the library. So you can scan a paperback book with the “now an HBO show!” cover, and Library Anywhere will find the hardcover edition of the same title, if that’s what the library has.

Extend your search
It also doesn’t limit you to just one library—if no editions of the book are found in the first library you search, it will then give you a prompt to do the exact same search in other Library Anywhere libraries near you, or find the book at an online bookstore.

Scan QR codes
The barcode scanner also can scan QR codes, so libraries using our QR code feature (more about QR codes and Library Anywhere) can scan a code in their OPAC to bring up the record in Library Anywhere.

Available for every library
This isn’t an “optimum package” feature. Libraries don’t pay more to turn it on. We don’t play like that.

About Library Anywhere
Library Anywhere is the mobile catalog and homepage for almost 200 libraries and library systems worldwide. See all the libraries using Library Anywhere by simply clicking the … menu within Library Anywhere and choose “Select a Library.” Read more about Library Anywhere here.

To order Library Anywhere, or get a free trial, call 877 340-2400, or email Peder.Christensen@bowker.com. You can also email questions to Abby@librarything.com.

Labels: barcode scanning, library anywhere, mobile, mobile catalog, mobile web, QR code, scanning

Friday, October 28th, 2011

Library Anywhere goes Multilingual

Library Anywhere now includes the ability for any library to translate or edit any of the English text into whatever language they like.

Libraries can even choose to have multiple languages and link between them—one in Spanish and another in English, for example.

You can also use this for simple fixes, like changing the default text in the Search box from “Search” to “Search catalog” or even “Search catalogue”.

Directions on how to get started translating or editing your Library Anywhere are here.

Learn more
Email me (abby@librarything.com) with any questions about any Library Anywhere, or how to enable translation for your account. To subscribe, contact Peder Christensen at Bowker—toll-free at 877-340-2400 or email Peder.Christensen@bowker.com.

Labels: languages, library anywhere, mobile, mobile catalog, mobile web, translation

Friday, October 7th, 2011

New: Statistics for Library Anywhere

We’ve just added a comprehensive “Statistics” section for our revolutionary Mobile OPAC, Library Anywhere (web page, handout, screencast).

The goal is help libraries understand how Library Anywhere is being used. It shows you charts and tables of traffic, users, native app. vs. mobile web use, and the phones people are using.

Screenshots.

Screencast. I made a 4:30-second screencast about the new section here. You can also see it on YouTube.

Webinars. We hold webinars for people interested in Library Anywhere every Tuesday afternoon at 2pm Eastern US time. Sign up for one today and we’ll tell you everything you ever wanted to know.

To sign up for the next one, click to register. On the WebEx registration page, under Attend a Meeting click “Browse Meetings” and then “Monthly” to register for scheduled webinars.

Labels: library anywhere, mobile, mobile catalog, mobile web

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

Library Anywhere screencast / LTFL weekly webinars

Screencast
I’ve just made a screencast of Library Anywhere, our mobile product for libraries. What it does, how it works, even a glimpse at the administrative backend! Click the image below to watch.

Webinars—LibraryThing for Libraries and Library Anywhere
We’ve also started doing weekly webinars to demo both Library Anywhere and all the LibraryThing for Libraries enhancements for your library catalog (tags, similar books, other editions, series, awards, shelf browse, reviews, and Lexile measures)!

They’re scheduled for every Tuesday afternoon at 2pm EST. Sign up for one today and I’ll tell you everything you ever wanted to know, and more, I promise.

Click here to register. On the WebEx registration page, under Attend a Meeting click “Browse Meetings” and then “Monthly” to register for scheduled webinars.

Labels: library anywhere, librarything for libraries, screencasts, webinars

Monday, August 22nd, 2011

Series and Awards in Library Anywhere

We’ve recently integrated our newest LibraryThing for Libraries OPAC enhancement—Series and Awards—into Library Anywhere. This means that if your library is subscribing to Series and Awards and Library Anywhere, you’ll now see it not only in your web catalog, but also in Library Anywhere!

For example: scan this QR code with your phone to jump to the record for The Hunger Games in Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library’s Library Anywhere catalog.

Scroll down the page to find series and awards data. You’ll see on that bib page any awards the book has won, and any series it’s part of. Click the award or series title, and you’ll then see all the books belonging to it (as in the screenshots below).

Series and Awards join the other LTFL enhancements already integrated into Library Anywhere for LTFL subscribers—reviews, tags, similar books, and other editions.

Email me (abby@librarything.com) with any questions about any of the LibraryThing for Libraries OPAC enhancements, or Library Anywhere! To subscribe, contact Peder Christensen at Bowker—toll-free at 877-340-2400 or email Peder.Christensen@bowker.com.

Labels: awards, library anywhere, librarything for libraries, series

Friday, June 24th, 2011

QR Codes and Library Anywhere

QR code in the catalog:

Jumps to the same record
in Library Anywhere:

We’ve added a QR code feature for Library Anywhere, our mobile product, to tie the mobile site to the regular catalog in a new way.

Libraries can include a QR code that LibraryThing generates and dynamically adds to each catalog page. Scan the QR code with a smartphone scanning app (e.g. RedLaser, Scan) and the phone will jump directly to that record in your mobile catalog on Library Anywhere.

Then walk into the stacks with the record on your phone, or just add it to your saved list on Library Anywhere. However you use it, it’s a direct link from the desktop catalog to the catalog on your phone.

Try it out
We have QR codes up in a few catalogs so far:

Library Anywhere is now the mobile catalog and website for 130 different library systems, including Ocean State Libraries, Libraries Online, and Wake County Public Library. See all the libraries using Library Anywhere by simply clicking the … menu within Library Anywhere and choose “Select a Library”. Read more about Library Anywhere here.

To order Library Anywhere, or get a free trial, call 877 340-2400, or email Peder.Christensen@bowker.com. You can also email questions to Abby@librarything.com.

If you’re in New Orleans for the American Library Association conference, come visit us at booth 827. and we’ll show it to you in person!

Labels: library anywhere, QR code

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

Library Anywhere adds support for Evergreen and Aleph

We have a number of updates for Library Anywhere to announce. First off is the inclusion of two new systems that we can now work with:

We’ve just added support for Aleph and Evergreen. If you’re a library on one of those systems who’s been patiently waiting to use Library Anywhere, let us know and we’ll set you up with a free trial.

That means that Library Anywhere now works with all the major (and some minor) OPAC systems, including: III (Webpac and Webpac Pro), Horizon Information Portal, Sirsi (eLibrary, iBistro, iLink, Web2), Polaris, Civica Spydus, Voyager 7, Koha, Aleph, Evergreen, Destiny Follett and Infocentre, and Companion Alexandria.

To order Library Anywhere, or get a free trial, call 877 340-2400, or email Peder.Christensen@bowker.com. You can also email questions to Abby@librarything.com.

Visit our booth at ALA Annual: booth 827 and we’ll show it to you in person!

Labels: Aleph, Evergreen, library anywhere

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

100 libraries using Library Anywhere!

iPhone version

We’re pleased to report that one hundred libraries have now chosen Library Anywhere as their mobile catalog! Library Anywhere takes an existing OPAC and makes it mobile—you can also create a custom homepage with Library Anywhere (add hours, events, contact info and more)—making it your entire mobile library website.

Try it.
Library Anywhere is flexible, and works with a wide variety of systems—which means we’re used by a wide range of libraries—from small public libraries and school libraries to large universities and huge consortia of public libraries. A few examples (of many):

Ocean State Libraries (RI, WebPAC PRO)
Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library Service (OR, WebPAC PRO)
Libraries Online (CT, WebPAC PRO)
Forest Park Public Library (IL, WebPAC PRO)
Institute of Technology Carlow (Ireland, WebPAC PRO)
Özye?in University (Turkey, WebPAC PRO)
University of Cincinnati Libraries (OH, WebPAC PRO)
University of Nebraska (NE, WebPAC PRO)
Wake County Public Library (NC, Horizon)
City of Playford, (Australia, Horizon)
Richland County Public Library (SC, Horizon)
Chandler Public Library (AZ, Sirsi e-Library)
Creswell Library (OR, Sirsi e-Library)
Milwaukee County Federated Library System (WI, WebPAC PRO)
North Vancouver City Library (Canada, Sirsi e-Library)
Clifton Forge Public Library, (VA, Polaris)
Samuel Merritt University (CA, Koha)
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (NJ, Voyager 7)
Southampton City Libraries (UK, Spydus)

See all the libraries using Library Anywhere listed here or just click the … menu within Library Anywhere and choose “Select a Library”.

What it includes. Library Anywhere includes an iPhone app, an Android app, a mobile web version, and the Universal/Accessible version, which works on any phone with web-browsing capabilities (Blackberry app coming soon). In short, something for everyone and every phone.

What it does. Library Anywhere lets you search the catalog, place holds, renew items. It does what the regular catalog does, but in a mobile friendly form. You can also create a custom homepage on Library Anywhere, so you can include hours and location information, event and other RSS feeds, contact or “ask a librarian” links, and more!

Learn more about Library Anywhere here.

To order Library Anywhere, or get a free trial, call 877 340-2400, or email Peder.Christensen@bowker.com. You can also email questions to Abby@librarything.com.


Universal version (works on any phone)	Android version

Labels: library anywhere, mobile, mobile catalog

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

Library Anywhere – more than just keyword search

When we first launched, Library Anywhere let you quickly and easily search your catalog using just the general keyword search. To a degree I still think this is the right default, especially for mobile when you want quick and dirty browsing. But for many OPACs, just the general keyword search wasn’t great, wasn’t enough, or wasn’t giving the best results.

We’ve now added the ability for a library to choose to include their “search type” dropdown menu in Library Anywhere. It uses the exact same search type menu as your OPAC, so you’ll have those same options—e.g. search by author, title, subject, etc.

As you can see in the pictures below, to save screen space, the dropdown menu doesn’t appear until you click in the search box.

We hope this makes searching Library Anywhere all the better.

Labels: library anywhere, librarything for libraries, mobile, mobile catalog

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

Library Anywhere prices

Update 6/22/11: When we first launched Library Anywhere, we were eager to have public pricing. It’s certainly a novelty in the library world, where wiggly pricing and negotiation are the norm. And we’ve used public pricing for the past year, keyed off of how many physical buildings/branches the library has. What we’ve found, unfortunately, is that while it pleased many people, it made just as many people unhappy. We’ve decided that we’re going to reevaluate our pricing metrics, and to take down this public list. And, of course, we’ll maintain pricing that’s far less then similar products!

Labels: library anywhere, librarything for libraries, mobile, mobile catalog

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

Over 40 Libraries using Library Anywhere

We’re happy to report that more than 40 libraries around the world have made their catalogs mobile with Library Anywhere since we launched last month. It’s a wide range of libraries, from small public libraries and school libraries to large universities and huge consortia of public libraries. And with over 100 more libraries in various stages of testing, we’re excited about Library Anywhere really taking off.

Try out a few:

Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library Service (OR, WebPAC PRO)
Frisco Public Library (TX, Sirsi e-Library)
ITT Dublin (Ireland, WebPAC PRO)
Mountain View Public Library (CA, WebPAC PRO)
Nanyang Technological University (Singapore, Sirsi iLink)
Vernon Area Public Library District (IL, Horizon)
Libraries Online (CT, WebPAC PRO)
Des Moines Public Library (IA, Horizon)
Wake County Public Library (NC, Horizon)
Brisbane City Council Library Service (Australia, Sirsi iBistro)
University of Nebraska (NE, WebPAC PRO)
Keele University (UK, WebPAC)
Farmington Community Library (MI, Polaris)

See all the libraries using Library Anywhere listed here or just click the … menu within Library Anywhere and choose “Select a Library”.

What does it do? Library Anywhere lets you search the catalog, save items for later, request and renew materials, and more. It can display events listings, ask a librarian links, and other mobile pages, and libraries can completely customize their “homepage”.

Get it. Library Anywhere includes an iPhone app, an Android app, a mobile web version, and the Universal/Accessible version (Blackberry app coming). In short, something for everyone and every phone.

Systems. Library Anywhere works with all the major OPAC systems, including: III (Webpac and Webpac Pro), Horizon Information Portal, Sirsi (eLibrary, iBistro, iLink, Web2), Polaris, Civica Spydus, Voyager 7, Koha, Destiny Follett and Infocentre, and Companion Alexandria. We’ll be adding support for more systems as we go (Aleph is next on the to-do list), so if you don’t see your system listed here, let us know!

Labels: android, app, iphone app, library anywhere, librarything for libraries, LTFL, mobile, mobile catalog, mobile web

Monday, November 8th, 2010

Library Anywhere Android app now available!

Library Anywhere, which turns any library catalog (OPAC) into a mobile one, is now available in the Android market. The Android Verson joins the iPhone application, Mobile Web version and Universal/Accessibility version.

qrcode Google doesn’t have a webpage for apps in the Android Market. If you’re on an Android device, however, you search for “Library Anywhere” or follow market://search?q=pname:com.phonegap.LibraryAnywhere to get to the app. You can also scan the QR code to the right with your phone to get to it.

The Android version is just the latest news on LibraryThing—with more to come this week. So far, over 35 libraries are signed up, with many more testing it. Between apps for iPhone and Android (a Blackberry one is coming), a Section-508-compatible OPAC, no-installation setup and prices both public and a fraction of its competitors’, we’re optimistic we’ll capture a big piece of the market. If not, at least we’ll force the various competitors to slash their prices!

Labels: android, library anywhere, librarything for libraries, LTFL, mobile, mobile catalog

Thursday, October 21st, 2010

Library Anywhere iPhone app

The iPhone (works with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad) app for Library Anywhere is now available on the iTunes App Store!

>> Get the app

This is our first native app for Library Anywhere, which launched last week (see the blog post). Library Anywhere takes a library catalog and makes it mobile, instantly—so you can do things like search the catalog on the bus, place a hold, renew your books, see when story time is, and more! The iPhone app version takes advantage of the iPhone’s geolocation feature, to find the library closest to you.

In addition to the just-released iPhone app, Library Anywhere also includes 3 mobile web versions, customized for iPhone, Android, and a Universal version that works on any phone. Native apps for other platforms (including Android) will be released later this year.

You can get the app from the App Store by clicking the link above, or just going into iTunes and searching for “library anywhere”. If you’re already using the mobile web version on your iPhone, you can click the “Get the app” menu option.

Labels: app, iphone app, library anywhere, librarything for libraries, LTFL

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

Library Anywhere is live

We’re pleased to officially launch Library Anywhere. Library Anywhere is a mobile version of your public or academic library. It is available in mobile web formats today and in app forms in the coming weeks. It’s free for users, but libraries have to subscribe to it.

Try it for yourself:

http://www.libanywhere.com

Or go directly into a library. Try Gwinnett County Public Library, University of Nebraska Omaha Library, or Waukegan Public Library as starting points.

Key features

Search catalog, place holds, renew items. It does what the regular catalog does.
Save records to your phone to access later. Works on any phone with a web-browsing feature—not just smart phones.
“Universal Version” is fully compliant with Section 508 and other accessibility standards.
Geo-location finds your nearest library easily.
Libraries can display events, branches, contact-a-librarian information, and other mobile pages.
LibraryThing for Libraries customers also get integrated tags, recommendations, information about other editions, and access to over 500,000 reviews.
Costs far less than similar products.
Works with most major OPAC systems.

Version 1.0 includes:

iPhone mobile web
Android mobile web
Universal Version

Update!

The iPhone app is out! See the blog post.
The Android App is also out

The iPhone/iPad app is pending Apple approval, and will be released this month. Apps for other platforms will be released by the end of the year.

Customize your mobile presence. Library Anywhere features a fully customizable library home page. Add a logo, add links to your blog or Facebook page. Create pages within Library Anywhere as well, with your own content, such as book lists, announcements, and more. Add links to your existing “ask a librarian” features, too, like instant messaging or texting.

One catalog, many devices. Patrons don’t have to go looking for your mobile catalog, Library Anywhere comes to them. Library Anywhere can redirect mobile users of your OPAC to Library Anywhere. It will take the user to the version of Library Anywhere for their specific device—on an Android it will go to the Android version, on an iPhone it will go to the iPhone version, and any other device will be sent to the Universal Version. It will also invite users to check out the app, if there is one currently for their platform.

Library Anywhere is unique because it doesn’t just work on smart phones. Our Universal Version makes your library accessible to any device that can surf the web. The Universal Version can also be used as a fully Section 508 compliant version of your existing catalog.

Interested in adding your library to Library Anywhere?

To order Library Anywhere, or get a free trial, call 877 340-2400, or email Peder.Christensen@bowker.com. Bowker is the exclusive distributor of LibraryThing for Libraries.

You can also email questions to Abby@librarything.com.

Thanks to all. Many thanks to all of our numerous beta testers, who literally spent months playing with Library Anywhere, patiently finding bugs and waiting for us to fix them. Thank you for sticking with us!

“With the high level of functionality and the low pricing, this competition will lower the threshold for mobile technology into the reach of almost any library.”
Marshall Breeding, Smart Libraries Newsletter

Labels: library anywhere, librarything for libraries, LTFL, mobile, mobile catalog

Sunday, April 11th, 2010

Computers in Libraries 2010

Tim and I are in DC (ok, Arlington, VA) for the Computers in Libraries conference. We’re booth 217 in the exhibit hall, so come by and visit us. (We’re the ones with the rhinos, as always!)

We’re here to show off LibraryThing for Libraries (enhance your OPAC with tags, reviews, shelf browse, recommendations, and more) and our new product, Library Anywhere.

Library Anywhere is a mobile catalog for everyone—it gives you a web version of your OPAC optimized for cell phones, as well as native applications for iPhone, Android and Blackberry. It requires no installation, and is cheap (see the public price list here).

We’re extremely proud and excited about Library Anywhere. We released our beta version to over 100 libraries last week, and response has been great. We’re busy tweaking and building. Stop by the booth and we’ll show you it live.

Labels: CIL2010, Computers in Libraries, library anywhere

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

Library Anywhere at PLA

PLA is happening right now in Portland, OR. We don’t have our own booth, but Casey is hanging out at the ProQuest booth (booth 2032), along with the Bowker folks. Stop by to talk about LibraryThing for Libraries, and to see live demos of Library Anywhere—a mobile catalog for any library!

(click to see larger images)

The exhibits are open until 5pm today, and from 9:30-4 tomorrow.

Labels: library anywhere, PLA

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

Library Anywhere write-up on ALA TechSource blog

Library Anywhere, our upcoming product that provides a mobile catalog (both mobile web and native apps) for any library, just got an excellent write-up on the ALA TechSource blog: LibraryThing Delivers Mobile Access to Library Catalogs.

The article, by Marshall Breeding, will also appear in the March 2010 issue of Smart Libraries Newsletter.

Breeding says of Library Anywhere,

“With the high level of functionality and the low pricing, this competition will lower the threshold for mobile technology into the reach of almost any library.”

We’re certainly excited about Library Anywhere, and are busy at work on it. We’ll have more to show off soon!

Labels: library anywhere, librarything for libraries, mobile, mobile catalog

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Library Anywhere Prices (Public!)

Labels: library anywhere, librarything for libraries, mobile, mobile web

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

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