Archive for the ‘ltfl libraries’ Category

Friday, June 24th, 2011

The Perfect Library Catalog?

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the perfect library catalog. That is, it uses all nine LibraryThing for Libraries OPAC enhancements—Tags, Lexile® Measures, Other Editions, Reviews, Shelf Browse, Similar Books, Series, Awards and QR Codes. All together, we’ve turned an ordinary Webpac library catalog into a social, shareable, graphical, informational and mobile beast!(1)

(Click to see full-size)

Great as it is, this catalog doesn’t exist. Abby and I are working on new handouts for LibraryThing for Libraries and Library Anywhere. For the former we needed a library that used all our enhancements, including a new one we’re announcing today (QR Codes). Unfortunately, although more than 200 library systems use LibraryThing for Libraries to make their OPACs better (a full list), none have absolutely every one of them today. So we’ve made our own, leaning heavily on the excellent Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library Service, which has almost all our enhancements.

If you’re in New Orleans for the American Library Assocation, come visit us at booth 827. We’ll show you how to make your catalog as good as this one! Or better, because it will actually exist. Oh, and pick up one of our nifty badge thingies.

1. If it had a search bar it would be truly perfect.

Labels: librarything for libraries, LTFL, ltfl libraries

posted by Tim @8:53 am 3 Comments »
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    • Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

    LTFL: now available for Evergreen

    We’ve been working on adding the LibraryThing for Libraries enhancements to the open-source catalog Evergreen. We’ve worked out the kinks, and it’s ready to roll.

    We’ve integrated both the Catalog Enhancements (tags, tag browser, recommendations, other editions and translations) and the Reviews Enhancement (300,000 LibraryThing reviews, patron reviewing, Facebook app, blog widgets).

    If you’d like to see how LTFL looks, check out the catalog of Kent County, Maryland. We owe them a thousand thanks for working with us on making this work.

    Labels: Evergreen, librarything for libraries, LTFL, ltfl libraries

    posted by Sonya @3:40 pm 0 Comments »
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    • Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

    Categories for your LTFL Reviews

    Teen reviews from Seattle Public Library
    Library home page | Get this widget

    We’ve a new feature to LibraryThing for Libraries, suggested by Lare over at the Seattle Public Library. He was looking for a way to show off just some of their reviews—reviews for their summer reading program.

    Libraries can now add “categories” for their reviewers to check off—library book club books, Big Read books, reviews by library staff, etc. And the library can show off just one category of reviews in their LTFL blog widget.

    Seattle has made blog-widget pages for their kids section, teen section, and even their adult section of the site. By categorizing the reviews into age-related groups, they can feature items in their catalog that would interest the patrons for each demographic.

    We’ll be releasing some more cool features at American Library Association meeting in Chicago next week.

    Labels: LTFL, LTFL categories, ltfl libraries, LTFL Reviews, Seattle Public Library

    posted by Sonya @11:46 am 0 Comments »
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    • Monday, December 8th, 2008

    Randolph County Public Library wins award for using LTFL


    Congratulations are in order for the very hip (pun intended for you OPAC geeks) Randolph County Public Library for receiving the Outstanding Library Service Innovation Award from the North Carolina Public Library Directors Association (NCPLDA) for their implementation of LibraryThing for Libraries.

    They also won the Outstanding Library Promotional Project Award for their electronic newsletter and email alert service.

    Well done, Randolph County Public Library!

    UPDATE:     Coverage in the Randolph Guide newspaper.

    Labels: awards, librarything for libraries, LTFL, ltfl libraries, North Carolina, randolph county public library

    posted by Sonya @4:22 pm 0 Comments »
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    • Tuesday, May 27th, 2008

    The Nifty Fifty

    big bucket of fifty chicken nuggetsWe’ve just hit our first major milestone: there are now 50 libraries using LibraryThing for Libraries. See the full list here. For a visual representation of what may be the opposite of LibraryThing for Libraries, but of the same number, look to the right.

    We’re also pleased that number 50 is Portland Public Library, in LibraryThing’s hometown. We attended the implementation, and we’re happy to say that their bouncing baby catalog enhancements are doing just fine.

    These first 50 libraries include early innovators like Seattle Public Library and San Francisco State University. It was satisfying to hear prospective libraries say they watch these innovators for emerging technology to look into, and that’s how they found out about us. Three cheers for word of blog.

    We’re convinced that LTFL is a highly enriching supplement to the white bread that is the standard online catalog and we’re happy that we can create something that meshes with OPACs to make them more functional.

    So what’s next? We’re getting the reviewing enhancement ready to show. If anyone wants to come check it out, we’ll be showing them off at the ALA annual conference. In the meantime, you can pat our backs at Book Expo America.

    Thanks to deovolenti for the image.

    Labels: librarything for libraries, LTFL, ltfl libraries, Portland Public Library, San Francisco State University, Seattle Public Library, web 2.0

    posted by Sonya @6:20 pm 0 Comments »
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