Two libraries, one `brain' equal `best of both worlds'
Niagara's two largest library systems have partnered on a new “digital brain” that's aimed at giving patrons a better experience and staff more data to curate collections.
St. Catharines Public Library and Niagara Falls Public Library teamed up in a costsharing agreement to be able to purchase the topoftheline integrated library system (ILS) software that larger libraries use.
“These systems, as many systems that are very specific in nature, are very expensive, so wanting to get one that's a little bit more customizable and more userfocused friendly is hard for (library) systems to do,” said Becky Dixon, manager of operations in Niagara Falls.
“By combining with the St. Catharines Public Library, we were able to purchase an ILS … That would not be something that the two libraries would be able to purchase on their own.”
Although the pair of libraries are purchasing the Polaris system together, the libraries will still have independent catalogues with their own collections.
Patrons of the St. Catharines and Niagara Falls libraries will still require separate membership cards for two completely separate systems. But on the back end, the libraries will be able to use the same software service Dixon said they're referring to as the “Cadillac” of ILS systems.
“It's kind of like the best of both worlds because we're doing significant cost saving to both library systems, which is allowing us to put money into our collections and our programs and other services,” Dixon said.
“But still focusing on being able to provide the best searchable customizable catalogue that a customer could use to get whatever information they needed.”
Holly Jones, manager of programming and promotions for the St. Catharines library, said the ILS “acts as the digital brain for the library, housing the customer database, providing the tool for tracking all of the collections and powering the public catalogue.”
Both libraries began discussing a shared ILS in 2023 and issued a joint request for proposals in
The libraries will still have independent catalogues with their own collections
January 2025.
“We were looking for something with a much more modern interface, modern capabilities, something that would allow us to really serve the community better,” Jones said.
She said the Polaris system was chosen because it is secure, resilient, always up to date, meets international standards for privacy, complies with accessibility standards and has a cloudbased solution for offsite services.
“Partnering with Niagara Falls, it allows us to pool our resources and then acquire the best possible package with that uptodate functionality that we were looking for and enhancements that would allow us to improve our services,” Jones said.
“The real beauty of the platform is that it brings us together under one efficient system while allowing the libraries to retain 100 per cent of our local identity, our independence and our communityspecific services.”
Jones and Dixon said library patrons will notice a difference when the system is activated this fall.
It will feature search functions with more options. If a customer spells a word incorrectly — for instance, typing in “Hary Potter” instead of “Harry Potter” — the system will give probable suggestions instead of saying the title is not found. Dixon said that's going to be helpful, particularly for multilingual collection users.
It will also allow customers to track what they've borrowed from the library to see what they've read.
For the libraries, the new system will provide more detailed collection data, such as what genres people are borrowing the most at different branches so libraries can tailor their purchases to the trends and community need.
The cloudbased feature will also allow staff to provide full library services directly in the community doing outreach programs, such as issuing new cards or checking out materials when visiting parks, seniors' centres or schools.
From now until the launch in November, library staff are working to make a seamless transition from one system to the other.
It's not the first partnership the libraries have undertaken.
Since June 2024, cardholders from either library can get memberships from the other library free of charge and borrow materials such as books, video games and DVDs. The reciprocal borrowing membership has seen 98 St. Catharines residents borrowing from Niagara Falls and 176 Niagara Falls residents borrowing from St. Catharines.