Civica secures five-year cloud management deal with two Victorian metro libraries
Civica has announced that it has signed a five-year contract with two of Victoria's metropolitan libraries: Eastern Regional Libraries Corporation (ERLC) and Yarra Plenty Regional Libraries (YPRL).
Under the contracts, each library will implement Civica's Spydus library management system (LMS), which will allow them to deliver services such as book and e-resources lending, community classes, research services, and improve staff communication.
ERLC CEO Jospeh Cullen explained how LMS would eliminate the need for separate products in maintaining business processes, such as staff rostering.
"Our current product does not offer the same API integration with third-party best-of-breed products, or our own in-house developed catalogue interface and computer booking system. The [Spydus] platform will allow fuller integration with best of breed products like Overdrive and other e-content providers, events' bookings, our RFID self-checkout kiosks, and OptimoRoute," he told ZDNet.
Cullen added how the library would also be able to manage staff rostering in real time through Yellowfin BI, as well as have access to other key indicators such as loans handled, visits, and tracking public computer demand.
"We will finally be able to offer all of our resources, like e-content and archived materials, through our catalogue," he said. "By using Yellowfin BI, we will also be able to improve on our click-and-collect service and provide responsive and timely courier or postal delivery services in challenging times like we are facing at the moment.
"This will be achieved by integrating members' details with products like OptimoRoute to better plan deliveries to housebound members, retirement villages, and aged care facilities."
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YPRL CEO Jane Cowell added off the back of integrating Spydus into its systems, the library is now planning to update its website and provide additional customer-facing services, such as live chat, which would help the organisation move away from the current system of answering customer questions via web form and email.
Additionally, Cowell believes the library will be able to move away from paper-based processes and experience an improvement in its home delivery services and book clubs.
"Our current LMS and web solution does not offer the same API integration with third party best of breed products such as community room booking and payment systems. API integration with a new mobile application will also be able to be realised with the new LMS," she said.
Cowell added that she is looking forward to integrating machine learning to the library's description of local history collections, such as photographs, touting it as having the potential to provide "immediate, searchable access to these collections".
"Also listed on the future roadmap is utilising an integrated rostering system which is expected to drive staff efficiencies, allowing us to ensure that all staff can be delivering the best service to our communities as possible," she said.
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