The Evergreen Kids Catalog Project Picks Up Steam

We're happy to report that the kids catalog development project for the Evergreen catalog is moving nicely along. Bibliomation, along with our development partners, The King County Library System (Washington state), Sitka (British Columbia), and PINES (Georgia Public Library Service), have just approved the basic graphical skins that FGI, a Seattle-based web design firm, has created.

Next steps: We'll be checking with Equinox to make sure that they can develop the functionality around these skins so that libraries could plug in any skin of their choosing.

Equinox is also preparing a quote for us so we'll know what it will cost to develop the functions and features we'd like to see in this catalog, including:

• The option to filter to juvenile materials exclusively, either by MARC record (audience field) or by item shelving location code(s)
• The option to add and delete new graphical subject categories or edit existing ones
• The ability to see grade level information
• The ability to add a bibliography of web links
• The ability to add ratings and user reviews

For more information about this kids catalog project, you can contact me at terlaga{at}biblio{dot}org.

Amy Terlaga
Assistant Director, User Services
Bibliomation, Inc.

It's our Paper Anniversary

I'm a day late with this, but yesterday marked Bibliomation's first Evergreen anniversary! Beacon Falls Public Library was the first library in Connecticut to go live on Evergreen. They were also the first public library in Connecticut to move to an open source ILS.

What a year it's been! Since March 3, 2010, Bibliomation has brought up ten more Evergreen libraries, with another still cataloging away. We've been enjoying newlywed bliss with our new ILS and the Evergreen community, and we can't wait to introduce the rest of our libraries to our new sweetheart.

Image from Flickr user Eric Martin