Equinox Partners with Unique Management Services to Launch MessageBee SMS for the Traverse des Sioux Library System

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Atlanta, Ga., October 30, 2024: Equinox Open Library Initiative, a trusted leader in open source technology development and support for libraries, is pleased to announce that Traverse des Sioux Library System is live on MessageBee SMS services through a partnership with Unique Management Services.

Traverse des Sioux Library System is a regional library system of libraries of all types in the south central region of Minnesota.

“MessageBee’s service allows our library consortium to more effectively deliver our SMS notices to patrons,” said Seth Erickson, Director of IT Systems at the Traverse des Sioux Library System. “The implementation went well – Equinox worked directly with Unique Management Services and managed the setup on the Evergreen end and was very responsive during the entire process.”

Unique Management Services’ MessageBee helps libraries connect with patrons via email, SMS, and phone. MessageBee’s design streamlines communication workflows for libraries and maintains the library’s brand. More information about MessageBee is available at: https://uniquelibrary.com/messagebee/.

“MessageBee SMS provides a simple but powerful service that connects libraries and patrons,” said Rogan Hamby, Data and Project Manager at Equinox. “At a consortial and cooperative level, its impact will be significant and we are excited to provide MessageBee SMS to Traverse des Sioux Library System.”

Follow Equinox Open Library Initiative on Facebook and LinkedIn for the latest updates.

To receive news directly in your inbox: https://www.equinoxOLI.org/#signup

For more information:
Laura Barry
Communications Coordinator
Equinox Open Library Initiative
EquinoxOLI.org
laura.barry@equinoxOLI.org
877.OPEN.ILS (877.673.6457)

About Equinox Open Library Initiative
Equinox Open Library Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is the successor to Equinox Software, Inc. Equinox’s mission as a nonprofit is to promote and support a thriving ecosystem for open source library communities in order to provide libraries worldwide with innovative open source solutions. Equinox is devoted to reducing barriers to library technology and services, expanding library access to open source software, and providing high quality technology, consulting, and support services. To learn more, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.org.

About Unique Management Services
Unique Management Services has specialized in helping libraries with a wide array of communication processes since 1996. From incoming customer service to outgoing email, voice, and text messaging, Unique Management Services delivers millions of communications each month for libraries across the globe. For more information, please visit  https://www.uniquelibrary.com.

Equinox Announces Major Features in Evergreen 3.14

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Atlanta, Ga., October 28, 2024: Equinox Open Library Initiative, a trusted leader in open source technology development and support for libraries, is pleased to announce the release of Evergreen 3.14, the latest version of the award-winning library software used by more than 1,800 libraries worldwide. The Equinox team contributed 6 major features, 5 minor features, and 28 out of 57 bugfixes.

As part of Equinox’s ongoing commitment to accessibility, and in partnership with BC Libraries Cooperative (BCLC), Equinox’s Evergreen 3.14 development addressed headings, structured tables, and the use of clear labels to make the public catalog easier to navigate for those utilizing screen readers and other assistive devices. This represents a significant enhancement to both the usability and overall accessibility of the catalog.

The Equinox team also completed one of the most anticipated features in the Evergreen 3.14 release, Angular Record Buckets. Equinox ported Evergreen’s Record Bucket interface to a modernized web framework, improved usability, and added significant functional improvements. Administrators can now manage buckets across organizations, and buckets can be automatically generated from report outputs. This feature was sponsored by the Evergreen Community Development Initiative (ECDI).

Another anticipated feature in Evergreen 3.14 is Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) for Evergreen’s staff client. This development supports several types of MFA factors and features a variety of options for the local Evergreen administrator to configure. Equinox partnered with ECDI to complete this major infrastructural update to Evergreen.

Equinox’s other major feature contributions include:

  • Reports Security Improvements (BCLC)
  • Staff Client Dark Mode (King County Library System)
  • Improvements to the Experimental Angular Circulation interfaces (King County Library System)

More detail about these and other features can be found in the release notes here: https://evergreen-ils.org/documentation/release/RELEASE_NOTES_3_14.html

“The Equinox development team was excited to develop usability and security improvements for Evergreen 3.14,” said Andrea Buntz Neiman, Project Manager for Software Development at Equinox. “These are some of the most heavily used interfaces in Evergreen. Accessibility development has been one of Equinox’s highest priority initiatives and we are proud that each new Evergreen release pushes that goal forward. We’re grateful to our community partners for helping to improve Evergreen with every release.”

Follow Equinox Open Library Initiative on Facebook and LinkedIn for the latest updates.

To receive news directly in your inbox: https://www.equinoxOLI.org/#signup

For more information:
Laura Barry
Communications Coordinator
Equinox Open Library Initiative
EquinoxOLI.org
laura.barry@equinoxOLI.org
877.OPEN.ILS (877.673.6457)

About Equinox Open Library Initiative
Equinox Open Library Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is the successor to Equinox Software, Inc. Equinox’s mission as a nonprofit is to promote and support a thriving ecosystem for open source library communities in order to provide libraries worldwide with innovative open source solutions. Equinox is devoted to reducing barriers to library technology and services, expanding library access to open source software, and providing high quality technology, consulting, and support services. To learn more, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.org.

About Evergreen
Evergreen Integrated Library System is an award winning and trusted library solution used by more than 1,800 libraries worldwide. Evergreen ILS is a web-based and mobile-friendly system which provides attractive, easy to use interfaces for library acquisitions, administration, cataloging, circulation, OPAC, reports, course reserves, and serials functionality.

Evergreen ILS is an enterprise level system designed to manage a scalable catalog shared across libraries, including large public and academic library consortia. While designed for large collections, Evergreen is suitable for libraries of any size and type from government to museum and special collection libraries. Its flexibility enables libraries to configure policies and settings that work best for their communities and to maintain ownership of their library and systems data.

For more information on Evergreen: https://www.equinoxoli.org/products/evergreen/.

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Equinox Announces Q3 Evergreen Project Contributions

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Atlanta, Ga.,October 8, 2024: Equinox Open Library Initiative, a trusted leader in open source technology development and support for libraries, is pleased to announce Q3 development projects for Evergreen:

  • Lassos & Policies Phase I (PaILS)
  • EG-Quipu Integration (PaILS)
  • X12 Advanced Shipping Notifications (KCLS)
  • OPAC Accessibility Fixes (BC Libraries Cooperative)

One of the most anticipated features in the upcoming 3.14 release is Angular Record Buckets. Equinox ported Evergreen’s Record Bucket interface to a more modern web framework and added significant usability and functional improvements. Administrators can now manage buckets across organizations, and buckets can be automatically generated from report outputs.

BC Libraries Cooperative sponsored an extensive accessibility review and bugfixes for Evergreen’s public catalog (OPAC). Fixes provided by Equinox include appropriate headings, table structures, and labels. These standardized page elements will improve navigation with screen readers and other accessibility tools.

Equinox partnered with developers from Quipu Inc. to standardize and expand existing bespoke plugins with the goal of a single, configurable Evergreen plugin to use with Quipu’s eCARD and eRENEW products. This is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Integrated Library System (PaILS), and PaILS will be piloting this new work later this fall.

With the support of the King County Library System (KCLS), Equinox developers added a new method using the X12 protocol for materials vendors that need to send automated Advanced Shipping Notifications (ASN). This will improve automated Acquisitions methods and increase the number of vendors whose automated messages are supported.

“We are looking forward to another feature-rich release with Evergreen 3.14,” said Andrea Buntz Neiman, Project Manager for Software Development at Equinox. “Equinox is proud to work with its community partners to bring modernization and new features for the entire Evergreen community. Stay tuned because we’ll have more exciting features coming up in the spring release!”

Many thanks to Q3 development partners: King County Library System, Evergreen Community Development Initiative, BC Libraries Cooperative, and the Pennsylvania Integrated Library System for supporting these projects.

Follow Equinox Open Library Initiative on Facebook and LinkedIn for the latest updates.

To receive news directly in your inbox: https://www.equinoxOLI.org/#signup

For more information:
Laura Barry
Communications Coordinator
Equinox Open Library Initiative
EquinoxOLI.org
laura.barry@equinoxOLI.org
877.OPEN.ILS (877.673.6457)

About Equinox Open Library Initiative
Equinox Open Library Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is the successor to Equinox Software, Inc. Equinox’s mission as a nonprofit is to promote and support a thriving ecosystem for open source library communities in order to provide libraries worldwide with innovative open source solutions. Equinox is devoted to reducing barriers to library technology and services, expanding library access to open source software, and providing high quality technology, consulting, and support services. To learn more, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.org.

About Evergreen
Evergreen Integrated Library System is an award winning and trusted library solution used by more than 1,800 libraries worldwide. Evergreen ILS is a web-based and mobile-friendly system which provides attractive, easy to use interfaces for library acquisitions, administration, cataloging, circulation, OPAC, reports, course reserves, and serials functionality.

Evergreen ILS is an enterprise level system designed to manage a scalable catalog shared across libraries, including large public and academic library consortia. While designed for large collections, Evergreen is suitable for libraries of any size and type from government to museum and special collection libraries. Its flexibility enables libraries to configure policies and settings that work best for their communities and to maintain ownership of their library and systems data.

For more information on Evergreen: https://www.equinoxoli.org/products/evergreen/.