This month, we want to chat a little bit about print notices. These notices are set up similarly to the email notices your patrons get daily, except they are formatted to be printable/mailable. Print notices are most used for lost items, but they can also be used for overdue, courtesy, or holds notices To see your library’s print notices, you’ll use your staff login at this link, which can also … Read More
SPARK Feature Highlight/Library Spotlight – June 2022
We’re featuring a NoveList/Evergreen mashup tip this month: author pages + hold groups. You most likely have popular authors whose books fly off your “new arrivals” shelves, or that don’t even make it to the shelves before the holds queue is 15 deep. One way to distribute holds amongst groups of ardent C.J. Box or Danielle Steel fans is to use the “hold groups” function in Evergreen. This works well … Read More
SPARK Feature Highlight/Library Spotlight – May 2022
Welcome to another feature highlight, in which we share ideas for using some of the features that SPARK offers. Today’s topic is NoveList Plus and finding pop culture read-alikes for library displays and booklists! We were inspired by yesterday’s presentation from Caleigh Haworth at EBSCO – it was packed with good information about searching NoveList. As librarians, we get super excited when someone tells us they “don’t read” because a. … Read More
Tuesday Teleworking Together
We’ve learned that the original period of PA public library closure has extended through at least April 6. During the first closure, which was announced more suddenly, if you hadn’t taken action by Saturday morning (closing as soon as possible was advised), PaILS applied a SPARKwide setting and implemented the Emergency Closing Handler with settings that we saw as a best practice to extend access, stop fines and overdues, and … Read More
Monday Motivation Moment
Hello SPARK Libraries, I’m glad you are participating in the open source Evergreen software shared platform with many of your PA neighbors. It’s better because we’re in it together. If you have questions about your library settings in the software, reach out. There are adjustments right now so items aren’t due, fines don’t accrue, and holds lists don’t populate. The regular online meeting room I sent links to last week … Read More
Friday Fearless Focus on the Future
The most recent announcement about the closing of non-life sustaining businesses in Pennsylvania did not have a stated end date. It’s a good time to take a deep breath, and relax. Take care of yourself and all those around you. Be kind. SPARK Libraries have shifted quickly, and are now providing different services to communities via online tools and resources and telephone. Some staff are working from home, some are … Read More
Thrive on Thursday
Many library staff aren’t used to working remotely or in a building without the public visiting. PaILS is keeping the online meeting room open as much as possible for remote worker support and as a gathering place if SPARK Libraries want to chat, walk through a workflow, or ask questions about our shared hosted software and its settings or capabilities. Thrive on Thursday: Explore Evergreen features, settings, and the roadmap … Read More
Wednesday Work Update
Hello SPARK Libraries, If you are working today in an environment with social distance and no in-person public services, you are one of many library workers engaging remotely. You are appreciated and your work matters. Thanks for being a SPARK Library. What can you do this Wednesday? Here are some ideas: Check the links on your catalog. Is your POWERLibrary link working as it should? If not, go find the … Read More
Two Idea Tuesday
The recent closing of public libraries in PA for this short period means you are not be serving the public in traditional ways right now, but there are many great things you can do to keep engaged if you are empowered to work remotely. Visit the PaILS/SPARK virtual meeting room to chat about ideas. The room is open for SPARK libraries to use for collaboration or support. Here are two … Read More
2019 Reports
2019 was an active year for PaILS members. Check out this list of top circulating collection titles from the combined SPARK libraries using Evergreen catalog in 2019. Did your favorite title or author make the list? Note: This list excludes circulation counts for things like the bathroom key or public computers that some libraries track use of using records and items. Data accessed via the Reports Module of Evergreen … Read More
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