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Need a mobile interface to your catalog? Yes, you do!

Jan 26th, 2010
by pollyalida.
6 comments

catalog on phoneAnd now you can have one easily and without breaking the bank! LibraryThing announced their new Library Anywhere project at ALA Midwinter last week. Today they’ve posted prices for the service.

Key features listed in their announcement:

  • A mobile catalog for any library, up and running in minutes.
  • Mobile web and apps for iPhone, Blackberry and Android.
  • Cheaper than you’d guess.
  • Search, place holds, and more.
  • Showcase hours, branches, and events.
  • No installation process.
  • Works with 90% of current OPACs.
  • Comes with an “accessible version” that provides a fully Section 508-compliant version of your existing catalog
  • (via LibraryThing)

They’re looking for beta libraries now. This is one of those times that I really wish I was still working in a library and could be part of this. And as a patron, I’d really love it if my own local library got in on this. I’ve been trying to use my library catalog on my phone and it’s not a pretty experience!

Google Gadgets & Library Search

Oct 16th, 2008
by pollyalida.
2 comments

Last year I fiddled around with creating some simple Google Gadgets for the catalogs of my local library systems. Mostly to figure out how to create them, but also because I’m lazy. I wanted easy access to all my local library catalogs in one place, on an iGoogle page.

I haven’t looked at editing gadgets since then, so I was excited to learn  that it’s much easier to make gadgets now. Sometime during the year, Google added a nifty gadget to help create gadgets. That sounds confusing, but it’s just another little iGoogle tool that helps you edit, preview and launch your own gadgets. This tutorial helped explain how to use it.

So, while looking at other library catalog search gadgets tonight, I wondered if I could ‘borrow’ code to make something slicker than my original clunky gadgets. I found Andrew Schulz from Pierce County (WA) Library System had a very elegant gadget for their Polaris catalog. A quick copy of the code and editing of the catalog URL and it was working for my local library. Woohoo!

Any recommendations on good models for other systems?