Skip to Main Content

SpringyNews - Stay Agile With Flexible Technology

June 2019

Explore New Paths In The Name of Service.

This edition of SpringyNews comes to you with the underlying message of giving your users what they want! 

These days, it seems like everything Springshare is exhibiting at ALA. Come see us. Drop by Booth #3136moves at the Tweet of light. Staying on top of things can be a challenge. But we have to listen and -- more than that -- we have to be agile so that we can be responsive. This is a new look for SpringyNews and we've incorporated new features that came directly from your recommendations. You'll find a brand new client column called, Yours Truly written by one of your own -- a Springy user/librarian. Don't miss the new SpringyWHO section that introduces you to one of our own. In the rest you'll find excellent suggestions for ways you can be flexible and action oriented. 

Speaking of giving users what they want, Springshare has very exciting news to share. As of May 31, 2019, Springshare has acquired OCLC's QuestionPoint 24/7 Reference Cooperative and all active QuestionPoint subscriptions and QuestionPoint staff librarians will move to Springshare. Read more about it below and in the Spotlight: LibAnswers page. Suffice it to say, we're also doing a lot of listening to our librarians and it's a lively time. We are super focused on making sure you have what you need to do your jobs beautifully. Your success is what drives us to work hard each day.  -- The Springshare Team 

LibGuides Love

Staying agile and responsive to the needs of your patrons is the name of the game and LibGuides is here to help you win it.

  • The Tips & Tricks shared are focused on ways that you can work toward learning more about your users and what they want and need from your library.
  • They're aimed at helping you maintain a strong line of communication.
  • You'll discover how to support your team so that the best ideas can rise to the surface.
  • Finally, you can benefit from tips that ensure accessibility is always a high priority. 

The world is faster and less forgiving of deaf ears. To thrive you need to be assessing your offerings and be ready to pivot, if necessary. Patrons will see how much you care about their experience when they see that gathering feedback is important to you and that it results in more tailored services. Check out LibGuides Love now.

Spotlight: LibAnswers

Big, fantastic news! OCLC and Springshare have signed an agreement on May 31, 2019. Springshare has acquired QuestionPoint 24/7 Reference Cooperative and all active QuestionPoint subscriptions and QuestionPoint staff librarians will move to Springshare. QuestionPoint is the global industry leader in providing cooperative virtual reference services, including 24/7 reference backup coverage from its team of experienced reference librarians. Through this acquisition, Springshare will extend its highly regarded LibAnswers virtual reference software to include the comprehensive QuestionPoint library reference cooperative with 24/7 coverage. QuestionPoint’s team of reference librarians will become part of Springshare and will continue to work from their current locations around the world. Read more about this incredible news in Spotlight: LibAnswers.

 

 

 

Stretch

Flexibility in technology is also about being able to use the tools for, perhaps, purposes not originally intended. The Springyverse has shown us that librarians are super inventive and come up with all sorts of alternate uses. Stretch your imaginations. Give your wild ideas some time in the sun. People are surprising themselves -- and us -- with their exciting uses for features within our tools. Learn more about the possibilities.

Change Of Pace

Whether you think you need to pick up the pace at your library or wish you could slow things down a bit, there's definitely a sense we have about the speed at which things are moving that feels off or right on. Springshare shares some ideas on ways you can get things accomplished quickly. You'll also learn how to take a minute to get control. Click here to find your rhythm.

Now You Know

Knowing is half the battle, right? There are two things to remember here. The first part of this equation is that we have to know something. This is where the statistics and reports built into Springshare tools come in. Make sure to get that data! But this is only half the battle! Now that you know -- what are you going to do about it? Being a responsive library means you have to act on that data. Have a look at some ways our tools help you do just that.