Library Technology Guides

Personalization designed to connect patrons to the library. BiblioCommons continues to develop new ways to simplify the online experience, making it easier for patrons to engage with their library and find what matters to them most. Personalization has become one of the central pillars of the BiblioCommons platform. It enables libraries to surface content that's not just available but relevant, transforming passive browsing into active discovery. BiblioCommons is making it clear what data informs personalization so patrons can decide with confidence. By giving patrons control over their experience and putting recommendations in the right place, at the right time, personalization helps libraries stay connected in a world of constant digital noise. One of the first touchpoints for this work is the new Centralized Patron Profile, where users can explicitly share their preferences, such as genre or age group, which are then used to tailor their experience across the BiblioCommons suite, including BiblioCore, BiblioApps, BiblioWeb, and BiblioEvents. [Full Announcement].

AI built for libraries: centered on trust, simplicity, and impact. As public libraries continue to evolve in a rapidly changing digital landscape, BiblioCommons is advancing efforts to simplify the patron experience and reaffirm the library's role as a trusted source of information. The latest area of exploration is artificial intelligence. At BiblioCommons, we believe that technology should remove barriers, not create them. That belief is at the heart of our approach: bringing patrons closer to the library, one click at a time BiblioCommons' approach to AI is grounded in this philosophy and in the core values that make public libraries the most trusted civic institutions. As we explore AI capabilities, we are focused on intentional, thoughtful experimentation that upholds accuracy, privacy, and equity. [Full Announcement].

BiblioCommons brings the one-click experience to life with new enhancements. BiblioCommons is introducing a suite of powerful new enhancements designed to simplify and unify the online library experience [Full Announcement].

New library partners subscribe to BiblioCommons. BiblioCommons welcomed six new library systems to its growing community of partners across North America. Toronto Public Library (Ontario), Burlington County Library System (New Jersey), Lake County Library (California), Fort Vancouver Regional Library District (Washington), Coquitlam Public Library (British Columbia), and Guelph Public Library (Ontario) have all recently joined the BiblioCommons platform. The BiblioCommons team is excited to collaborate with these forward-thinking libraries to enhance their digital services and support more connected, engaging, and user-friendly experiences for their patrons. [Full Announcement].

BiblioCon '25 to bring together public library professionals for a hybrid conference this fall. BiblioCommons is pleased to announce that registration is now open for BiblioCon '25, an annual conference designed to connect public library staff across roles, departments, and geographies. Taking place October 8–10, 2025, this year's event will offer both in-person and virtual attendance options, making it easier than ever for teams to learn, connect, and collaborate. [Full Announcement].

2024 Year in Review. In 2024, BiblioCommons focused on helping libraries enhance their online experience to match modern users' expectations and boost patron engagement through improved discovery, personalization, research, and analytics. The BiblioCommons community continued to collaborate, grow, thrive, and stay connected through webinars, virtual meetups, and BiblioCon '24. [Full Announcement].

BiblioCommons partners with Unique Management Services to enhance patron communication through BiblioApps. BiblioCommons, a leading provider of public library software, announced a new partnership with Unique Management Services to offer push notifications in BiblioApps, and SMS, voice, and email notifications in BiblioCore, powered by MessageBee. This collaboration combines the best in patron experience with the best in patron communication to create a more unified, proactive, and personalized library experience. Through this integration, libraries using BiblioApps can seamlessly connect with their patrons via personalized messaging that is pushed to their mobile devices. These notifications can be managed directly by the patron, the same way patrons manage all other push notifications. [Full Announcement].

Burlington County Library System partners with BiblioCommons to enhance its digital library experience. BiblioCommons welcomed Burlington County Library System in New Jersey as its newest Partner Library. Through this partnership, BCLS will leverage BiblioCore and BiblioWeb to provide its community with a seamless, unified, and enriching online library experience. [Full Announcement].

BiblioCon '24: Connecting Public Library Professionals and Experts, October 9-11. BiblioCommons announced the return of its annual conference, BiblioCon, which will be held online from October 9-11, 2024. Building on previous years' success and our commitment to inclusivity, the company is waiving all registration fees for this year's conference to ensure participation is open to all public library professionals. [Full Announcement].

The new BiblioCommons Analytics Platform provides actionable insight into the digital library experience. BiblioCommons announced the launch of the BiblioCommons Analytics Platform, a one-stop shop for libraries to gain insight into and improve their patrons' online experiences. The BiblioCommons Analytics Platform goes beyond standard analytics provided by Google Analytics or other providers. It captures the key actions patrons take as they navigate through the discovery layer, website, events platform, or apps and delivers critical, public-library-specific metadata about the actions. For example, if a hold is placed, library staff will see the item title, device used, and availability. To maintain privacy, this data is fully anonymized and cannot be traced back to an individual person. [Full Announcement].

BiblioCommons welcomes Raena Morrison as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. BiblioCommons announced the appointment of Raena Morrison as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. With over 20 years of experience building and scaling companies, Raena brings a wealth of knowledge and an impressive track record of success to BiblioCommons. She has experience establishing commercial organizations from scratch and inspiring existing teams to embrace bold new strategies for sales, account management, sales operations, and business development — making her the perfect fit for leading the BiblioCommons sales and marketing teams into the future. [Full Announcement].

2023 Year in Review. Reflecting on a year of innovation and progress, BiblioCommons has once again raised the bar for library engagement and accessibility. From the significant transition to Google Analytics 4 to the introduction of the BiblioCommons Analytics Platform, we've ensured that library-specific data is not only accessible but also actionable. Our dedication to enhancing user experience is evident in our focus on personalizing the patron experience while ensuring patron privacy and the continuous infrastructure upgrades that included implementing next-generation firewalls and expanding server capacity to accommodate the growing needs of our Library Partners. Continued accessibility updates, new product features, and the expansion of language support in BiblioApps support our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. With the rollout of new features and services, proactive security measures, and the invaluable contributions from the BiblioCommons community of Partner Libraries, we look forward to what's next and invite all libraries to celebrate all the past year's achievements. [Full Announcement].

BiblioCon '23 is taking place online on September 20-22. BiblioCon, the Online Public Library Conference hosted by BiblioCommons, is back this year and will be hosted online from September 20-22, 2023. Building on the success of past BiblioCon conferences, we are once again thrilled to host BiblioCon ‘23 virtually. This decision comes as a result of positive feedback from previous attendees who valued the accessibility and convenience of the online setting. Moreover, in our continued commitment to inclusivity, we are waving all registration fees for BiblioCon '23 to facilitate the participation of all public library professionals without any travel or financial constraints. [Full Announcement].

BiblioCommons appoints Marty Tarle as General Manager. BiblioCommons announced the appointment of Marty Tarle as the new General Manager of BiblioCommons as of July 1, 2023. Marty will replace Sebastien Lopes, who will transition into a new role within the parent company, Volaris Group, leading multiple companies in the library industry. Marty co-founded BiblioCommons in 2007 and has held multiple leadership roles in the company, including Chief Technology Officer and, most recently, Chief Operating Officer. During his tenure with BiblioCommons, he has established a proven track record of innovation in the library technology space and built strong relationships with public library partners. [Full Announcement].

BiblioCon '22 registration is open to all public libraries. BiblioCon, the Online Public Library Conference hosted by BiblioCommons is back this year with incredible new speakers and insightful sessions that cover various topics about the digital library experience. Like last year, this year's event will be held virtually to enable audiences from far and wide to attend. Registration is complimentary to ensure that BiblioCon is welcoming and accessible to anyone working at a public library. Conference attendees can join public library staff, industry leaders, and BiblioTeam experts on August 24 and 25. [Full Announcement].

New library partners subscribe to BiblioCommons in 2022. Two partnerships were formed between public libraries and BiblioCommons in the first few months of 2022. Glenview Public Library and Harris County Public Library are now members of the BiblioCommons shared digital platform. The BiblioTeam is thrilled to work with these two incredible libraries to help them unlock the full potential of the web to welcome, inspire, and connect their communities. [Full Announcement].

2021 Year in Review. As we look back at the past year, we recognize more than ever before how incredible public libraries are and how critical they are in bringing communities together. Unlike 2020, 2021 was the first full year where all nations around the globe faced COVID-19 challenges every single day of the year. While the new “normal” was different for everyone, we've seen unprecedented levels of communication, collaboration, and resourcefulness at a large scale across nations and in smaller circles across communities and neighborhoods. With strength and resilience, public libraries demonstrated their agility in serving their patrons and communities. [Full Announcement].

BiblioCommons welcomes new library partners in the second quarter of 2021. BiblioCommons formed new partnerships with public libraries across the United States and Canada in the second quarter of the year. The BiblioCommons team is excited at the opportunity to work with new consortia and public libraries of all sizes in urban, suburban, and rural areas across North America. [Full Announcement].

BiblioEmail is now Included with BiblioWeb as part of a digital experience platform. Connecting patrons to programs and services provided by public libraries is a fundamental goal of all libraries and their stakeholders. The most effective way for libraries to connect to users is via a holistic digital experience that includes engaging content, dynamic events listings, and relevant email communications. To that end, the team at BiblioCommons is pleased to share that BiblioEmail, the email marketing tool that was released in February of 2021, is now included with BiblioWeb, the most robust content management system and webpage builder for public libraries. [Full Announcement].

Nine new library partnerships formed in the first quarter of 2021. In the first three months of 2021, BiblioCommons formed new partnerships with public libraries across the United States. Newly subscribed libraries include Canton Public Library, Chandler Public Library, East Chicago Public Library, Elk Grove Village Public Library, Glendale Library, Arts & Culture, Herrick District Library, Kenton County Public Library, Strathcona County Library Board, and Tulsa City-County Library. These libraries are all on different ILSs (Integrated Library Systems.) Each will work closely with the BiblioCommons team to integrate their systems to the BiblioCommons product suite and elevate their online patron experiences. [Full Announcement].