New Catalog and Automation System Starts
December 8th

Some limited service during transition November 29th – December 6th
Library Branches will be closed on December 7th.

A big change is just around the corner for all NOLS library branches! A brand new catalog system will be available soon. That’s the good news. The bad news is that for the week prior to the start date, the catalog will only be available for searching. Patrons will not be able to place holds/requests and the catalog will not be updated during the week of November 29th to December 6th.

NOLS has selected the Polaris Integrated Library System (ILS) to replace its Dynix Classic system. The start date for the new system is December 7th. “We were very taken with the Polaris PowerPAC™ and think it will put a beautiful face on our library,” said Maureen Lindh, NOLS technology manager. “It’s powerful and can be customized by staff with just a basic grasp of Web administration.” She predicted that “our library patrons are going to love this new system. It will significantly improve our catalog and provide state-of-the-art service.”

Lindh said that one of the key factors in the selection of Polaris was the workflow efficiency that will be gained. NOLS will also be able to implement enriched content, bringing book jacket images, tables of contents and book reviews to their patrons for the first time. Lindh said, “Moving to Polaris will be good for our library and inspire innovation here.”

NOLS Director George Stratton praised the staff committee's work. According to Stratton, "The library’s selection process was extensive, involving months of work on the part of the committee charged with evaluating our options. Systems were compared on functionality and input gathered from current customers of each vendor being considered. The ILS evaluation committee report to the library’s Board of Trustees relates that GIS and Polaris were the ‘unequivocal choice’ for the best new automation solution for NOLS.”

NOLS serves all of Clallam County with branches in Port Angeles, Sequim, Forks and Clallam Bay, as well as an Outreach service to the homebound. The library system has almost 40,000 registered patrons, which is close to two-thirds of the total number of residents in the county. Annual circulation for the system is 790,000 from a collection of 261,000 items.

Other Polaris libraries in the Pacific Northwest include Eugene Public Library (OR), Klamath County Library Service District (OR), Mid-Columbia Public Library (WA), Pierce County Library System (WA), Southern Oregon Libraries Information System (OR), Tigard-Tualatin Public School District (OR), Washington County Cooperative Library Services (OR) and Yakima Valley Regional Library System (WA).