Eastern Regional and Yarra Plenty Regional Libraries fulfil the vision of informed, empowered and connected communities with a cloud-optimised library management system

Victoria’s largest libraries select Civica’s Spydus Library Management System enabling digital delivery of community services post COVID-19

Melbourne, 28 June 2020: Civica, a global leader in software for public and community services, is pleased to announce that it has signed five-year contracts with two of Victoria’s largest metropolitan libraries, Eastern Regional Libraries Corporation (ERLC) and Yarra Plenty Regional Libraries (YPRL).

Each library will implement Civica’s cloud-optimised Spydus Library Management System (LMS), aimed at further improving the digital infrastructure that supports the delivery of vital services to their local communities - including book and eResources lending, events, community classes, exhibitions, research services and meeting facilities.

Both libraries selected Civica’s Spydus solution for the depth of the platform, ease of use and Civica’s roadmap and ongoing commitment to innovation, which aligned to their visions and IT strategies.

With combined loans of close to nine million items per year, both YPRL and ERLC were looking to a technology provider that would support the creation of informed, connected and empowered communities. They selected Civica’s Spydus to achieve this objective and provide a robust and flexible network infrastructure that evolves as the needs of each community change.

“YPRL was looking for a Library Management System to take us into an integrated future, providing us with the tools to deliver more for our communities and with a planned roadmap for increased functionality. Civica, through its Spydus product, demonstrated this commitment and functionality, always with the user experience at the forefront of their design” says Jane Cowell, CEO of YPRL.

Joseph Cullen, CEO of ERLC, says, “To say we are delighted and excited would be an understatement.

“To form a long-term partnership with Civica gives us ongoing access to a modern and highly responsive library management system. Libraries are no longer just about physical items, and Spydus opens up many opportunities in relation to our use of third party products via a full API interface that provides a platform for library innovation.

“Spydus will give ERLC up to date data through Yellowfin BI to better plan our 24/7 service delivery.

“The partnership with Civica will also give us the opportunity to access to other innovative and exciting business products, such as staff rostering, in the future”.

“In a very competitive library environment, we’re thrilled to have the teams at YPRL and ERLC join the Spydus community” Iain Finlayson, Managing Director, Libraries and Education at Civica says.

“COVID-19 has shown us that it’s essential for libraries to have strong technological platforms that continue delivering important services to their communities when physical branches are closed. I look forward to collaborating with both libraries to bring increased digital innovation to their users. As large and innovative library services, the involvement of YPRL and ERLC in the Spydus community will also bring fresh ideas and new perspectives to the Spydus User Network, which I am sure will be welcomed.”

Spydus, an Australian designed and developed System is already in popular use by approximately 90 metropolitan and regional public libraries across Australia and New Zealand. The solution is also implemented by libraries around the world, including in the UK, US and Singapore.

Additional key features of Spydus include integrated archive and event management, a discovery Online Public Access Catalogue website including reader recommendations, e-content integration for a single point of discovery, mobile applications, business analytics, and a full API set that provides a platform for library innovation.

About YPRL

Yarra Plenty Regional Library service is a co-operative venture of three northern Melbourne metropolitan Councils – Banyule, Nillumbik, and Whittlesea. Together the three municipalities cover a large geographic area of northern Melbourne. There is a diverse range of communities with a combined population of almost 420,000 people. YPRL also provides services and shares resources with Murrindindi Library Service. YPRL is one of the leading public library services in Victoria, serving its population of users through 9 branches and 2 mobile libraries and is highly valued and extensively used by the community.

About ERLC

Eastern Regional Libraries Corporation is a co-operative venture of three outer eastern metropolitan councils – Knox, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges. ERLC is the largest public library service in Victoria, serving a diverse population of 435,000 residents through 13 branches, 3 Reading Rooms, 2 outreach vehicles and a dynamic online environment that offers the largest eResources collection in the State.