LEHI, Utah (February 10, 2015)—The County of Simcoe Library Co-operative received the Minister’s Award for Innovation for website design and accessibility at the 2015 Ontario Library Association (OLA) Super Conference. Multiple members of the consortium were recognized for exceptional Enterprise design through the Simcoe County Libraries for Accessibility project.

Made possible through the partnership of ten Simcoe County Libraries, The Simcoe County Libraries for Accessibility project is a successful and creative solution for meeting the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Standards. The project also fulfills the partner libraries’ goal of providing “one place to look”—through enriched library user experiences, user-friendly interfaces, and enhanced online services.

“The partner libraries are thrilled to have received this award,” said Gayle Hall, Chief Librarian, County of Simcoe Library Co-operative. “We all worked very hard to ensure that the project provides a cutting-edge solution to meeting the AODA standards and fulfilling the partner libraries’ goal of providing “one place to look.” It is a fiscally responsible answer to the provision of equitable access, enhanced online services and excellent customer service through the utilization of a user-friendly platform.”

The Library Co-operative utilizes SirsiDynix Enterprise, which allows each partner library to easily customize its discovery interface—through library branding, tailored designs, and audience-specific profiles—to give its users the Best Library User Experience possible. The consortium also utilizes a number of additional BLUEcloud products, such as eResource Central and Buy It Now, which enhance users’ experiences through one-click eResource downloads and in-catalog item purchases.

“We’re very excited for Simcoe County Libraries,” said Bill Davison, SirsiDynix CEO. “Their project has set the bar for library website design and they’ve proven individual success through exceptional Enterprise customizations. Enterprise’s powerful facets and EBSCO Discovery Service integration only add to the goal that Simcoe libraries have already set in place: building unparalleled discovery experiences for their patrons’ specific needs.”

The Simcoe public libraries taking part in the project are Clearview, Collingwood, Essa, New Tecumseth, Penetanguishene, Ramara, Severn (Coldwater), Springwater, Tay, and Wasaga Beach. The award was given by the Honorable Michael Coteau, Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sport, on Thursday, January 29.

About the County of Simcoe Library Co-operative

The County of Simcoe Library Co-operative is composed of fourteen public library boards with twenty-seven libraries and branches. It is operated by the County of Simcoe and is the only library co-operative in the Province of Ontario. The purpose of the Co-operative is to supplement, support, and enhance the library services provided by its members to the residents of Simcoe County.

About SirsiDynix

SirsiDynix connects people with knowledge at more than 23,000 libraries around the world. Through library management technology and search and discovery tools, libraries using SirsiDynix technology bring relevant resources and the power of knowledge to their users and communities. SirsiDynix technology center is architected to be open, scalable, and robust, offering a complete out-of-the-box solution and unparalleled flexibility through APIs and web services. Complemented by the most experienced training, consulting, and support staff in the industry, SirsiDynix helps libraries create tomorrow’s libraries, today. To find out more, visit www.sirsidynix.com.

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Contact Information

For more information on this release, please contact:

Eric Keith

+1 801.223.5361

marketing@sirsidynix.com