ByWater Solutions Announces Support of Aspen Discovery for Ramapo Catskill Library System

by Elise Aiello on Dec 29, 2022

ByWater Solutions, America’s forefront provider of Open Source library technology support, announced today that they are providing support and hosting services for the Aspen Open Source Discovery system for the Ramapo Catskill Library System in New York. The implementation of the 47 library sites is being staggered into three phases.

Here is one of the live catalogs that can be viewed now: https://tuxedo.aspendiscovery.org/

Jerry Kuntz and Alex Carver of the Ramapo Catskill Library System recently commented on the implementation:

Our member libraries had been using a catalog interface that changed very little over a dozen years, with no ability to customize the layout on their own. Even small changes, such as a shift in operating hours, needed to be requested and then completed by system staff. With Aspen Discovery's user-friendly customization tools, this work can now be done by member library staff. Aspen Discovery has many features to empower each library to tailor their main finding tool to complement their overall online presence. Using theming tools to closely match the look and feel of their website branding, libraries can make the transition from 'website' to 'catalog' a much smoother experience for users than was previously possible.

The Browse Category feature allows many library staff to have a stake in curating reader's advisory; and the Grouped Works tools offer more control over combining the display of editions than any machine-based method. The latter is especially notable to us as our previous catalog splintered search results based on format, making it difficult for patrons and staff track down the desired item.

RCLS has enjoyed a friendly, easy relationship with ByWater Solutions staff throughout the implementation process. Whether investigating complicated tech troubleshooting issues or answering simple theming questions, Morgan, Mark, and the rest of the team have been a pleasure to work with."

About Ramapo Catskill Library System

The Ramapo Catskill Library System (RCLS) is a non-profit, cooperative public library system chartered in 1959 by the New York State Board of Regents. RCLS working cooperatively with member libraries, provides coordinated services, guidance, training, support, and leadership to member library trustees and staff to sustain their effort to be responsive, proactive, vital community institutions that meet the changing needs of their users in Orange, Rockland, Sullivan and southern Ulster counties. Working in cooperation with member libraries, RCLS helps to raise awareness about library services and works to eliminate barriers to library access and use.

The Ramapo Catskill Library System supports 47 chartered public libraries in urban, suburban, and rural settings encompassing a total of 2,459 square miles with a population of 803,351 (2010 US Census). Each library has its own Board of Trustees and Director. The RCLS headquarters is located in Middletown.

Learn more here: https://guides.rcls.org/aboutR...

About ByWater Solutions

ByWater Solutions is a full service, high quality Open Source support and implementation company dedicated to providing libraries with a lower cost, more advanced level of support for their systems than a traditional proprietary solution can offer. ByWater Solutions has a proven track record in first rate implementation and support services with library systems of all sizes for the Koha ILS, Aspen Discovery, Folio LSP, Coral ERM, and Libki PC Management.

Our highly ranked, comprehensive support is what sets our company apart from any other vendor in the industry. Partnering with ByWater Solutions not only lowers the cost of implementation and maintenance of OSS, but more importantly empowers libraries by giving them the flexibility and freedom they deserve. For more information please visit: https://bywatersolutions.com.

About Aspen Discovery

Aspen is a full-featured Discovery System that integrates with eContent and other third-party providers, giving your patrons comprehensive access to all of your materials in one place. Aspen combines your library catalog with e-content, digital archives, and enrichment from all major third-party providers. It also improves relevancy and ease of use, provides native reading recommendations, displays all formats of titles within one result (record grouping), and much more. With included features like web builder and mobile app (Aspen LiDA), Aspen was created to give users an improved experience over other Discovery systems, with less impact on library budgets.

For more information about Aspen please visit: https://bywatersolutions.com/projects/aspen-discovery

For More Information

Elise Aiello
Partner Engagement Specialist
ByWater Solutions
bywatersolutions.com
Phone:(888)900-8944