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City of Madison

A New Version of LINKcat Will Go Live on April 17

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MADISON, WI--A new version of LINKcat will become available for South Central Library System users on Friday, April 17. 51 member libraries across seven counties are working to transition their integrated library systems (ILS) to a new software that will give library users more power when navigating search results and managing their personal accounts.

An ILS is the software tool that library staff use to manage the behind-the-scenes functions that allow for the quick and easy sharing of materials between library locations within the system. Patrons interact with the public-facing aspect of the ILS through LINKcat to manage their library accounts, place holds on materials, renew items, and more. Because LINKcat combines the library collections of all South Central Libraries, the system gives library users access to nearly 3 million items representing more than 800,000 different titles. 

The transition to the new software will begin at 5pm on Sunday, April 12 and continue through Thursday, April 16, with both LINKcat and the LINKcat mobile app unavailable during that time. All Madison Public Library locations will remain open and visitors can check out items in person with the assistance of staff. Please plan to bring your physical library card (the LINKcat app will be down and staff won't be able to use your photo ID). During this offline period, due dates on library items will be extended to ensure minimal impact for users.

We are looking forward to offering patrons new features, such as the Libby integration. In addition, transitioning to new software better positions us to continue to make improvements and add new features in the future

—

Shannon Schultz, South Central Library Director

New Features

  • One of the most exciting additions to the new LINKcat interface is the ability to manage Libby checkouts and holds from within LINKcat. Library users will be able to place holds and renew both their physical and electronic items in one place instead of needing to navigate to another website or app. 
  • There will be several changes to the search feature in LINKcat, including the ability to browse authors and subjects. 
  • Other changes continue to empower users with increased control over their LINKcat accounts, adding the ability to reset a password via email, as well as updating specific contact information like email address and phone number. 
  • Stylistically, the display is sleeker and more modern. The larger font size and increased white-space will make the new interface more usable, particularly on small screens such as smartphones and tablets. 

Changing Features

  • LINKcat PINs/Passwords were unable to be migrated to the new software system. All patrons will need to login online using their birthday (MMDD) and then reset their password in their LINKcat account. Detailed instructions will be shared at the LINKcat Help website. 
  • LINKcat checkout history will not immediately show up in LINKcat, but will come online at a later date for those patrons who have opted to save their checkout history in LINKcat. Libby checkout history will continue to be available within the Libby app and will not be viewable through LINKcat. Only current Libby checkouts and holds will be available in LINKcat. 
  • At this time the exact start date for the Don’t Miss Lists has not been determined. Once live, the current month's list will be available each month. Previous monthly Don't Miss Lists and topical Don't Miss Lists (ex: Award Winners) will take time to be added into LINKcat. More updates on the status of Don't Miss Lists will become available post go-live (April 17) at the LINKcat Help website. 
  • The "New This Week" list will not be available after the April 17 change. A replacement option may be added at a later date, but a timeline has not been established at this time.

Additional information about the planned downtime April 12-16, what will be available in-library during that time, and new features coming to LINKcat will be made available in printed materials at libraries and online at the LINKcat Help website as we get closer to April. 

 

About South Central Library System

The South Central Library System (SCLS) was established in 1975 with just Dane and Sauk county libraries, but has since grown to include public libraries in Adams, Columbia, Green, Portage, and Wood counties. This seven-county system utilizes a shared online catalog, LINKcat, to help combine and organize the collections of the 51 member libraries (nearly 3 million items). Learn more about SCLS.

About Madison Public Library

With more than 1.3 million annual visitors across nine library locations each year, Madison Public Library's tradition of promoting education, literacy and community involvement has enriched the City of Madison for 150 years. Visit the library online at www.madisonpubliclibrary.org and @madisonpubliclibrary on Facebook and Instagram. 

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