News from EngagedPatrons.org

View My Events Expanded

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

The View My Events feature released in late January has now been expanded to allow patrons to track any and all upcoming events that might interest them, not only those for which they are registered. To enhance patron privacy, users will now be prompted for a password along with their email address to access their Events.
In addition, new social features have been added to View My Events. Patrons can email their event listings to a friend, or post their library events to Facebook, Twitter or delicious.

View My Events

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Patrons now have the option of viewing all the event registrations associated with their email address. After clicking the new View My Events link at the top of the Events page the patron is prompted for their email address. If the patron has registered for upcoming events (and included their email address) their events will be listed in tabular form on the results page. Patrons have the option to cancel their registration by clicking the Cancel Reservation button next to each event. The cancel option is not available if the event has a waiting list. Email confirmation messages sent when patrons register will include a link to this new feature.

New WYSIWYG Editor

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

The WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editing software used to enter and enhance blog posts and events descriptions has been updated. The most useful improvement is automatic spell checking, which works much like Microsoft Word. You can right-click on misspelled word to get a suggested spelling.

View Past Events

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Libraries that do not have events deleted automatically will now have a new way to view past events. The View Events screen will continue to show current and future events. To view past events (for cloning, etc.) click on the new View Past Events button at the top of the page. Thanks to the EP members who suggested and provided feedback on this new feature.

Customize the Calendar Widget

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Did you know you can customize the colors of the calendar widget? (See the post below for more information on the widget.) The Iframe code contains values for the border color, link color, cell background color and primary background color. You have the option to change these values to match the color scheme of your site.

Mini-Calendar Widget Now Available

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Now libraries using the events service have the option of placing a small calendar widget on their home page to alert patrons to upcoming events at the library. Dates with events scheduled are highlighted on the calendar. Clicking the date displays library events being held on that date.

Free Library Savings Calculator

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Just in time for National Library Week, EngagedPatrons.org offers the Library Savings Calculator free to all public libraries. The simple web-based Calculator allows your patrons to discover how much money they save each month by using their library's services.

Library staff can customize the Calculator with the services their library offers -- books, DVDs, meeting rooms, etc. Patrons note how many times they use each service during a typical month and the Calculator shows them how much they would have paid out-of-pocket to purchase those services. Libraries can choose to allow patrons to report back their totals to the library and include a comment (a great way to gather praise from your users!)

Developed originally in spreadsheet form by the Massachusetts Library Association, EngagedPatrons.org enables any library to add the Calculator to their existing website by simply copying and pasting a web link into their website -- no programming required.

Events Enhancements

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Clone Events
In response to a member suggestion, you can now easily "clone" a new event listing from an existing listing. To clone an event, view the list of your current events in the Client Center. Click the new clone icon on the next to each existing listing. A new event data entry screen appears with the title and description of the event already filled in for you.

Add to Calendar
This new link, which appears with each events listing, allows your patrons to add a library event to their personal electronic calendar. Supported calendars include Microsoft Outlook, Google Calendar, Apple's iCalendar and more.

Color Coding for Events
Using the new calendar view for your events calendar? Interesting in color coding your events listings to make them easier for your patrons to browse for events of interest? Contact us for more details. View an example from Jasper County Public Library.

Easier Images

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

When adding a new event listing or blog posting, you can now choose from a list of images previously uploaded by your library. To speed loading times, images more than six months old have been deleted (exception: blog post images were not affected). If you need images that have been removed, let us know -- images can be retrieved from backups.

Calendar Option Beta Testing Completed

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Over the past several weeks, we've been beta testing a calendar display option for events listings. About a dozen member libraries have been putting the new code through its paces and offering suggestions for improvements (as well as helping squash bugs).

I'm pleased to announce that the calendar option is now available to all member libraries. To enable this option for your library:

* Log in to the Client Center
* Click on Edit Settings under the Library Events heading
* Select "Enable Calendar Option" (at the bottom of the page

You can see a preview here on our demonstration site. To see what it might look like for your event listings, simply replace the word "Events" with "EventsCalendar" in your URL.

NOTE: Some additional data entry is required on the part of your library's staff to create an accurate calendar -- the date and time for each occurrance of ongoing or multi-date events. Staff will be presented with an additional screen in which to enter the individual dates. You can preview what this will look like by viewing this screencast:

http://engagedpatrons.org/screencasts/CalendarScreenCast.swf

(if the file does not play automatically, save it to your desktop then click and drag it into a browser window). Feel free to share the screencast with others at your library.

Thank you to all the beta libraries for your assistance and patience during the beta process.

Calendar Option in Beta Testing

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

In response to member requests, we've been working on a calendar display of your events listings. You can see a preview here on our demonstration site. Members currently using the events service can see what it might look like for your event listings – simply replace the word "Events" with "EventsCalendar" in your URL.

The calendar display will be offered as an option for libraries that wish to use it. Some additional data entry is required on the part of library staff to create an accurate calendar, so new and existing members will be asked if you want to "opt in".

As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions on new features!

Paste From Word for Firefox

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

The WYSIWYG editor is great for customizing the appearance of events listings and blog posts. But pasting text from Microsoft Word can introduce all manner of unwelcome tags. The editor automatically detects this issue in Internet Explorer and prompts you to paste into a special form that strips out the excess dross. Firefox users can now click on the new "Paste from Word" icon on the editor's toolbar to take advantage of this feature. Look for a paste icon with the Word logo superimposed.

Save as Draft for Blog Posts

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Those of you with blogs may have noticed that you can now save a draft copy of a blog post prior to making it go "live". Helpful for busy folks who get interrupted in the middle of their work -- when does that ever happen!?

LITA-Gale Brett Butler Entrepreneurship Award to EP

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

EngagedPatrons founder Glenn Peterson was named the 2008 recipient of the LITA-Gale Brett Butler Entrepreneurship Award. Awarded by the Library & Information Technology section of the American Library Association, the award recognizes "a librarian...who demonstrates exemplary entrepreneurship by providing an innovative product(s) or service, designed to meet the needs of the library world through the skillful and practical application of information technology." The award will be presented at the ALA annual conference this summer in Anaheim, CA. Stop by and say "hi" if you're at ALA!

Approval Path for Library Events

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Of interest primarily to larger library systems, we are now able to offer an approval path for the Events service. The approval path allows administrators to designate a limited number of library staff who must approve events before they are displayed for the public. Contact us if you are interested in learning more about this new option.

Google Maps Mashups Now Offered

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

We can create a very cool Google map mashup pinpointing your library locations on an interactive map. Patrons can zoom and pan just like in Google. Clicking on a library location, they can see the address, phone, a thumbnail photo (if you have one available) and get driving directions. View an example built for Whatcom County Library System. Contact us for more information.

Past Event Registrations Now Available

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

If you register patrons for library events, there may be times when it would be handy to retrieve the registration list for a past event. This is now possible! After logging in to the Client Center, click on "Manage Reservations". A new button appears on the right side of the screen: "View Past Registrations". Click the button to view a list of recent events requiring registrations. Click on the event ID to view the registration list.

Thanks to Sheila Maxwell, Jasper County Public Library, for this suggestion!

New Designation Available for System-wide Events

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

When entering new events to your calendar, libraries with more than one branch or location may now designate the event location as "All Locations". Look for this new option in your drop-down list of branches/locations. You might want to use this new option for events that occuring system-wide at your library, rather than at a single location.

New Registration Option

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Beginning immediately, when you add a new Event to your listings, you will have the option to specify the time as well as the date that registration begins.

By default, event registrations open at midnight on the registration date. If you this is working for your library, no changes are necessary on your part.

Member libraries who wish to set registration to open at a specific time of the day may now do so. Some libraries with high -demand events may want registration to become available online at the same time as phone or in-person registration, for example at the same time as the library opens for the day.

If you have events currently in the database for which you wish to change the registration time, log in to the Client Center and click on "Edit/Delete Events".

If you have any questions about this new option, please don't hesitate to ask.

Track Admission Fees

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Do you need to track admission fees to some of your library events?

A new option has been added to your Library settings enabling you to track admission fees while registering patrons for events. Once admission tracking is enabled for your account, you can turn on admission tracking on an event-by-event basis.

To enable admission tracking for your library:
1) log in to the Client Center;
2) click on Edit Settings under Library Events;
3) scroll to the bottom of the page. In the Online Registration section, select "Need to track admission fees for selected events" and click the Continue button.
4) click through the remaining screens to save your changes

This upgrade to the Events service is offered at no additional charge. If you need assistance with this option or have questions contact us at support@engagedpatrons.org

Categories now available in Blogs

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

In response to member requests, you can now assign up to three categories when composing your blog posts.

Patrons will see your categories listed on the right-hand sidebar of your blog. Clicking on a category will display all posts assigned to that category.

Use categories to allow your patrons to easily browse your postings by topic. For example, you might create categories for library news, staff reading suggestions, etc.

There is no limit to the number of categories you can create!

’Brary Web Diva talks about her EP experience

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Kelli Staley, ’Brary Web Diva and Webmaster at Lansing (IL) Public Library talks about getting her library up and running on the Library Events module.

Kelli tells me this week that her local community website is displaying the free RSS feed of her library’s events. She’s getting her library’s presence out into the community. Great job, Kelli!

Demonstration accounts? Yes!

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

I recently received a request from Andy Austin, Systems Support and Training Librarian for Pioneer Library System. Andy wrote:

> I work for a library system and am preparing a
> presentation to inspire our librarians to try
> out new web technologies in their libraries...is
> there any chance I could have access, even if
> temporary, to an account, so I could put
> together an example site, etc. for this presentation?

If you would also like to demo EP services to your libraries in your system, cooperative or consortium, please feel free to set up a free demonstration account.

Bloggers spread the word

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Thanks to the many hard-working bloggers who have been helping spread the word about EP, including John, David, Sarah, Peter, Marlene, Michael, Meredith, DrWeb, Luke, Jessamyn, Steven, Mickey, Gary, Ruth, and others. (If I missed you, please feel free to add a comment below.)

Introducing EngagedPatrons.org

glenn@engagedpatrons.org

Welcome everyone!

EngagedPatrons.org provides web services for public library websites. We enable you to offer events listings, blogs and more on your website, no programming required!

The pages you create on our site "plug into" your existing web site. We do the programming for you; you reap the benefits of being able to offer your users a more engaging and interactive web presence.

EP services are designed to be integrated into the look and feel of your website. To your users, it appears they have never left your site!

Watch this space for updates on developments at EP or grab our RSS feed.

I’d love to hear your suggestions. Feel free to leave them here or send a note.