CET Writes

Originally published May 16, 2022 Library Developments Blog | Library Development and Networking Division Texas State Library and Archives Commission ***** As you review the administrative tools your library uses to manage services and programming, consider leveraging online resources to maximize your efforts. In the following interview, fellow library worker Kate Guynn explains why Beanstack was the best fit for her library. *** Question 1: What online tool are you promoting? Name: Beanstack Purpose: In March 2021, we signed a three-year contract to track all of our reading challenges. Price: $1,800 per year Question 2: How did you find out about this tool? We were drawn to Beanstack because of my prior experience with it when I worked at a different library, the price, the customer support, and the high scores on reviews. In comparison, neither ReadSquared nor ReadingZone had comparable ratings. In addition, because ReadingZone’s pricing is based on the number of readers, purchas

Originally published May 9, 2022 Library Developments Blog | Library Development and Networking Division Texas State Library and Archives Commission ***** As you review the administrative tools your library uses to manage services and programming, consider leveraging online resources to maximize your efforts. In the following interview, fellow library worker Crystal Swimmer explains how a reading tracker did so much more for her community than merely log activity. *** Question 1: What online tool are you promoting? Name: Beanstack Purpose: We originally purchased it as an online tool to host our summer reading program in 2020 when our library was only open for lobby service; now, we use it to host all of our reading challenges. Price: Approximately $8000 Question 2: How did you find out about this tool? Some of our employees had used Beanstack at other library systems for their previous jobs. Others had heard about it through co-workers or from participating in reading challenges host

Originally published May 2, 2022 Library Developments Blog | Library Development and Networking Division Texas State Library and Archives Commission ***** As you review the administrative tools your library uses to manage services and programming, consider leveraging online resources to maximize your efforts. In the following interview, fellow library worker Rebecca Ivey explains how what began as a seasonal offering quickly became a staple in the library’s suite of services. *** Question 1:  What online tool are you promoting? Name:  ReadSquared Purpose: We selected this platform in 2018, based on its ability to log patron reading records. Price: Approximately $3600 Question 2:  How did you find out about this tool? We were looking for an online reading program tool, and this is the one that other libraries in our area were using. After researching the platform, we realized it would work for our library system as well. Question 3:  As a youth services library worker, how do you use