Anythink to become early adopter of community engagement system for public libraries

In continuing to provide its customers with the latest in technology and innovative services, Anythink has partnered with the non-profit OCLC to become an early adopter of OCLC Wise, the first community engagement system for U.S. public libraries. Wise is a customizable system that transforms traditional library management with a holistic people-centric approach.

As part of the 2018-2022 Anythink Strategic Plan, Anythink’s vision is to be a catalyst for innovation in the Adams County community. By implementing tools like Wise, Anythink is able to further its strategic initiative to connect people to ideas by helping customers more easily find the information they seek. Wise will help Anythink staff make informed and streamlined decisions about collection development, product distribution, library spaces, programming and, most importantly, customer needs. 

Anythink joins Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Ind., as one of the first adopters of Wise in the United States. In this role, Anythink will help shape the development of the product for the needs of U.S. public libraries. The development and rollout at Anythink will take place in 2019. The system is currently used by more than 75 percent of public libraries in the Netherlands.

“Anythink is continuing to break new ground in the public library community,” said Skip Prichard, OCLC President and CEO. “We’re inspired by their work as a respected leader for a new generation of transformative libraries. We look forward to working with them to provide valuable insight in the evolution of Wise.”

“We are honored to be one of the first U.S. public libraries to participate in this project,” says Anythink Director Pam Sandlian Smith. “Our community is already engaging with the library in ways we couldn’t have imagined a few years ago. This product will help us expand our role as the connector for our community and give us tools to enhance the customer’s library experience.”

Anythink has a celebrated history of innovation, and is considered one of the most internationally recognized library brands. From being the first library to move to a word-based categorization system to providing 21st century skill training through hands-on participatory programming, Anythink is at the forefront of providing cutting-edge services. The library was awarded the 2010 National Medal for Library service, the 2011 John Cotton Dana Award for Outstanding Public Relations, the 2011 Library Journal Landmark Libraries award, and is a grantee of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation learning labs project. Participating in OCLC Wise as an early adopter continues Anythink’s commitment to being a forward-thinking leader for the Adams County community and the greater library industry.

“Our first group of early adopters need to be visionaries, leaders who strive to help transform library engagement. They have to be eager to help us fine-tune the tools needed to connect staff priorities with community needs, build stronger relationships in the community, and engage in new ways,” said OCLC Vice President of Global Product Management Mary Sauer-Games. “Anythink meets all those high standards, and then some. We know they will challenge us, and we can’t wait.”

Comments

This sounds terrific. AnyThink is always on the cutting-edge with technology and services to enhance the communities they are part of.