Spydus Library Management System

The Spydus discovery OPAC draws both digital and physical items across core components into one seamless and unified public access layer search result. It provides the library user with a personalised experience once they are logged in, providing loan and account details, alerts, title recommendations based on borrower profile and their borrowing history, as well as the ability to add reviews, link out to social media, update their details etc. Autocomplete, “Did you mean…?,” relevancy sorting and fuzzy searching are available.

Each library can customise the functionality and apply their branding to the OPAC.

With modern libraries extending beyond physical spaces, the requirement for libraries to have the best tools to reach out to the wider community has become a necessity. For online library customers, Spydus10.2 enables resources to be discoverable in search engines such as Google. This feature will enable libraries to be extend their presence from beyond the traditional library website to attract a greater number of potential library members.

As part of the core Spydus offering, the Archive Module is included to manage local studies collections. It follows international archiving standards, ISAD(G). Archives has been designed to manage mixed collections of physical and digital items.

As Spydus keeps extensive relationships between items, collections are seen as a related whole. Extensive use is made of authority controls for names (authors, donors, contributors, people in photos, etc.) subject headings and the like. Integrated search functionality enables users to discover Archive and Artefacts collections via the Spydus OPAC, and staff can highlight particular resources using gallery containers and linked searches.

Records are created based on the General International Standard Archival Description (ISAD (G)). This incorporates data fields such as a title, creator, donor, summary description, subject authorities, search dates, access and use restrictions. ISAD (G) includes the incorporation of a hierarchical model, to retain provenance of collections and further link items to aid discovery of resources.

Digital Assets is a core component of the Spydus suite for both ordinary library collections and local studies collections. Digital Assets catalogues and supports digital resources (including ebooks, journals, unpublished manuscripts, images, music, audiobooks, sound effects and video content).

For digital files held within the library or archive, Digital Assets provides its own comprehensive digital repository. Digital objects are uploaded to Digital Assets, and catalogued using a metadata structure. Digital Asset resources can be linked to bibliographic MARC records or Archive and Artefact records, and can be searched and accessed through the Spydus Integrated Discovery OPAC.

Digital Assets does not require any predefined object taxonomy; Digital Assets creates its own virtual taxonomies using metadata associated with each digital object.

An interactive BI tool utilising dashboards and charts to take the guess work out of library decision making.

There are three modules within the SpydusBI suite that can be purchased by libraries:

SpydusManager – uses all of the key elements within Spydus to create reports around borrowers, loans, reservations, charges, bookings, acquisitions, locations, items, notices and requisitions.

SpydusCollections – provides an in-depth look at a library’s collection focusing on collection profiling, performance and maintenance tasks.

SpydusAnalytics  – aims to bring in range of data sources such as PC usage, Wi-Fi, door counts, OPAC searches, data from council systems etc. into a single interface to streamline reporting alongside Spydus data.

Reports can easily be visually represented via graphs, charts and pie charts. All reports can be exported manually, or scheduled, to PDF, MS Excel, MS Word and other formats for easy sharing and dissemination.

Aside from having great data analytics capabilities, one of the product’s strengths is the availability of numerous options in presenting information. There are over 50 chart types and interactive options such as filter, drag and drop functionality as well as the ability to drill down and through different reports. Libraries can also enter their own KPIs and targets into reports.

Reports have been created to assist libraries with their annual reporting requirements, both for councils and other statutory bodies such as the State Library.

The Spydus Event Portal has been designed specifically for libraries. It integrates with the Spydus LMS to link borrowers with events, market your event, collect payments and track progress in real time.

The Event Management portal appears as an extra page in your library OPAC dedicated to upcoming events. Using social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter and email you can promote your events to the community or to specific library borrowers.

Spydus e-content integration enables users to search, view availability, reserve and borrow e-resources in a single platform search. For streamlined reporting, loans statistics for these resources are captured within Spydus, and users can view their digital and physical loans in a single library account. Spydus currently integrates with Overdrive, Axis360, RBDigital, Wheelers, Bolinda, CloudLibrary and RBDigital Magazines (Zinio).

Spyus10 offers both responsive interfaces and mobile apps. For library staff, interfaces are accessible through web browsers, including tablets, extending library services beyond library walls.

For library patrons, our fully customizable OPAC is responsive to smartphone size.

Spydus Mobile

This app is available for Android and iOS users.

• Search and reserve items
• View loans, reservations, and payments
• Update personal details
• Manage multiple library memberships
• Download e-books, e-audio books, and magazines
• Save lists of favourite items for later
• “Discover” – reading lists, featured items, recommendations
• Use the camera to scan an ISBN in a bookstore to check if your library has copies
• Issue items within the library by scanning the library barcode – (if the library allows)

The SpydusAPI is a RESTful HTTP Web API service that allows third party vendors to create both circulation based staff applications and patron driven self-service software for interoperating with Spydus.

Functionality includes patron authentication, retrieving patron information, check-out and check-in of items, renewal, reservations and charges. It is predominantly based on BIC’s Library Communication Framework (LCF).

Spydus Home streamlines the administration burden by making tasks simpler to complete. Spydus Home also acts as a communication tool, delivering updates and announcements in a timely and efficient manner and reducing the need to send multiple emails. It also streamlines workflows for ongoing library tasks such as approvals.