Encore Release 5 Brings Social Networking Capabilities to Discovery Platform
News Release: January 19, 2012Emeryville, CA—Innovative announced today the launch of Encore Release 5, which will incorporate social Web features to provide a more relevant, visible, and engaging presence for today’s libraries. In Release 5 of Encore, users will be able to “like” all kinds of library content such as books, movies, and music. Sharing these finds on social networks will be easy, with the use of a standard set of sharing links that include Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others. Encore Release 5 will also provide users with the ability to create and share their own home page with options to include a profile, reviews, reading lists they create, or items they have checked out or put on hold. What’s more, library users will find more content created by their peers thanks to a pool of reviews and shared lists created by Encore
users worldwide.
The Right Approach to ‘Social’
This advance builds on earlier Encore milestones that focused on discovery tools such as facets, subscription article integration, and advanced usability. “The new capacities of Encore represent the right way to approach social features in libraries,” says Encore Product Manager Alan Dyck. “We’ve formally surveyed librarians and found that an approach that connects with social activities, rather than recreating a social platform, will be most desirable for them and their communities. At many points, users will find options to share things to social networks patrons are already using, while also discovering the views and reviews of their peers in Encore. We have also taken care to balance social features with the privacy concerns of our customers, by allowing users and libraries to choose their level of social participation.”
Encore Release 5 will be available to users of both Encore Discovery and Encore Synergy. Planned for general release later in 2012, it will offer full integration with either Millennium or Sierra.