News From 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.

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.
 

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!

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.

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

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!

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!

> 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.

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.