All year long, CLC staff members look at library products, services, and vendors. So, with apologies to Rodgers and Hammerstein (and Oprah), here are a few of our favorite things - the products we were most excited about this year. Of course, they all come with the best gift of all: your CLC discount! | |
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INCREASE BROWSING
We really love these dynamic shelf dividers. They’re modern, beautiful and easy to read - and these are just a few of the available categories. We think they would make browsing a breeze in public and school libraries. Best of all, they’re made here in the USA by Demco, so you won’t find them anywhere else.
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OFFER COOL TECH
We don’t pretend to be experts on 3D printing, but when we saw a 3D printer that could be used to create metal tools and parts, we thought WOW! For community colleges, high school tech ed classrooms, even large-scale public library makerspaces, this could take your tech to the next level. Available from TEC.
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MANAGE COMPUTERS & PRINTERS
Need a better way to manage patron printing, computer reservations and payments? We met Today’s Business Solutions (TBS) at PLA in Portland and we’re so excited to bring them onto contract in January. They have a really easy, beautiful way to manage public computers and patrons' technical needs. The Westport and North Haven libraries are using them. Maybe you should too.
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HELP FAMILIES
Remember when the internet went crazy for this parent child study carrel? Well, we’re pretty crazy for it too. It comes in so many colors, and you can custom design it to fit your space. We think it belongs in pretty much every library that serves families. Take a look at them here, and then purchase them with your CLC discount through Creative Library Concepts.
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TRAIN STAFF
There’s got to be a better way to manage staff learning, right? We love new-to-market company Skilltype. This vendor helps you figure out where the skill gaps are in your library, then create personalized training plans for your employees so you can take your organization where it needs to go. Plus, it’s what we call "realistically priced" for CT libraries.
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JAZZ UP SUMMER READING
If you’re going to have a summer reading app, can it be beautiful? Can it be intuitive? Can it work as well for schools as it does for public libraries, and can it connect them? Can it work for you all year round? We love Beanstack from Zoobean. We were in love the first time we saw their amazing graphics and we were sold when we learned how easy it was to use.
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HELP TEENS GET ANSWERS
A teen comes up to you and asks for information about alcohol. What are you going to do? If you have Rosen’s Teen Health and Wellness, you’re covered. This database addresses sensitive topics and is reviewed by physicians, social workers and other professionals. It’s up to date and linked to curriculum standards. SLJ says it’s highly recommended for all libraries serving teens, and we couldn't agree more.
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MAKE KIDS' EYES POP!
An exciting new take on the children’s ebook! Library Ideas is bringing picture books alive with iVox books that move. Online or with an easy-to-use app, explore 35+ books with illustrations that pop off the screen, become animated, and delight young readers. By highlighting the spoken text, iVox helps children match sounds with written words. Zoom in and explore each page too! What a fun way to read!
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GET KIDS MOVING
Okay, we were initially really skeptical of Hiveclass. Video lessons to teach kids how to play volleyball? Aren’t there YouTube videos for that? Well, yes. But not like this. Hiveclass is a brand-new vendor that is taking a scaffolded approach to sports learning. The videos are of the highest quality and feature a diverse range of coaches. This is the online learning resource you didn’t know you needed.
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LAUGH OUT LOUD
And last but not least, our best product of the year ... Revenge of the Librarians by Tom Gauld. Need we say more? Available wherever books are sold.
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We hope you enjoyed our first (hopefully) annual list of our favorite things. All of these products can be purchased with your CLC discount. Feel free to reach out to us at CLC or directly to each company for more information. And, as always, make sure you mention your CLC membership. You can see these and many, many other CLC contracts HERE. Happy shopping, and happy holidays from all of us at CLC!
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