Manatee County Library System modernizes online system

The Manatee County Library System updated its online system to be more user-friendly.

The site now features a system similar to Amazon, where users can scroll through new movies and books, see the covers and even browse a few pages of the book itself online. Readers can search for specific books, titles, authors and genres, too, and choose between large and small print, adult and children’s reading, and Spanish language options. Users will also be able to curate a reading list of books they’ve read or plan to read.

The new catalogue system launched at the beginning of the month. Staff is still working on transferring all of the library’s data to the new format, so it’s not completely finished yet.

“It’s a work in progress,” said Ava Ehde, Library Services Manager. “It will be a while before it’s fine-tuned but already it’s really fun.”

More updates are planned for the web feature: eventually, the library’s catalogue system will include a community-generated database of events, groups and local information.

Businesses, groups and individuals will be able to submit information to be posted. A library staff person will have to vet the submissions, to make sure it’s not spam, Ehde said, but then the information will be posted online. For example, someone could search the term “running” in the community tab, and that person could get results for running groups, athletic stores and even upcoming 5Ks in the area, Ehde said.

“It’s directed to lots of areas,” Edhe said.

Check out the new catalogue system here.