Insignia Library System

Insignia is a reliable and stable software product. Customer support is fantastic.

Avantages :

I spend most of my time using the cataloguing and circulation modules. It's nice that I'm no more then 3 clicks away from where I want to go within the program. As a cataloguer I like the way the tabs are set out and I've never had issues with the Z39 interface. The list that appears when creating subjects headings is useful as well. In a school setting, it's nice to have the different circulation options to check books out by class lists or searching by individual students. The ability to create a list of favorite reports is a nice enhancement as there are so many reports to choose from, now I don't have to remember the name of the report or have to scroll through the many reports. Being based in Edmonton (and the same time zone) customer support has been very timely. If, and when problems arise and emailed responses don't solve it, the Go To meetings and phone calls are quick to come. I also like the follow up afterwards to ensure that my questions were answered.

Inconvénients :

I've felt that the OPAC was a forgotten part of Insignia but that is changing. I'm working on spending more time learning the mobile app.

My school district switched to Insignia for our library management system in May, 2017.

Commentaires : Improved functionality for management of 52 school libraries under a union district catalog, and school OPACs.

Avantages :

Insignia basics are user friendly and easy to train staff and substitutes on. Tutorials and the customer service help team have been very helpful and patient as the staff has transitioned from the old system. The software is deep, allowing for customization of reports and OPAC features. Cataloging is easy and the software allows for a variety of access levels. Inventory is also easy to manage and provides excellent reporting capabilities. Customer service is excellent and the service team works to continually improve the interface as requested to better suit our district's specific needs.

Inconvénients :

I am a librarian who coordinates library services for a district of 24,000 students. I do not have a technology background and rely on the district IT department personnel for much of the software integration. Because Insignia continually works to improve the software to meet my district's needs, there is little to mention here from the user interface side. There have been challenges in the conversion process from our old system, as there are with any conversion, but the Insignia team did a great job getting our data set up and training the staff. There are still challenges with getting our student data system (eSchool) and learning management system (Canvas) to communicate well with Insignia so the maximum amount of current information can be seen in all systems (especially with regard to library charges), but this is an ongoing project between my district's IT department and Insignia. Based on my experience of the past year, I am confident going forward that the improvements will continue and we will remain pleased with Insignia.

Good for end user, not good for the back end users

Avantages :

Good for end users, but not good for back end users (the people who use it to create records). End users can see changes in the catalogue right away. Web-based program, so we are no longer server-reliant. Theoretically, can use Insignia anywhere from any computer.

Inconvénients :

This program has a LOT of mousing would be so much better if they can introduce more keyboard shortcuts. I have noticed a considerable difference when we switched over to Insignia, that there are more screens to click through when creating a record. This increases overall time spent of an individual record. Importing French records continues to be an issue with the diacritics never displaying properly.

We love Insignia. The software is easy to use, intuitive and does everything an ILS should.

Avantages :

After reviewing software from many companies and testing it prior to purchase we chose Insignia because of price, ease of use, great features and the help we received during the demonstration and test. We had no idea that the customer service would be as fantastic as what we have received over the past five years. You can contact tech support by phone, email or messaging from the software and be assured of a quick and professional response. If the problem is not an Insignia related issue they do not suggest you call your own tech expert but will work with you and do all they can to remedy the issue over the phone or an online meeting. Their knowledge, expertise and patience is what makes their customer service unbeatable. Where other companies may leave you on your own, they will go the extra mile and help to solve any problem you might have. It's difficult to choose a software provider from a demonstration or quick test when so many features look similar and the end do much the same. Insignia's software does all it promised and does it as well as any we've seen or used but the customer service sets it apart from any other company we deal with. You will not be disappointed, they excel at what they do.

Insignia Library System gives access to a federation of modules in one click

Commentaires : We customised the relevant modules such that each module represents the needs of every community of our patrons

Avantages :

We needed a way with which to meet the needs of patrons of a public library who have heterogeneous characteristics. Insignia Library System helped us to create communities within a single interface. Thus we customised relevant modules to meet the needs of each community. These include text books for learners, periodicals for general public, and e-commerce for business community. With a single sign-on, patrons get access to all the modules available. The feature makes librarians become more efficient in the management of loans as we easily keep track of all the resources that a patron has on loan. Links to third party databases have proved to be extremely useful to researchers who need to evaluate huge amount of data from various sources in order to get accurate information. We managed to connect Insignia Library System's OPAC with Tweeter and Facebook accounts, bringing social interaction between patrons and staff.

Inconvénients :

There are many modules in Insgnia Library System that we don't need. We believe that our library could have paid less if the software only contained modules that we need