Every Message, Every Patron, One Place
Library communication can be complicated. Between email newsletters, SMS alerts, voice notifications, and reporting, staff often spend more time learning and switching between systems than actually connecting with patrons. MessageBee solves that by putting everything in one place. Alerts, marketing campaigns, and reporting all live in a single platform, synced with your ILS. Staff no … Continue reading “Every Message, Every Patron, One Place”
2025 Patron Services Survey: What can we learn from each other?
Last year, we asked libraries how they were handling the day-to-day realities of patron service — online and in-person. This year, we asked again. The goal wasn’t just to repeat the questions, but to see what changed. We want to take a look at how libraries are handling patron service struggles and successes. Below are … Continue reading “2025 Patron Services Survey: What can we learn from each other?”
iOS 26: What Libraries Need to Know About Call & SMS Delivery
iOS 26: What Libraries Need to Know About Call & SMS Delivery Apple’s iOS 26 update introduces new tools to help iPhone users manage unwanted calls and text messages. While these features can reduce spam for patrons, they may also impact how libraries communicate important information, from due date reminders to event notifications. At Unique … Continue reading “iOS 26: What Libraries Need to Know About Call & SMS Delivery”
Welcome New Neighbors with Unique’s New Mover Service
Moving is overwhelming. Between unpacking boxes, changing addresses, and getting to know a new neighborhood, finding the local library may not even cross someone’s mind. That’s where your library can step in—not just as a resource but as a warm, personal welcome to their new community. The New Mover Service from Unique Library makes that … Continue reading “Welcome New Neighbors with Unique’s New Mover Service”
Four Library Systems Launch MessageBee
Four systems across the United States launch MessageBee, expanding patron communication tools and upgrading deliverability across email, SMS, and phone notices. Unique is proud to announce that four outstanding library systems have recently launched MessageBee, our modern, customizable notification platform, to better connect with their communities. These implementations represent a growing trend of libraries prioritizing … Continue reading “Four Library Systems Launch MessageBee”
CS Pro Tip: How Duplicate Accounts Can Impact Your Library
by Haley Laverty Why Duplicate Library Accounts Matter Duplicate patron accounts can create more than just confusion—they can lead to lost materials, billing errors, and even legal complications. Let’s look at a common scenario: A patron had a library card years ago, checked out a few books, but life got hectic—they moved, lost the items, … Continue reading “CS Pro Tip: How Duplicate Accounts Can Impact Your Library”
CS Pro Tip: Benefits of Getting Patron Balances Down to Zero
How exciting is a countdown to zero? For libraries, reaching zero in overdue balances isn’t just a milestone—it’s a win for patrons, staff, and the entire community. Getting long-overdue materials back into circulation benefits everyone, and Unique Management Services’ Gentle Nudge® Patron and Material Recovery service is designed to make it happen. A Win-Win for … Continue reading “CS Pro Tip: Benefits of Getting Patron Balances Down to Zero”
CS Pro Tip: InfoLink & the Best Ways to Use It
Written by Kelsy Heffley When libraries commit to material recovery, we commit to maintaining transparency throughout the process. At Unique, we want library staff to be confident and knowledgeable about the Gentle Nudge® Material Recovery process, which is why we created InfoLink. InfoLink is an online portal that allows library staff to view previously submitted … Continue reading “CS Pro Tip: InfoLink & the Best Ways to Use It”
The Future of Library Communications: Why SMS Solutions Like MessageBee Are Essential
AT&T recently announced that as of June 17, 2025, it will discontinue its email-to-text and text-to-email services (AT&T Support). This decision is a major shift for organizations like libraries still rely on outdated email-to-SMS gateways to send text notifications. If you don’t know what kind of protocol your library is using, it most likely is … Continue reading “The Future of Library Communications: Why SMS Solutions Like MessageBee Are Essential”
Meet the Unique Team: Our Favorite Books, Lifehacks, Podcasts and More.
Beyond the Books: Meet the People Behind Unique Library’s Services At Unique Library, we’re more than just a service—we’re a team of book lovers, podcast junkies, music aficionados, and lifehack enthusiasts who genuinely care about libraries. We recently asked our team a few fun questions to get to know each other better, and now we’re … Continue reading “Meet the Unique Team: Our Favorite Books, Lifehacks, Podcasts and More.”