From Lyle Stucki, co-owner of Unique Management Services:
Hello everyone! It’s my great pleasure to introduce the first issue of our new and improved newsletter: Material Matters!
And the timing couldn’t be better. This year, Unique celebrates 25 wonderful years of service to public libraries—across the globe!—-having Gently Nudged literally millions of long overdue patrons to return materials, enabling them to rejoin their libraries in good standing. Also, to keep highly sought after materials circulating and preserve library budgets for purchasing the latest and greatest materials available. That’s a win for patrons, a win for the library and a win for taxpayers in the community.
I remember the very early days, when I met with many of you to explain our freshly developed Material Recovery service— patron friendly contacts; automated account transmissions ; significant reduction in unreturned materials while remaining budget neutral /revenue positive! Many of you could immediately see the benefits and jumped on board and the rest is history! 25 fruitful years and 1,800 customers later, we’re still going and growing in partnership with you! We have truly enjoyed our relationship and value your business greatly.
Over the years we have tried to listen to you regarding your needs and how we can serve you better. Consequently, our services have been refined and improved over time to what they are today. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas regarding how we can better serve you. It is such a privilege to continue our longstanding partnerships (and future partnerships) helping you actualize your vision of service to your communities. That strong sense of service is at the core of our being at Unique. It drives every effort and new idea. It makes our work rewarding and fulfilling, every day.
You’ll read, further along in this newsletter, about an expansion of services—through our “new” Patron Services offering —such as phone call management, live chat and MessageBee notices. Many customers are already taking advantage of these services to great effect. We hope you consider them for what they are- innovative communication tools to help you be more flexible and adaptable to the needs of your patrons and communities.
So as we move forward, it is with humility and gratitude that we reflect on 25 years of service to you and reengage you with Material Matters. We will strive to make our publication interesting, informative and entertaining with diverse content. In the past, it was a real treat when librarians wrote articles for the newsletter, sharing their library’s programs and innovations with the readership. All I can say is: The more of that, the better!! We welcome your contributions with open arms. Just let your Unique Customer Service Rep. know and we’ll work with you to make it happen, easily.
Thank you all for your continuing trust in Unique. It is our mission, every day, to continually earn that trust from you, the finest customers on the planet.
Explore All Services
Solutions designed to improve patron communication, strengthen collection access, reduce staff workload, and support library growth.
Fine-Free Gentle Nudge
Recover long-overdue materials while preserving patron goodwill. Restore access, return items to circulation, and support the goals of a fine-free library.
Explore Recovery
MessageBee
Connect with patrons through email, SMS, and voice messaging from one library-focused platform. Improve outreach through the channels patrons use every day.
Patron Services
Expand patron support with live phone and chat assistance. Reduce frontline workload while providing timely answers and a better patron experience.
New Mover Service
Reach new residents soon after they move into your community. Targeted postcards build awareness, drive registrations, and help grow library membership.
Learn More
Material Recovery
Bring valuable materials back into circulation through proven library outreach. Improve collection availability while maintaining positive patron relationships.
Learn More
Verified Borrower Registration
Simplify online card registration through automated identity verification. Reduce staff work, improve data quality, and give eligible residents faster access.
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Automated Borrower Renewal
Renew eligible borrower accounts while validating patron information behind the scenes. Reduce repetitive tasks and maintain uninterrupted patron access.
Learn More
Explore All Services
Explore solutions that improve communication, increase efficiency, strengthen patron relationships, and support library growth.
View Every Solution