• Wigan and Bury Borough Councils have joined the other eight local authorities across Greater Manchester that are currently using the world leading Spydus library system
• The Cloud-based technology has already helped to transform thousands of libraries across the UK, Ireland, Australia, and the wider Asia-Pacific region
• New tech will improve library experience for Manchester’s book lovers and help library staff to provide additional support to communities
Wigan and Bury borough councils have joined local authorities across Greater Manchester in adopting world-leading digital technology to transform their local libraries. The move by Wigan and Bury means that all ten of Greater Manchester’s local authorities are now using the Spydus library system, developed by UK-based, global GovTech provider Civica.
Used by more than 1,500 libraries in the UK, Ireland, Australia and the wider Asia-Pacific region, Spydus is helping to modernise and digitise the library experience for both readers and staff. The cloud-based software will help to join up Greater Manchester’s libraries, simplifying a range of time-consuming tasks such as inter-library loans, stock rotation and lending. For Manchester’s book lovers, this will mean a constant and plentiful supply of books, ebooks, audio and video materials, no matter where their local library happens to be situated.
With libraries playing an increasingly important role as community hubs as a result of the ongoing cost of living crisis, Spydus will also make it much easier for staff to plan and deliver a wide range of events and activities, both in person and online.
Civica Managing Director (Education, Resources & Libraries) Sean Massey said:
“With the ongoing cost of living crisis, our libraries are playing an increasingly vital role as community hubs for people of all ages. We are delighted to support AGMA in their mission to be a recognised hub for partnership working, supporting and adding value to wider activity, including community development, lifelong learning, regeneration and the local economy.
From Manchester to Melbourne, our Spydus solution is helping thousands of libraries to adapt and flourish, so they can deliver an even better experience for people and communities, whilst making savings which can be invested where needed most.”
Sam Elliott, Chair of Greater Manchester Libraries said:
“Libraries are vital and much-loved community spaces, perhaps now more than ever due to the ongoing cost of living crisis.
With Spydus now serving all libraries across the Greater Manchester region, book lovers of all ages can look forward to an even better reading experience and library staff can deliver even more for the communities they serve”.
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