Connected Libraries · Member services
Bringing library account services into one clear experience
A member account embedded in the library website became a foundation for easier self-service—and for entirely new services when the community needed them most.
The challenge
Members should not need to understand the systems behind the library.
Casey Cardinia Libraries, now Connected Libraries, wanted members to complete common account tasks within the same clear digital experience as the rest of its website.
A library account contains practical, changing information: current holds, account balances, print credit and actions linked to borrowing and branch services. Presenting that information well requires more than linking a member into a separate catalogue interface.
The library needed a layer that could connect established systems while speaking in the library’s own visual language. It also needed enough flexibility to change as member expectations and operational priorities evolved.
The insight
The account should act as a service platform rather than a fixed summary screen. If integrations and user journeys were designed carefully from the beginning, new capabilities could be introduced without making members learn a different process each time.
The solution
A member-facing layer across established library tools.
Cloud612 built a responsive account experience that presented library data clearly while coordinating actions with the systems responsible for it.
- Member signs in
The library website provides a familiar, branded entry point.
- Services come together
Holds, balances, print credit and available actions appear in one account.
- Member makes a request
The member manages their account or chooses delivery and collection options.
- Staff fulfil the service
Integrated SharePoint and Teams workflows support branch operations.
How it evolved
Built for change, then tested by extraordinary change.
The original account focused on making everyday member services easier. During COVID, it became part of the library’s response to keeping resources accessible while normal branch use was disrupted.
Everyday account clarity
Members could view current holds, manage print credit and complete other common account actions without leaving the library’s website experience. Information was organised around what a member wanted to do, not the boundaries between back-office systems.
Delivery and click and collect
As access to branches changed, the platform was expanded to support home delivery and click-and-collect journeys. Members could continue accessing physical library resources while choosing a fulfilment option appropriate to the restrictions and their circumstances.
Staff workflows inside familiar tools
A SharePoint integration allowed much of the delivery workflow to be managed through Microsoft Teams. Requests could move into the environment staff already used, avoiding the burden of introducing a completely separate operational console during a demanding period.
Long-term adaptability
The system did not stop at its pandemic-era role. It has continued to grow and evolve as Connected Libraries’ service needs have changed, demonstrating the value of an integration layer designed around members and maintainable operations.
The outcome
A platform that has kept pace with changing library needs.
The account began by making routine member tasks clearer, then expanded to support service continuity during COVID. Its requirements have continued to evolve as Connected Libraries’ needs have changed, with many additions introduced over time. The platform remains a durable foundation for new member services because integration and staff workflow were treated as part of the experience from the beginning.