[Web4lib] electronic library newsletter software

[Louise Alcorn]

Our primary need for e-newsletters is for reader's advisory type
queries.  We are going with Book Page's "Bookletters" product (will
launch May 1st, I hope).  Patrons opt in for emails on a variety of
topics (some created by Bookletters, some created by us), including
genre fiction, nonfiction, **general library newsletters (we create and
send out at our schedule), our **Teen Scene newsletter (again, we create
and push out), our children's programming calendar, etc.  Quite easy to
use and reasonable priced.  I've not used it extensively yet myself, but
I demo'd the admin side and was impressed.  I'll have no qualms setting
other staff members free on it to create content and send it out, even
the technically less proficient.  There is absolutely NO support
required by our IT department after initial setup (links through our
website, all admin is web-based).  I can add or delete patrons manually
if I choose, but primarily they administer their own opt-in/opt-out.  

Other libraries in our area are using it to great effect (Ames (Iowa)
Public Library is one).  It's targeted to the public library market,
obviously, as is *EBSCO's Next Reads* product (just released), which we
also looked at.  They are very comparable--we went with the Bookletters
product largely for timing reasons.

I hope this is helpful.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Louise E. Alcorn
Reference Technology Librarian
West Des Moines Public Library
4000 Mills Civic Pkwy
West Des Moines IA 50265
(515) 222-3573      louise.alcorn at wdm-ia.com
http://www.wdmlibrary.org 

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Lisa Manax Skikos
Sent: Monday, April 24, 2006 11:56 AM
To: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Web4lib] electronic library newsletter software

I am currently evaluating software options for our Public Library's new
e-newsletters. We need a system that is easy-to-use, provides reports (#
of emails opened, links clicked etc.), requires little IT dept. time and
enables users to sign up from our web site.

We were looking at RocketSales but people I've directly contacted are
giving it mixed reviews. Does anyone else have experience with
RocketSales or any other software? Any packages we should avoid?

Thanks,
Lisa Manax Skikos
London Public Library
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