Nogales library supervisor showcases Polaris Vega online catalog, QR-code access and monthly updates

At a Nogales Library Board of Trustees meeting, Library Supervisor Katrina Martinez demonstrated the system’s Polaris Vega online catalog and showed how a QR code and monthly updates are intended to improve patron access. "We do kinda have a weird URL to our system. That's why Stav and I created, like, a QR code, which is way easier for patrons to use their phone," Martinez said.

Martinez said the catalog’s main page is custom-made and updated monthly with curated displays tied to holidays and library events. The catalog entry for a title shows the title, author, location and availability; patrons can place a hold and library staff will process it. Martinez said patrons can create an account by logging in with their barcode and a password set as the last four digits of the library card.

Board members asked whether the catalog’s calendar links were duplicates of the libraries’ social media pages; Martinez said clicking a calendar thumbnail typically opens the corresponding Facebook or Instagram post, which can show additional detail and larger images than the catalog carousel. A board member suggested trustees stop by the libraries to review the catalog in person.

Martinez also noted that the catalog includes direct links to each library’s page on the City of Nogales website with phone numbers, directions and information on how to get a library card. She invited trustees to test the system and asked them to share feedback as staff continues monthly updates.