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Library innovation of the digital era
About the project
Commissioned by the National Library of Estonia (RaRa), Net Group has developed a novel online solution and smart app My Library (MIRKO), which consists of two applications. The first solutions “Books on the move,” launched in September 2022, brings the collections of all contributing libraries to a single service with a smart search, allowing the reader to borrow a desired book and have it delivered to their home or to a package terminal of their choice. The second application “E-publication borrowing” offers Estonian readers free borrowing of ebooks, audiobooks and periodicals and for them to be read or listened to both online and in the app.
MIRKO is closely related to a third application also developed by Net Group, allowing the user to log in once and then comfortably switch between apps without having to log in again. Together, these developments form the first nationwide service of RaRa, titled My Library or MIRKO, which is fully usable since February 2023.
Purpose of the projects
Purpose
Estonia has nearly 900 libraries which use varying online catalogues and library systems. The National Library aimed to increase borrowing activity and keep up with the times.
RaRa wanted to create a platform all libraries would be able to join, and to ensure convenient book borrowing for readers regardless of location. Complexity was added by ebooks in the form of setting up issues and managing files, the large number and variety of mobile devices, and adhering to borrowing conditions set by publishers in the environments. Additional complexity was due to the fact that no such solution previously existed in Estonia and the client also desired to merge these three projects to create a uniform, simple and logical solution that would meet modern expectations – the opportunity to borrow various types of books without leaving home.
We were able to achieve
Results
From a technical aspect, the final version of MIRKO consisted of three separate complex software development projects with service design (Move the Book + e-publication borrowing + SSO or harmonized access solution). The final product is a novel platform allowing readers to find reading material of interest from the joint MIRKO environment regardless of location of the publication and to borrow them in the format of their choice based on their ID code.
Goals completed 100%
Creating MIRKO gave readers an Estonia-wide book search, bringing the collections of Estonian libraries into a single easy search function.
Borrowing books for free, either on paper or as ebooks and audiobooks, became location-independent for readers. You only need to pay for courier service if you order the book to an actual package terminal. Using MIRKO takes only authentication with mobile ID, Smart ID or ID card and the user can then find a book to borrow among nearly two million physical copies and over 3,000 ebooks and 300 audiobooks. The MIRKO platform opened up the possibility of new forms of borrowing and a modern library solution has been created in cooperation to a payment service provider, couriers, libraries, ebook and audiobook manufacturers.
Technologies used in this project include but are not limited to: TypeScript, React, Next.js, .NET 6, Entity Framework, React Native, MS SQL Server
Project Stats
2000
App downloads
13,421
Total users as of June 2023
Technologies Used
TypeScript
React
Next.js
.NET 6
Discover
Discover
Define
Define
Ideate
Ideate
Develop
Develop
Testing
Testing
Together, we achieved these goals
- 15 libraries took part in creating and testing the service
- Nearly 50 libraries have joined (approx. 600 libraries could join in theory)
- Over 1400 readers could pitch in during the development
- 5,100 active users in total as at June 2023
Brief Summary
of the project
- The innovative “Move the Book” project resulted in a uniform platform for borrowing physical books regardless of location or specific library.
- IT solutions developed specifically in cooperation with the client that had never been done in this form in Estonia before, adding an innovative environment for borrowing online publications.
- The reader can log in comfortably and quickly access a huge number of physical, ebooks and audiobooks.
Client Feedback
We appreciate having a developer who thinks along with you. Instead of having to deal with a partner who sits there with a mindset of “tell me what you want and I’ll do it,” so when you assess the software as a whole later, only then it turns out that it wasn’t the best, most efficient or reasonable solution. Net Group created several visions for us and together we reached the best results. We are now much stronger at participating in an agile development process, looking at MIRKO only just now, occasionally taking a look back at the works done and services finished, we can grasp the enormity of it.
RaRa
Client
The National Library
about the client
The National Library of Estonia (RaRa) is a public facility of culture, memory, research and development.
The mission of the facility is promoting librarianship, the collection and preservation of Estonian cultural heritage and ensuring the availability thereof according to the expectations of the society.
The physical space and online platforms of the National Library bring together the creators, interpreters and consumers of culture. The RaRa collection contains nearly 3.5 million works issued in Estonia or related to Estonia or Estonians, the oldest work dating back to the 15th century.
