By Heather Perry

Johnson County Library has launched a new and improved website to make your experience faster, simpler and more personalized. You’ll still find us at jocolibrary.org, and your account, browsing and checkout process remains the same — only now, everything is easier to access.

Why the change? Because you asked! Our previous site, launched in 2015, no longer met today’s needs. With feedback from Library users, we’ve built a smarter, more connected site to help you get more from your Library.

We’ve moved to a new content management system called BiblioWeb, from the same company that powers our catalog. If you’ve searched for books online before, this should feel familiar.

“Our pages will be filled with relevant and meaningful content like never before. Every page is set up to encourage users to explore,” said Dave Carson, web content developer.

Discovery is at the center. A single search now pulls results from the full Library: catalog items, events, staff blogs and recommendations. Clickable keyword tags appear throughout the site for quick access to related resources.

Curious about local history, interior design or mathematics? Just click a tag and explore.

Highlights include:

• Staff-curated Browse & Borrow pages with more visuals for easier discovery and recommendations.
• Streamlined navigation combining resources by age, interest and audiences like parents, caregivers, educators and homeschoolers.
• Better branch integration so staff can share updates from all locations.
• Faster promotion of booklists, reviews, blogs and community events.
• Stronger branding and layouts, with section hubs acting as mini-homepages.
• New tools include: a homepage link to mobile printing, an online HomeConnect application that lets cardholders request free delivery of library materials for temporary or long-term needs and event calendar integration.

Looking ahead, we’re preparing an expanded “Our History” section for our 75th anniversary in 2027, exploring translation tools for improved multilingual access, enhancing FAQs and continuing user testing to improve the site.

Visit jocolibrary.org and discover the many free resources available with your Library card.

Heather Perry is communications specialist at Johnson County Library.