We are all familiar with the American fable, the Three Little Pigs, and, more importantly, the two underlying messages it provides. First, short cuts can cost you— while the first two pigs built their houses out of straw and sticks, they were able to complete the work fast and have more time for leisurely activities but were unable to withstand the huffs and puffs of the big bad wolf. The third pig, however, took the time to build his house out of bricks, which proved to be impenetrable for the wolf and therefore, prevented him from getting inside. 

This sets the tone for the second underlying message: working hard in the present will pay off in the future. The first two pigs were merely focused on rushing to finish the job so they could enjoy themselves; building safe and secure homes were not a priority, and they unfortunately paid the price for their need of instant gratification. Although, the third pig knew that putting in the work and having discipline in the present would result in future prosperity. Meaning, when the big bad wolf came to blow his house down, he would be more than prepared and completely protected.

Library software is very similar when thinking in terms of the three little pigs and the houses they built. Think of your patrons and their information as the pigs, while the “houses” that protect them act as your software provider. Security and accessibility are paramount. If your library has a current software provider, you need to ask yourself if your provider digitally protects patrons with straw or bricks.

The big bad wolf can present itself in many forms, and not all software providers can withstand the huffing and puffing of hackers, malware attacks, and potential accessibility lawsuits. In 2020 alone, the School Library Journal reported that more than 2,200 web accessibility lawsuit cases were filed in federal court in 2018. 2,200 “houses” made of straw and sticks that could have been avoided entirely with the right kind of software service; that’s where we come in.

Founded in 2015, LocalHop is a leading provider in the library space across the United States. We pride ourselves on connecting communities and patrons with easy-to-use, secure, and accessible software solutions through focusing on enhancing the functionality and overall user experience. With our optimized mobile display, top-notch security, and compliance with ADA Section 508 accessibility standards, LocalHop software is practical for libraries and all-inclusive for every patron in every community.

LocalHop believes that libraries serve as the heart of their communities and utilizing services such as our community calendar will make creating, uploading, and finding events easier than ever. Customizable, easy-to-embed, and completely mobile friendly, LocalHop’s community calendar looks native to your website and serves as the “go-to” place for all local events and happenings for the entire community. One of our current clients, Bad Axe Area District Library, implemented LocalHop’s community calendar onto their website and is now the sole hub for all seventy-six organizations within the community and has significantly increased website traffic and engagement.

We enable libraries to focus on their patrons and the services they enjoy, which is why we love providing a full suite of software solutions that are modernized, 508 compliant, aesthetically pleasing, and exceed security protocol. 

If your library is using software tools that aren’t built with the foundations of accessibility standards and security protocol in mind, your community and patrons are at risk, which is why staying informed is quintessential in terms of making a serious decision such as choosing a software provider.

When Section 508 was developed as an amendment in 2017, it declared that all Information and Communications Technology (ICT) that is used in Federal institutions such as libraries, must be developed, procured, maintained, and easily accessible for employees and individuals with disabilities. Even more importantly, all variations of public-facing content such as any sort of web interface that is available to the public needs to be accessible as well. 

The American Library Association identifies four major categories of disability types, which are:

1.    Hearing 2.    Cognitive 3.    Visual 4.    Motor

With one in four U.S. adults living with a disability, our team at LocalHop took this information (and this amendment), seriously. Our team conducts diligent testing to ensure our services and platforms are 508 compliant such as Axe Devtools and a built-in site plugin that uses Tota11y to identify and mitigate accessibility issues. Our Chief Technology Officer, Mike Laney, stresses the importance of our built-in tests, particularly when it concerns our custom website services.

“Our 508 testing ensures that LocalHop builds websites for clients in a way that is easily navigated and user-friendly for all patrons. Essentially, our testing simulates users that have an array of disabilities, such as being legally blind for example. The test will portray this visually disabled individual navigating the site, and it will read what the screen is saying aloud. We have a plethora of built-in tests that allow us to make sure that the risk or issue in question has been eliminated. We are incredibly diligent and masters of our craft, which is why we take security and accessibility compliance so seriously.”

While technology is vast and preventative measures can seem daunting, LocalHop works hard to also ensure your platforms are as secure as possible. Dedicated to providing libraries with maximizing security benefits, our software not only safeguards communities and its private data, but libraries retain their patrons trust, brand reputation, and total protection of their data as a result.

Losing the trust of your patrons due to a security breach can be devastating and overwhelming when managing fallout, which is why LocalHop implements robust security measures into our programming and ensure the stability and speed of our products to maintain performance levels. By only using tools that have been vetted by government standards such as Sonarqube, LocalHop can seek out vulnerabilities within every package of a project our team takes on to ensure nothing is outdated or flagged, so your library can be as secure as possible.

Whether you’re thinking about your current software provider or are considering your options, remember the three little pigs and the lessons they learned; don’t choose to build a house of straw or sticks simply because it’s quick or easy.

Don’t select a software provider that doesn’t put your patrons user experience, accessibility standards, and safety measures at the forefront. LocalHop cares about the communities it serves, which is why our full suite of event management software is the best choice to keep your patrons protected and your library accessible. 

Born by libraries, built for the community; choose LocalHop, because the big bad wolf has nothing on us.

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