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Public libraries

Websites for public libraries.

Patrons use the library's site to search the catalog, sign up for story time or book the meeting room. We look after the site around those tools, so the search box, the event calendar and the room bookings keep working, and we fix the pages that patrons using screen readers and magnifiers get stuck on.

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What we look after

What a library website has to do.

Search the catalog from any page

The catalog runs on your ILS, such as Koha, Evergreen or Polaris, or a discovery layer on top of it. We put a search box on the site that sends patrons straight into it.

Keep events and rooms in one place

Story times, book clubs and room bookings change every week. If you use a tool like LibCal, we embed it, so staff update the calendar in one place.

Point to the digital collection

E-books and audiobooks come through services like Libby or hoopla. We link to them where patrons look, so nobody has to hunt for the way in.

Let branch staff post

Branch staff can each have a login for their own pages, so the children's librarian posts summer reading without waiting on the director.

Show hours for each branch

Each branch gets a page with its own hours and address, and a closing notice for a snow day can go up from a phone.

Work with a keyboard and a screen reader

Library patrons include people with low vision and people who never touch a mouse. We check the site against WCAG 2.1 AA and fix contrast, headings and form labels in the site itself.

What we often hear

What usually goes wrong.

  • The catalog search box on the home page stopped working when the library moved to a new ILS.
  • The events page on the website and the calendar staff update are two different things, and they never match.
  • Patrons who use screen readers can't get past the room booking form.
  • A volunteer from the Friends group set up the site, and the director has no admin login.
A note from Ryan

Start at the search box

On a library site I type a title into the search box on the home page and see where it takes me. That link into the catalog is the one I see break when a library changes systems. Then I try to book the meeting room using only a keyboard.

Ryan Lovett, founder of Hosterr
Ryan Lovett
Founder, Hosterr
Send me a message

Does the catalog search work from your home page?

Send us the library's site and we'll try the catalog search, the event signup and the room booking on a phone and with a keyboard, then write back with what we find.

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Plans

How much do you want us to do?

Organizations like yours usually go on a Custom SLA, with response times and the terms written into the contract. Smaller sites can still use Managed.

Managed

$50 /mo

per site

You already have a site and you update it yourself. We look after everything underneath it.

What we take care of
  • Plugin, theme and WordPress updates snapshot saved first
  • Server, PHP and database updates planned and tested by us
  • Backups twice a day verified and kept off-site for 30 days
  • Security and monitoring scanning with a firewall and alerts
  • Same-day replies from the developer who does the work
  • Regular email updates what we did, in plain English
  • Free migration we move it for you
Get started

Changes to the site itself are quoted first at our standard $95/hr.

A new website included

Managed + Website

$99 /mo

per site, built and hosted by us

We build you a new website, then host it and keep it current. After that, send the requests, like text changes or new pages, and they get made.

Everything in Managed, plus
  • A new website, built for you up to 10 pages, designed and built when you join
  • 1 hour of developer time a month worth $95 at our standard rate
  • Site problems fixed out of that time no quote to approve first
  • Checks after updates we test your forms and checkout
  • A monthly review a look at speed and security
  • First in line your email gets picked up first
  • A design refresh after two years your existing pages, made current
Get started

12-month minimum, then month to month. Unused time carries over one month. Extra hours are quoted first at $95/hr.

Custom SLA

Quote

after we look at your sites and the terms you need

For agencies, larger organizations, and custom web apps and software that need more development, resources and attention.

Everything in Managed, plus
  • Set up for agencies white-label, every client site on one bill
  • Response times in the contract agreed before anything gets signed
  • Uptime commitments in writing with a named person to escalate to
  • A dedicated server, if you need one sized to your traffic
  • Update windows that suit you scheduled around your busy hours
  • Custom software and integrations web apps and tools built around how you work
  • A development team when you need one vetted US-based developers for bigger jobs
Get started

We agree on the terms with you first.

Add-ons for either plan

Common questions

What people ask us.

Yes. Koha, Evergreen, Polaris and the hosted discovery layers accept a search sent from another site. We add a search box that opens the catalog with the patron's search already filled in, and if you change systems, we update it.

It depends on how the library is set up. A library that's part of a town or county shares that government's date under the Justice Department's 2024 Title II rule, which since the 2026 extension is April 26, 2027 for 50,000 people or more and April 26, 2028 for smaller ones. A library that is its own district may count as a special district, which has until April 26, 2028. If the library is a nonprofit association rather than part of a government, ask your attorney how the rule applies. The standard named in the rule is WCAG 2.1 AA.

Yes. We embed it in the site and style the area around it to match the library's pages. When LibCal or the site is updated, we check the embed still loads.

A library with one site can be on Managed at $50 a month. A library system with several branches, or a board that wants response times written into a contract, goes on a Custom SLA, quoted after Ryan looks at the site. A redesign is quoted first at $95 an hour or a fixed price, so it can go into the budget request.
Clients

A few of the businesses we host.

A few of the businesses whose websites and apps we look after.

ANPC
Go Auto
Congruity 360
500+ sites supported
Cortex Building Intelligence
Public Counsel
Animal Flow
The Pharmacist Choice
10+ years building & managing sites
Boston Carpentry
City Construction
Speak Local
My Allergy Experts
RYCO Inc
The Mobile Locker Co.
Optiline Enterprises
Pivotal Talent Search
Sara Ray
PRO+GRIP
World Academy
Southern New Hampshire Vertigo and Balance Center
UserGuard

What customers say.

Reviews from Trustpilot

A person could not find a better company for their internet needs. Customer service is number 1. Whenever we have an issue Ryan addresses the problem immediately no matter the time or day.
Cindy S.
Hosterr actually has a soul Hosterr is one of the few tech companies that I use that doesn't feel like it's trying to squeeze every last dollar out of you. It works well, easy to switch and the services are fair value for my. A great fit for my marketing agency digital environment
Adam C.
Great customer service! I have multiple websites hosted on Hosterr. Setup was seamless and super easy, customer service has always been fantastic and quick to respond. I've had 100% uptime with no issues. Would recommend Hosterr to anyone looking for a reliable webhost.
Nathan T.
I use Hosterr for multiple websites. I recommend them to anyone who needs hosting! I have never had an issue with downtime and my sites are blazing fast. Also their customer service is unmatched, leagues better than GoDaddy.
Adam S.
Government

Others we look after.

Government

Websites for towns, counties, libraries and public districts.

Towns and cities

Meeting agendas, permits and notices residents need.

Counties

Departments, records and public notices.

Public school districts

Closings, calendars and a page for every school.

Tell us what you need.

Tell us what you're running and what's getting in the way. We'll write back the same day with a plan, and if Hosterr isn't the right fit, we'll say so.

Get started See what we do

Every message goes straight to Ryan.