SOMERDALE, NJ, March 24, 2009: Library Automation Technologies, Inc. (LAT), a leader in library automation products, is pleased to announce it will be exhibiting at the Texas Library Associations Annual Conference (TLA) at George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston on April 1-3.

LAT will be demonstrating the allCIRC™ Media Dispensing System that provides libraries both media protection and patron self service all in one portable unit. In addition, the ultra-small MAXine™ Self Checkout System will be setup for hands-on demonstrations.

LAT-Max™, LAT-MAXine™ and LAT-MAXwell™ is a family of self-service machines for libraries based on FlashScan™ technology. By providing multiple form-factors, such as desktop, floor-standing, kiosk and even wall-mount, all with the same patron interface and multiple finishes, the machines allow libraries to take advantage of the modern self-service technology regardless of their physical space constraints. Coupled with an array of impressive features and capabilities, such as on-demand, field-upgradable RFID capability, desensitization support, wireless networking, included multi-language support, as well as over 400 features and settings, these machines are installed in hundreds of libraries worldwide and have gained a solid, industry leading reputation for value.

For more information about LAT's technology and all library products, jump to: www.LATcorp.com.

Library Automation Technologies Inc., (LAT) founded in 2001 has installations in hundreds of libraries throughout the United States. LAT's sole mission is to help libraries and data centers to work better, smarter and more securely. LAT’s innovation earned the firm the coveted “#1 Fastest Growing in South Jersey, 2005” by the Philadelphia Business Journal, as well as a “Finalist in the Family Business of the Year, 2006” award presented by Farleigh Dickinson College. LAT further continues its growth expanding into automation by delivering media dispensing line of products solely dedicated to library operations.

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If you'd like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Oleg Boyarsky / CEO, please call Robert Baker at:
856-566-4121 or e-mail Robert at: Bob@LATcorp.com

Norcross, Ga. – Integrated Technology Group (ITG), a division of Vernon Library Supplies, Inc., has implemented ITG’s Apex XpressCheck™ patron self-service kiosks at the Salem Church branch of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The self-service kiosks work in conjunction with the library’s SirsiDynix Horizon integrated library system (ILS) and existing barcode labels. The new system also features ITG’s fine and fee payment system.

“Our desire is to provide our patrons with the convenience of self-service checkout – something they are becoming used to in other venues in our area, such as grocery, home improvement and video rental stores,” said Chris Glover, technology coordinator for the Central Rappahannock Regional Library. “We also expect the ITG self-checkout technology to allow the circulation staff more time to assist patrons away from the circulation desk, manage the collection and refresh displays of library materials.”

The Central Rappahannock Regional Library serves the largest geographical area of any system in the state of Virginia, with service areas spanning Stafford, Spotsylvania and Westmoreland counties, and the independent city of Fredericksburg. The Salem Church branch library, which has undergone a recent expansion, houses a collection of more than 80,000 items.

“We know that the library will benefit greatly from implementing Apex XpressCheck, said ITG account manager, Don Chadwick. “Patrons can get in and out of the library quickly, without having to wait in line at the circulation desk, and staff will be more available to assist them. With self-checkout, both staff and patrons win.”

The Salem Church branch library is one of the first libraries to install the new Medallion series, Apex XpressCheck kiosks. These next generation kiosks combine ITG’s Apex XpressCheck software, a modern, sleek, furniture design, and NCR’s EasyPoint computer hardware and UI enhancements. With the Medallion series ITG delivers the easiest, fastest, most accurate self-checkout experience on the market.

About Integrated Technology Group

Integrated Technology Group (www.integratedtek.com) develops, markets, and supports library automation technologies that empower librarians to make operations more efficient and better serve their patrons. ITG’s products include patron self-checkout, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Automated Materials Handling (AMH) systems, computer reservations, and print cost recovery. With over 30 years experience in the library industry, ITG combines smart technology and progressive design to create standard solutions that can be easily customized to meet site-specific requirements. ITG, a division of Vernon Library Supplies, Inc., is headquartered in Norcross, Georgia.

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Evergreen to Power Newly-formed South Carolina Consortium, SC LENDS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Norcross, GA – March 26, 2009

Evergreen open source library software will power SC LENDs (South Carolina Library Evergreen Network Delivery System), a statewide consortium for a massive shared catalog and other services spearheaded by the South Carolina State Library. Equinox Software Inc., “The Evergreen Experts,” will provide data migration, software configuration, and post-migration 24-7 technical support.
The initial pilot group of 11 libraries, which includes South Carolina State Library, provides direct service to 1.3 million people in 10 counties and has 2.5 million books and serial volumes (FY2006 data). When the pilot group finishes migrating in the fall of 2009, SC LENDS will then be the second-largest Evergreen consortium. More libraries will come on board in 2010 and beyond.
South Carolina’s library users “will have greater access to more materials than ever before,” said David S. Goble, Director of the South Carolina State Library and State Librarian. “Evergreen gives us more control over our destiny,” added Laura Sponhour, SchoolRooms Project Manager at South Carolina State Library. “It’s amazing to watch people come together and see the project gaining momentum. We will also be smarter as a group. It’s a lot of fun, too.”
“Part of the value of Evergreen is that it adapts to local conditions, rather than forcing libraries to adapt to the software,” said Brad LaJeunesse, Equinox company president. “SC LENDS adopted a unique configuration, with dispersed system administrators, shared cataloging duties, and a decision to share all materials except reference—even DVDs and audiobooks. Evergreen has the power and flexibility to support massive and hugely diverse library ecosystems.”
About the South Carolina State Library System
The South Carolina State Library is located in Columbia, South Carolina. During the depths of the Great Depression, the Works Project Administration created the first statewide library program with bookmobiles in 32 rural counties which previously had no library service. Today, South Carolina State Library provides superior services to all South Carolinians through collaboration and cooperation with information providers and cultural institutions. Their website is at http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov.

About Evergreen
Evergreen is consortial-quality, open-source library software initially developed to support Georgia PINES, a resource-sharing consortium with over 270 public libraries. Evergreen was designed from the ground up to be robust, fault-tolerant, service-oriented, and standards-based. Evergreen nimbly evolves to meet the needs of very large, high-transaction, multi-site consortia, while elegantly scaling down to the smallest library sites.
The growing, multinational Evergreen development community has shepherded Evergreen through a series of carefully-planned releases that have further strengthened Evergreen’s consortial capabilities while adding popular and useful functionality. Evergreen 2.0, due out in 2009, will add acquisitions, serials, and reserves to Evergreen’s outstanding functionality.
From its debut in September 2006, Evergreen has earned acclaim and praise from users worldwide, including a Technology Collaboration Award from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Additional Evergreen implementations include consortial projects such as Evergreen Indiana, Michigan Evergreen, and British Columbia SITKA, and libraries such as Kent County Public Library in Maryland, Marshall Public Library in Missouri, the National Weather Center Library, and the University of Prince Edward Island.
Other libraries contracting with Equinox software for future Evergreen services include King County Library System (a public library system in Washington State), the thirteen libraries of Natural Resources Canada, and North Texas Regional Library System. A number of libraries “go it alone” with Evergreen by providing their own migration and support, which further demonstrates the power, ease, and reliability of this state-of-the-art library software.
For more information about Evergreen, see http://evergreen-ils.org.
About Equinox Software, Inc.
Founded by the original Evergreen designers and developers, Equinox Software is a growing team of skilled developers and other professionals who provide comprehensive support for Evergreen, the consortial-quality, open source Integrated Library System (ILS). Equinox develops, supports, trains, migrates, integrates, and consults on Evergreen, and engages with the rapidly expanding Evergreen community. Instead of one-size-fits-all support, Equinox works closely with libraries to ensure Evergreen is implemented in the manner that best fits their individual needs.
In addition to support, custom development and integration services, Equinox offers complete Evergreen hosting packages for libraries wishing to outsource their ILS infrastructure. Equinox also provides consulting services for libraries seeking more insight into the value proposition of open source software.
Press contact: Corinne Hall, corinne@esilibrary.com, 678-269-6113
For more information on Equinox Software, please visit http://www.esilibrary.com.

Evergreen is open source software, freely licensed under the GNU GPL. Evergreen and the Evergreen logo are trademarks of the Georgia Public Library Service.

Columbus, OH--LibLime, the leader in open solutions for libraries,
announced today the results of a study conducted in 2008, that finds
Koha to be the open-source ILS of choice for respondents--across every
library type. LibLime is the foremost provider of Koha automation
solutions worldwide.

The study--conducted by Outsell, Inc--surveyed hundreds of library
decision-makers across the US and Europe. When current and potential
users of open source were asked which ILS package they preferred,
respondents selected Koha as their first choice across all segments by
a hefty margin. Library segments included corporate, government,
academic, K-12, public and nonprofit libraries.

Outsell’s study also found that over half of the nearly 300
respondents surveyed had either implemented an open source ILS or
would consider a move to an open-source ILS. Interest was highest
among public and academic libraries. Flexibility and adaptability of
open source was the highest-rated reason for the implementation or
considered implementation of an open-source ILS.

"The preference for Koha is not at all surprising," says Joshua
Ferraro, CEO of LibLime. Ferraro has been an active member of the Koha
project since 2001 when he oversaw implementation of Koha at the first
library in the US to select an open-source ILS, the Athens County
Library System in Ohio.

"One of the strenghts of the open-source development model is that
libraries have direct access to development resources thorugh a
process called Sponsored Development", Ferraro explains. "As a result,
Koha's community, codebase and feature-set continue to evolve at an
amazing pace."

As part of its support environment, LibLime maintains the LibLime
Development Exchange, a database of features being sponsored by
customers. This facilitates co-sponsorship and further collaboration
between customers. There are currently over 200 active development
projects, many of which are in the process of being completed and will
be in the 3.2 Version of Koha, set for release later this year.

For more information or to purchase Outsell's report, visit:
http://www.outsellinc.com/store/products/793

About LibLime

LibLime is the global leader in open solutions for libraries. Rather
than sell software licenses for static, hard-to-customize software
products, LibLime educates libraries about the benefits of open
source, enabling them to make choices about how best to provide their
communities and staff with better technology services. LibLime then
facilitates implementation of open-source in libraries by providing
outstanding development, customization, support and training
solutions--solutions tailored to each library's needs. For more
information, see http://liblime.com.

Press Contacts

Tina Burger
Vice President, Marketing LibLime
(888)Koha ILS (564-2457)
tnb@liblime.com

LibLime, ‡biblios and ‡biblios.net are either registered trademarks or
trademarks of LibLime. Other company and product names may be
trademarks of their respective owners.

March 31, 2009, Arlington, VA—At the opening of the 24th Annual Computers in Libraries conference and exhibition, Information Today, Inc. (ITI) announced the publication of You Don’t Look Like a Librarian: Shattering Stereotypes and Creating Positive New Images in the Internet Age, by Ruth Kneale. In this new book, librarian and blogger Kneale debunks outdated preconceptions about librarians and their profession that still exist in the digital era.

“Ask any Joe or Jane Q. Public what comes to mind when they think of a librarian,” Kneale said, “and they’ll inevitably describe an older woman, her hair in a tight bun, wearing glasses, a cardigan, and sensible (meaning ugly) shoes, who wouldn’t know a computer from a cat (of which she owns many).” Kneale adds, “She usually says ‘Shh’ a lot, too!”

In You Don’t Look Like a Librarian, Kneale offers a fascinating look at the evolution and current state of the librarian stereotype and, more importantly, provides her fellow librarians with information and inspiration they can use to create positive new images that promote the future of the profession. In addition to presenting the results of a 1,000+-respondent survey and Kneale’s interviews with opinionated librarians across the spectrum, the book draws on pop culture, published literature, and lively discussions on the author’s website.

Although the book’s subject matter may seem lighthearted, it explores a serious issue underlying perceptions of the library profession. “Sure, it’s fun to talk about what librarians look or don’t look like, but take that a step further,” says Elizabeth Burns in the Foreword to the book. “Connect the dots from the assumptions people make about librarians to how the public perceives us, and you’ll quickly realize the impact stereotypes have on everything from customer expectations to salaries.”

Karen G. Schneider, community librarian and blogger (FreeRangeLibrarian.com) called You Don’t Look Like a Librarian, “A readable and entertaining look into the images of librarians in popular culture.” Schneider added that the book “also functions admirably as a kind of What Color is Your Biblio-Parachute? for people interested in librarianship or those who are in the profession and considering a change of direction.”

You Don’t Look Like a Librarian includes the following chapters:

1. Stereotypes? What Stereotypes?
2. Pop Culture and Librarians
3. Breaking the Stereotype
4. Thoughts on the Future

In addition to the Foreword by Burns, You Don’t Look Like a Librarian features an Introduction by the author, two appendices, resources for librarians, a list of relevant websites relating to the profession, and a companion website at www.librarian-image.net/book. Practical yet entertaining, this book is a must have for librarians who want to market themselves and their library, and change their community’s perception of librarians.

About the Author
Ruth Kneale is the Systems Librarian for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope in Tucson, Arizona. Prior to that, she was the Librarian and Webmaster for the Gemini Observatory in Hilo, Hawaii, and the Gemini 8m Telescopes Project. Kneale has written on computer topics for Information Outlook and Computers in Libraries, and publishes a regular column about librarians in Marketing Library Service called “Spectacles: How Pop Culture Views Librarians.” She started the website You Don’t Look Like a Librarian! (www.librarian-image.net) in 2002, and a companion blog called Random Musings from the Desert (desertlibrarian.blogspot.com) in 2006.

You Don’t Look Like a Librarian: Shattering Stereotypes and Creating Positive New Images in the Internet Age (216 pp/softbound/$29.50/ISBN 978-1-57387-366-6) is published by Information Today, Inc. It is available in bookstores and direct from the publisher by calling (800) 300-9868 [outside the U.S., call (609) 654-6266]; faxing (609) 654-4309; emailing custserv@infotoday.com; or visiting the ITI website at www.infotoday.com. To request a review copy email: rcolding@infotoday.com.