CR2 Blog

South Central Library System, with headquarters in Madison WI, provides service to 52 libraries located in 7 counties with a service population of 800,000. LINK is the consortium of the 41 SCLS members that share an integrated library system. With annual circulation of over 11.6 million, nearly 3 million holds filled annually, 826,000 bibliographic records, and over 3 million item records, LINK will be one of the largest installations of Koha to date.

The LINK Koha installation will be hosted off site at one of LibLime's secure data centers. SCLS has also contracted with LibLime for data migration, support and training services.

Dynix Classic was installed in 19 of the libraries in 1993, but growth over the intervening years has created a complex environment that requires responsive and agile technology. "We may hold a record for the longest planning effort expended in the replacement of an ILS," said Director, Phyllis Davis.

"During the investigation it became apparent that open-source software and a hosted service were viable alternatives to the proprietary products we had painstakingly researched. LibLime-supported Koha proved to be the most suitable for our multi-faceted organization. The timing was right for making a bold decision," said Director, Phyllis Davis.

"Developed by the user community, Koha offers us the opportunity to create a robust and flexible suite of products that will lay the foundation for future large-scale customers and attract co-developers of innovative services. Remote hosting will free our automation staff from server maintenance tasks and allow them to devote their energy to other library technology services," explained Davis.

"SCLS chose LibLime as our implementation and support partner based on their long-term successful track record and commitment to enhancing Koha. We’re poised for the launch and ready for the challenge of co-producing feature-rich software modules as a part of the Koha open source community," Davis added.

LINK libraries use all of the main modules: circulation, cataloging, PAC, acquisitions and serials as well as many add-on products such as debt collection, self-check/RFID and telephony hold notification. SCLS has planned development projects in all modules. Projects include improved distribution of holds, serials control features for a consortia setting, improved batch editing in cataloging and the ability to show the “active” library’s holds first in the PAC.

"With the signing of the SCLS/LibLime Agreement we’ve addressed our major goals for a long-term investment in our next ILS," said Davis. "We’re excited by the flourishing Koha community of dedicated developers and users who share our enthusiasm for improving library services through technology. We look forward to collaborating with LibLime for continued development and support of Koha features that will benefit large consortia as well as small institutions. In addition, our system and library staffs will contribute their expertise to development projects and be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor."

About South Central Library System

South Central Library System, with headquarters in Madison WI, provides service to 52 libraries located in 7 counties with a service population of 800,000. LINK is the consortium of the 41 SCLS members that share an integrated library system. With annual circulation of over 11.6 million, nearly 3 million holds filled annually, 826,000 bibliographic records, and over 3 million item records, LINK will be one of the largest installations of Koha to date.

About Koha ZOOM

Koha ZOOM is the next-generation release of the award-winning Koha open-source integrated library system. Notably, it includes a powerful search engine based on Zebra, a high-performance indexing and retrieval engine. Koha ZOOM's search engine can read structured records in practically any input format (i.e.., email, XML, MARC) and allows access to them through exact boolean search expressions and relevance-ranked free-text queries. It supports large databases (more than ten gigabytes of data, tens of millions of records), as well as, incremental, safe database updates on live systems.

To try out Koha ZOOM for yourself, visit LibLime's demos:

http://liblime.com/demos

About LibLime

LibLime is the global leader in open-source solutions for libraries, with a mission to make open source accessible to 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.

Use of open source not only lowers the per-library cost of running software, it also empowers libraries with a higher level of control over customization and the overall direction of software development.

Press Contact

Tina Burger
Vice President, Marketing LibLime
(888)Koha ILS (564-2457)

tnb@liblime.com

LibLime and the LibLime logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of LibLime. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Contact Sales

Contact our sales department:

E-mail: sales@liblime.com

Phone: (888) Koha ILS (564-2457)

http://liblime.com

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS ANNUAL MEETING & EXPO, BOOTH #2007, PHILADELPHIA, MAY 1, 2009 – Kirtas Technologies, the pioneer in high-speed, nondestructive mass digitization, today introduced SkyView for the library and museum markets, the latest and most versatile innovation for over sized materials and more

SkyView’s automated, motorized, overhead camera system can easily capture newspapers, manuscripts, historical documents, maps, photographs and artwork, providing an efficient, high-resolution solution for preservation and reproduction purposes. Image details stay crisp and true-to-life using Canon’s acclaimed EOS-1 Ds Mark III digital SLR camera.

Digitization provides numerous benefits for many organizations by:

• Enhancing access to valuable information held captive in physical books that are unavailable to the general public

• Supporting disaster preparedness efforts by preventing permanent loss of information

• Creating online exhibits and reproductions of popular items in a collection

• Protecting property and assets through cataloging

What makes the SkyView system so innovative is its versatility and ability to handle both over sized bound books and loose-sheet materials. With SkyView’s automated, motorized overhead camera system, oversize books, books with foldouts, large maps, photographs, postcards, works on paper and even three-dimensional artifacts are easily captured.

SkyView will be on display and available for demonstrations in Booth #2007 at the American Association of Museums Annual Meeting & Expo.

About Kirtas Technologies
Kirtas Technologies has pioneered and perfected the technology used today in quality, high-speed, nondestructive mass digitization. A proven workflow ensuring superior image quality, advanced search capabilities, unique archiving technology, and extensive metadata enabling multiple output options that stand the test of time are what set us apart and keep Kirtas at the forefront of the digital revolution. Learn more at www.kirtas.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Brandie Baumann, communications coordinator 800.397.1552; bcrpress@bcr.org

AURORA, Colo., April 28, 2009 ― BCR and The Library Corporation (TLC) are pleased to announce that they have signed an agreement that allows BCR to offer TLC’s ITS.MARC databases, BiblioFile software and other products and services to BCR member libraries.

The partnership combines TLC’s 33 years of library automation experience and outstanding service background with BCR’s commitment to help its members increase productivity by making sure they have the best and most appropriate tools at their fingertips.

The BiblioFile family of cataloging tools supports copy cataloging with a Unicode-compliant editor, advanced Z39.50 search and filtering, label printing and utilities optimized for local catalogs and union catalogs. It is supported by a help file of MARC documentation – the Cataloger's Reference Shelf. The ITS.MARC database contains more than 41 million records covering multiple languages. Libraries can customize access to fit their specific situation with add-ons such as authorities with LC Names and Subjects, Sears Subjects and Medical Subject Headings or collections of records with A/V, media and Lexile and Accelerated Reader information.

“Combining high quality records with sophisticated BiblioFile software at an affordable price is a winning strategy for any library in these times, and we are pleased that BCR will be offering our services to its member libraries,” said Gar Sydnor, Senior Vice President at TLC.

“This partnership allows us to offer our members a new option for copy cataloging,” noted Brenda Bailey-Hainer, BCR’s president and CEO. “Our member schools in particular will appreciate the records which have been enhanced specifically to suit their needs, and our public library members may find that it complements other services they already use.”

About BCR
BCR brings libraries together for greater success by expanding their knowledge, reach and power. They offer a broad range of solutions and their hands-on, personal attention to each member enables them to deliver effective and timely solutions that help libraries keep pace with new developments in technology and services. BCR is the nation’s oldest and most established multistate library cooperative. Since 1935, the BCR team has helped libraries learn new skills, reach patrons, increase productivity and save money. BCR (Bibliographical Center for Research) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit headquartered in Aurora, Colorado. For more information, visit www.BCR.org or email info@BCR.org.

About The Library Corporation (TLC)
Founded in 1974, TLC is still owned and operated by the same family today. TLC creates automation technology for libraries and school districts of all sizes, including some of the busiest libraries in the world. TLC’s offerings have grown from cataloging and PAC products to an array of sophisticated systems that include integrated automation, acquisitions, online cataloging, authority control, RFID technology, and other products and services required for the success of today's libraries. The company serves over 5,000 libraries world-wide with 250-plus staff members from its offices in the United States and abroad.

Evergreen Indiana Launches Two More Libraries, Bringing Total to 26
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Norcross, GA – April 27, 2009
Two more libraries in Indiana, Switzerland County Public Library and Carnegie Public Library of Steuben County, have gone live with Evergreen, the consortial-quality open-source library automation software. 26 libraries are now live on Evergreen Indiana, a shared-catalog project of the Indiana State Library. Equinox Software, Inc., the support and development company established by the original Evergreen developers, provided bumper-to-bumper support for the migrations and is now providing round-the-clock ongoing technical support.
“Our staff is very impressed at how easy and intuitive the staff interface is,” said Sonya Dintaman, director of the Carnegie Public Library of Steuben County. “They especially like having more than one path to any function.” Shannon Phipps, Director of Switzerland County Public Library, added, “Patrons are excited about the new opportunities that Evergreen will provide” such as bookbags, easy hold functions, and overdue ‘preminders.’”
“Evergreen Indiana now represents the collective presence of 3.5 million annual circulations,” said Brad LaJeunesse, Equinox company president. “This demonstrates the power of Evergreen to unite librarians economically and effectively into mass consortia, giving libraries tremendous return on investment.”
Switzerland County Public Library is located in Vevay, Indiana, along the banks of the Ohio River. They have 47,000 bibliographic items and serve approximately 5,200 patrons. Carnegie Public Library is located in the northeast corner of Indiana. They have 59,500 bibliographic titles and serve about 10,400 patrons. The shared catalog for Evergreen Indiana is at http://evergreen.lib.in.us.

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 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, North Texas Regional Library System, and South Carolina LENDS, an 11-library consortium. 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.

"Our strategy to move library management systems to Web scale builds on OCLC's 40-year history of innovation and cooperation," said Jay Jordan, OCLC President and CEO. "In 1967, OCLC Founder Fred Kilgour revealed a strategy to create an online union catalog through shared cataloging in order to reduce individual transaction costs for libraries. The result has been WorldCat, which has saved libraries millions of dollars in cataloging and interlibrary loan costs. Today, we are extending that strategy of cooperation to reduce the costs of library management functions such as circulation and acquisitions. Our goal is to lower the total cost of managing library collections while enhancing the library user's experience."

"Thanks to the pioneering efforts of member libraries that participated in WorldCat Local pilots and those that became early adopters, we now have the opportunity to accelerate the movement of library management services to Web scale through 'quick start' and additional services. OCLC will soon name an advisory council that will provide valuable input and experience as we move forward with our cooperative Web-scale library services,” said Mr. Jordan.

Libraries that subscribe to FirstSearch WorldCat will get the WorldCat Local "quick start" service as part of their subscription at no additional charge. WorldCat Local "quick start" offers libraries a locally branded catalog interface and simple search box that presents localized search results for print and electronic content along with the ability to search the entire WorldCat database and other resources via the Web.

OCLC plans to release Web-scale delivery and circulation, print and electronic acquisitions, and license management components to WorldCat Local, continuing the integration of library management services to create the Web-scale, cooperative library service. OCLC will begin piloting the Web-scale management service components this year.

This new library service design will support library management for print, electronic and licensed materials built on a new, Web-scale architecture that provides streamlined workflows and cooperative solutions. This Web-scale solution will not only include the functionality of disparate systems, it will interoperate with third-party business process systems, such as finance and human resources, and will reduce the total cost of ownership for libraries. The cooperative nature of the platform will create network effects for libraries with enhanced discovery, resource sharing, and metadata management, and through sharing collection management information, identity management, and collective intelligence fueled by data shared through the cooperative and with partners.

"Visits to libraries, focus groups, and over a decade of engagement in the library automation world have convinced me that libraries require less complexity in their management systems,” said Andrew Pace, OCLC Executive Director for Networked Library Services. "To truly deliver network-level services—a platform-as-a-service solution—and not simply Internet-hosted solutions of current library services, new system architectures and workflows must be built that are engineered to support Web-scale transaction rates and Web-scale collaboration. OCLC is in a unique position to create cooperative network effects in library management services on a par with OCLC Cataloging and OCLC Resource Sharing."

OCLC will work with the more than 1,000 libraries and partners that are currently using OCLC library management systems in Europe and Asia Pacific to help build this service. OCLC will continue to develop and support its existing systems in Europe and Asia Pacific. OCLC will accelerate efforts to create robust data-exchange capabilities between OCLC library management systems and the WorldCat platform. Libraries and partners using current OCLC library management systems will be able to participate in this new development by adding Web-based services to their local solutions to extend their services for end users.

In 2006, OCLC launched WorldCat.org, which provides Web access to the world's richest database for discovery of library materials through a single search box, and through the world's most popular search engines. To date, more than 25 million user requests have been connected to local libraries from a Web search. WorldCat Local, introduced in 2007, brought this single, integrated search to the library's own branded Web page.

In July 2009, libraries will be able to start using WorldCat.org as their user interface for the OCLC FirstSearch service, providing integrated access through a single search box to NetLibrary eBooks and eAudiobooks, Electronic Collections Online eJournals, OCLC FirstSearch databases, ArchiveGrid archival collection descriptions and CAMIO (the Catalog of Art Museum Images Online). At the same time, OCLC will add an enhanced, comprehensive search capability to WorldCat Local, which will return all print, electronic and licensed content available to the library from any location. OCLC will pilot WorldCat Local circulation and acquisitions services later this year.

About OCLC
Founded in 1967 and headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, OCLC is a nonprofit library service and research organization that has provided computer-based cataloging, reference, resource sharing, eContent, preservation, library management and Web services to 69,000 libraries in 112 countries and territories. OCLC and its member libraries worldwide have created and maintain WorldCat, the world’s richest online resource for finding library materials. Search WorldCat.org on the Web at www.worldcat.org. For more information, visit www.oclc.org.