4/12/2012

CONTACT:

Nathan Curulla

(888) 900-8944

sales@bywatersolutions.com

ByWater Solutions Hosts Koha for Rutgers MLS Students

ByWater Solutions, an open source community supporter and the U.S.’ forefront provider of Koha (www.koha-community.org) support, announced today that they will be donating hosting for a Koha instance for the students in “Library Systems and Software” at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information MLS program in the Fall.

Nicole C. Engard, Vice President of Education, spoke of the project:

“When I was in library school we did all of our cataloging on a spreadsheet, I always wondered why we didn’t have an actual ILS to experiment with. I love that Kurt Wagner is willing to offer his MLS students an opportunity to see the inner workings of an ILS before leaving library school. I think that having an open source ILS available in class will teach the students both about the ILS and about open source software in general.”

Kurt Wagner, Library Systems and Software Instructor, talked about his decision and course plans:

“I have been aware of Koha since about 2006 when I saw it demonstrated at the Computers for Libraries conference in Washington, DC. When I was approached to teach this class at Rutgers it wasn’t long before I began thinking about all the things I do as a Systems Librarian, and even more importantly, the difference between what I learned in Library School versus the realities of my current position. Having some hands-on experience with a state-of-the-art library system, particularly a web-based, hosted environment such as Koha, will be an invaluable experience for my students. I intend to devote an entire unit of the class, approximately 1/3 of the semester, to work based in Koha, ranging from the policies, configuration and settings controlled by the Systems Administrator, to the daily workflows that are a part of the work in acquisitions, cataloging and circulation. The ability to experience Koha as a part of their library education will, I’m confident, leave every student feeling empowered to make the best use of cutting edge technology at their future job. I see the modern library system as no longer being the sole domain of the System Specialist. Today, it’s everyone’s responsibility to integrate these tools to make their work the best it can be. As someone who has served on many library selection committees, I can say with confidence that an applicant who can cite hands-on experience using Koha as a part of their library education will have an important advantage in these tight employment times.”

About Rutgers School of Communication and Information (SC&I):

SC&I was created in 1982 with the merger of the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, the School of Communication Studies, and the Department of Urban Journalism. SC&I’s educational, scholarly and public mission affirms the premise that communication and information processes must put people first. Our faculty excel in educating graduates to lead their professions. Their lasting contributions shape the communication, journalism, media, library and information science fields. The sum of this expertise is second to none, and forms the heart of our teaching success. Our communication and information scholarship aims to understand such pressing issues as: the new media and democracy; social networks; virtual environments and collaborative design; health and wellness; leadership and policy. For more information about Rutgers SC&I, please visit http://comminfo.rutgers.edu

About Koha:

Koha is the first open-source Integrated Library System (ILS). In use worldwide, its development is steered by a growing community of libraries collaborating to achieve their technology goals. Koha’s impressive feature set continues to evolve and expand to meet the needs of its user base. It includes modules for circulation, cataloging, acquisitions, serials, reserves, patron management, branch relationships, and more.

Koha’s OPAC, circulation, management and self-checkout interfaces are all based on standards-compliant World Wide Web technologies–XHTML, CSS and Javascript–making Koha a truly platform-independent solution. Koha is distributed under the open-source General Public License (GPL). For more information about Koha, please visit: http://koha-community.org

About ByWater Solutions:

ByWater Solutions is a full service, high quality support and implementation company dedicated to providing libraries with a lower cost, more advanced level of support for their ILS than a traditional proprietary solution can offer. ByWater Solutions has a proven track record in first rate Koha implementation and support with library systems of all sizes. Our highly ranked, comprehensive support is what sets our company apart from any other vendor in the industry. Partnering with ByWater Solutions to support Koha not only lowers the cost of implementing and maintaining an ILS, but more importantly empowers libraries by giving them the flexibility and freedom they deserve. For more information please visit: http://bywatersolutions.com

~ Includes More than 170 Unique Titles Related to African American Religious Life and Culture ~

IPSWICH, Mass. — April 12, 2012 — EBSCO Publishing (EBSCO) is announcing the release of the latest database in its Historic Digital Archive Collection, The African American Historical Serials Collection™. Developed in conjunction with the American Theological Library Association (ATLA), this digital collection includes African American periodicals, annuals and reports published from 1829-1922 including materials from African American religious organizations and social service agencies.

The African American Historical Serials Collection was developed as part of an effort to preserve endangered serials related to African American religious life and culture. Compiled and accessible to researchers in one digital collection, this unique resource of formerly fragmentary, widely dispersed, and endangered materials contain more than 60,000 pages of content from over 170 unique titles. It documents the history of African American life and religious culture in America during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

EBSCO provides access via its Digital Archives Viewer. The viewer brings content alive and allows users to explore, manipulate, collect, and export content. The unique functionality of the Digital Archives Viewer enables it to reproduce the best aspects of the physical library research experience while incorporating the advances in modern digital technology.

EBSCO Publishing has continued to significantly increase the number of resources offered in its collection of digital archives. For more information on the complete collection please go to: http://www.ebscohost.com/archives

About EBSCO Publishing
EBSCO Publishing is the producer of EBSCOhost®, the world’s premier for-fee online research service, including full-text databases, subject indexes, point-of-care medical reference, historical digital archives, and eBooks. The company provides more than 350 databases and nearly 300,000 eBooks. Through a library of tens of thousands of full-text journals and magazines from renowned publishers, EBSCO serves the content needs of all researchers (Academic, Medical, K-12, Public Library, Corporate, Government, etc.). EBSCO is also the provider of EBSCO Discovery Service™ (EDS), which provides each institution with a fast, single search box for its entire collection, offering deeper indexing and more full-text searching of journals and magazines than any other discovery service (www.ebscohost.com/discovery). For more information, visit the EBSCO Publishing Web site at: www.ebscohost.com, or contact: information@ebscohost.com. EBSCO Publishing is a division of EBSCO Industries Inc., one of the largest privately held companies in the United States.

About The American Theological Library Association
Established in 1946, the American Theological Library Association (ATLA) is a professional association of nearly 1,000 individual, institutional, and affiliate members providing programs, products, and services in support of theological and religious studies libraries and librarians. ATLA's ecumenical membership represents many religious traditions and denominations. For more information visit http://www.atla.com/

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For more information, please contact:
Kathleen McEvoy
Public Relations Director
EBSCO Publishing
(800) 653-2726 ext. 2594
kmcevoy@ebscohost.com

QUEENS LIBRARY TO LEND FREE E-READERS

JAMAICA, NY, April 11, 2012 -- Beginning on April 12, 2012, Queens Library will be lending 50 e-readers pre-loaded with e-books at the Central Library in Jamaica. It is a pilot program. It is the first time the service has been made available in one of NYC's public libraries. The e-readers have books on one of five themes: best sellers, romances, mysteries, teens' or children's books. There are also 50 works of classic literature loaded onto each reader. Library users may present a Queens Library card and photo ID to check out the devices free for 7 days, with the option to renew twice.

E-readers are compact, lightweight and hold many volumes simultaneously. They are particularly convenient when traveling and for people who find having many books "in their pockets" to be helpful. Because the size of the text and the lighting are adjustable, they are easy to view for a wide range of readers.

As the pilot is evaluated and funding becomes available, e-readers will be introduced to other library locations.

Queens Library is an independent, not-for-profit corporation and is not affiliated with any other library. Queens Library serves a population of 2.3 million in one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the U.S. and has among the highest circulations of any public library system in the world. For more information about programs, services, locations, events and news, visit the Queens Library web site at www.queenslibrary.org or phone 718-990-0700. Queens Library. Enrich your life®

Brill and Semantico have been shortlisted for a British Media Award based on the features and functionality of the new BrillOnline Reference Works platform. With the help of Semantico’s SIPP2 technology, Brill is now able to offer a more flexible research platform to institutions and end users alike.

We are pleased to announce that Brill and Semantico have been nominated for a British Media Award in the B2B Innovator of the Year category. The award entry was for BrillOnline Reference Works (http://referenceworks.brillonline.com) using Semantico's SIPP2 publishing platform. The British Media Awards celebrate innovation from companies, organisations or individuals.

BrillOnline aims to offer users the best of today’s functionality and features in online publishing. In order to generate the optimal user experience, the content is clustered according to its nature and to the functionality required and presented on three platforms:
• for electronic books and journals: http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com
• for online reference works: http://referenceworks.brillonline.com
• for online bibliographies: http://bibliographies.brillonline.com

The BrillOnline project showcases the best from Brill and Semantico. BrillOnline Reference Works is now a faster, more efficient website that provides users with enhanced discoverability of Brill's online content, and since the launch in January 2012, the site has seen a major increase in traffic.

The site also offers more flexibility to individuals by selling time-limited access to content. Previously all users without institutionally purchased access were turned away with a request to get in touch with their institution. Now the user has the tools to fulfill their own research needs at a favorable price. Thus, the BrillOnline Reference Works platform offers a true win-win: a win for Brill and a win for the user.

Semantico's industry leading software, SIPP2 was used for the build of BrillOnline Reference Works. SIPP2 is the latest version of SIPP and is a blazingly fast, elegant and intelligent solution that allows publishers to curate their XML and PDF content online. SIPP2 has been built to make practical use of the best semantic technologies providing a platform that can adapt to the changing demands of customers.

Both Semantico and Brill are delighted to have been nominated for the award. The winners will be announced at a ceremony later this month at The Emirates Stadium, London. For more information and to see the shortlist category visit: http://britishmediaawards.com

Notes to Editors

For questions and more information about BrillOnline, please contact Sam Bruinsma, Brill’s Vice President Business Development (+31 715353 517 or bruinsma@brill.nl).

About BRILL (brill.nl)

Founded in 1683 in Leiden, the Netherlands, BRILL is a leading international academic publisher in the fields of Ancient Near East and Egypt, Middle East and Islamic Studies, Asian Studies, Classical Studies, Medieval and Early Modern Studies, contemporary History and History of War studies, Biblical and Religious Studies, Slavic Studies, Language & Linguistics, Biology, Human Rights and Public International Law. With offices in Leiden and Boston, BRILL today publishes more than 175 journals and around 600 new books and reference works each year. All publications are available in both print and electronic form. BRILL also markets a large number of research collections and databases with primary source material. The company’s key customers are academic and research institutions, libraries, and scholars. BRILL is a publicly traded company and is listed on Euronext Amsterdam NV. For further information please visit www.brill.nl.

Semantico

We are an innovative and market-leading digital publishing solutions company focused on helping publishers protect and grow the value of their content assets online. Aligning ourselves with the client's brand and business objectives, we operate as a strategic partner, providing a range of services and technologies including consultancy, publishing platform design and build, e-book system development, digital marketing, access management, support and hosting.

Many of the world's leading publishers and information providers have benefited from Semantico's e-publishing expertise, including Oxford University Press, Wiley, Nature Publishing Group, Springer, Macmillan Education and Dawson Books. We work across a wide range of publishing industry sectors, including Reference/Academic; STM; Education; Trade, Legal, Tax & Regulatory; Associations & Institutes, and Publishing Intermediaries.

Semantico was founded in 1999 by a group of people from publishing backgrounds who were -and remain ¬excited by the potential of digital technology. Experts in access and discovery, we bring to bear an intimate understanding of search technologies and user-centred design in developing digital publishing strategies. Our best-of-breed SAMS access management platform is used by more than 150 sites worldwide. Our technical staff are acknowledged to be some of the finest in the industry, and we lead and inform the debate through our thought leadership activities: Semantico people regularly present at leading conferences and events, while the Discovery Blog is a popular resource for industry debate and discussion.
For more information about Semantico visit www.semantico.com

Press contact: Clare Wratten Tel: +44 1273 358 219 Email: clare.wratten@semantico.com