~ Grants Totaling $100,000 Provided to Academic Libraries Creating Innovative Technology Solutions ~

IPSWICH, Mass. — June 23, 2017 — EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) today announced initial winners of its inaugural EBSCO FOLIO Innovation Challenge. The grant program is awarding a total of $100,000 in grants to libraries to develop innovative technology solutions that address the challenges academic libraries face.

Winning proposals came from Villanova University, which aims to develop the integration of VuFind with FOLIO, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, which looks to integrate their hardware circulation module with FOLIO.

EBSCO Information Services Director of SaaS Innovation, Andrew Nagy, says the winning proposals were a perfect fit for the Innovation Challenge. “The EBSCO FOLIO Innovation Challenge was created to encourage our community of libraries and service providers to develop new technologies, with the goal of improving their workflow and services.”

Director of Library Technology at Villanova University, Demian Katz, says VuFind was designed with interoperability in mind. “One of the goals of the VuFind project has been to give libraries more choice and more control over their users’ search experience by providing a seamless and configurable interface on top of many different systems. For users interested in building a fully open library system, FOLIO promises to be an exciting new option and with EBSCO’s support, we will be able to ensure that VuFind supports all of its key functionality as it develops.”

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Acting Dean of Libraries and Berthold Family Professor in Information Access and Discovery Bill Mischo says the university is already mapping out its plan for FOLIO. “The FOLIO platform is built on an exciting mix of new yet proven technologies that stand to have a real impact on the library software ecosystem. The collaborative work we are engaging in, led by Jim Hahn, a Library faculty member, will help advance the mission of the FOLIO project since it is our hope that library platforms would become more open, extensible, and responsive to contemporary user needs. We are looking forward to working with EBSCO and the FOLIO groups on enhancing key library services and tools.”

For more information on the EBSCO FOLIO Innovation Challenge, visit our FAQs.

About EBSCO Information Services
EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) is the leading discovery service provider for libraries worldwide with more than 11,000 discovery customers in over 100 countries. EBSCO Discovery Service™ (EDS) provides each institution with a comprehensive, single search box for its entire collection, offering unparalleled relevance ranking quality and extensive customization. EBSCO is also the preeminent provider of online research content for libraries, including hundreds of research databases, historical archives, point-of-care medical reference, and corporate learning tools serving millions of end users at tens of thousands of institutions. EBSCO is the leading provider of electronic journals & books for libraries, with subscription management for more than 360,000 serials, including more than 57,000 e-journals, as well as online access to more than 1,000,000 e-books. For more information, visit the EBSCO website at: www.ebsco.com. EBSCO Information Services is a division of EBSCO Industries Inc., a family owned company since 1944.
###
For more information, please contact:
Kathleen McEvoy
Vice President of Communications
(800) 653-2726 ext. 2594
kmcevoy@ebsco.com

~ EBSCO Information Services is Providing Two $100,000 Grants for Libraries to Install Solar Arrays ~

IPSWICH, Mass. — June 23, 2017 — EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) is awarding its 2017 EBSCO Solar grant to the Athens-Clarke County Library in Athens, Georgia and The Indian Trails Public Library in Wheeling, Illinois. The grants will provide each library with $100,000 to pay for the installation of a solar array. The grant offsets the cost of installing solar panels and allows libraries to reduce their electricity expenditures.

The Athens-Clarke County Library is the headquarters of the 5-county Athens Regional Library System. The library plans to install a “Sunshine Garden” solar garden, a ground-installed array, on its campus. The library has hosted a variety of sustainability-related events in the past, such as the annual “Green Life Expo,” which seeks to educate local businesses and families about how to reduce their carbon footprint. As part of the grant, the library plans to partner with local schools to create a STEM solar lab to demonstrate solar energy to children, as well as host a seminar for adults on retrofitting homes with solar panels in conjunction with the library’s “Reflecting, Sharing, Learning” programming.

Athens Regional Library System Executive Director Valerie Bell says, “We are absolutely elated to receive the EBSCO Solar grant. From our 2013 LEED-certified building renovation to our electric car charging stations, our library strives to be a community leader in environmental sustainability. We can’t wait to install our Sunshine Garden! Not only will it offset utility costs, but it will be a very visible, and beautiful, reminder about energy conservation to all.”

The Indian Trails Public Library, located in Wheeling, Illinois, serves many communities in the northern Chicago suburbs. Since moving into a new building earlier this year, the library has created plans to start a Giving Garden for children to learn about sustainable farming practices. Along with the solar array, the library is planning programming that will include lectures and an exhibit from the Illinois Solar Energy Association, children’s workshops such as UV Energy with UV Beads; Solar Oven Building, a community-wide sustainability fair focused on educating families on how to reduce their carbon footprint; and a career fair in sustainable technologies.

Indian Trails Library District’s Executive Director Brian Shepard says, “We are thrilled by the opportunity to further our dedication to renewable energy resources through the generosity of the EBSCO Solar grant program. Through our expanded STEM programming and makerspace initiatives, we hope to educate and inspire residents to explore the lasting benefits that sustainability practices contribute to an informed community.”

EBSCO Industries, Inc. President and CEO Tim Collins says the grants are a great way for EBSCO to make a difference. “The EBSCO Solar Grant program helps libraries but it is part of a larger effort to reduce our environmental footprint and show communities the benefits of environmental responsibility. We look forward to seeing the installations at Athens-Clarke and Indian Trails.”

EBSCO received 90 submissions from 15 countries for the 2017 grant. Austin Community College (ACC) District’s Highland Campus was the 2016 EBSCO Solar Grant winner which was a single award for $150,000.

About EBSCO Information Services
EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) is the leading discovery service provider for libraries worldwide with more than 11,000 discovery customers in over 100 countries. EBSCO Discovery Service™ (EDS) provides each institution with a comprehensive, single search box for its entire collection, offering unparalleled relevance ranking quality and extensive customization. EBSCO is also the preeminent provider of online research content for libraries, including hundreds of research databases, historical archives, point-of-care medical reference, and corporate learning tools serving millions of end users at tens of thousands of institutions. EBSCO is the leading provider of electronic journals & books for libraries, with subscription management for more than 360,000 serials, including more than 57,000 e-journals, as well as online access to more than 1,000,000 e-books. For more information, visit the EBSCO website at: www.ebsco.com. EBSCO Information Services is a division of EBSCO Industries Inc., a family owned company since 1944.
###
For more information, please contact:
Kathleen McEvoy
Vice President of Communications
(800) 653-2726 ext. 2594
kmcevoy@ebsco.com