Industry News
Wednesday Mar 10, 2010 
20 most recent items:
May 27, 2010. SumTotal announces agreement to be acquired by Vista Equity Partners for $4.85 Per Share in Cash. SumTotal Systems, the market leader and a global provider of talent development solutions, announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement with affiliates of Vista Equity Partners under which Vista will acquire all the outstanding shares of SumTotal common stock for $4.85 per share in cash, or approximately $160 million. The Vista Agreement was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of SumTotal. <<more>>
March 8, 2010. World Maritime University chooses the Koha open source library management system supported by PTFS Europe. The library at the World Maritime University in Sweden has chosen the Koha library management system to replace its existing SydneyPlus system. PTFS Europe is carrying out the initial implementation and providing ongoing support. The system is hosted on a dedicated server at the PTFS Europe data centre in Maidenhead. <<more>>
March 8, 2010. Another new integration feature with Libero. March, Brisbane. New, seamless integration with the NoveList electronic database provides Libero Libraries another way to maximise services for fiction readers. <<more>>
March 5, 2010. PTFS Europe introduce cloud hosting platform. PTFS Europe announced that the software products they support can now be delivered via Cloud VPS Hosting. This platform combines Fault Tolerance with High Availability features and helps eliminate even the smallest disruptions which result from hardware failures. This is an ideal solution for libraries and archives that need the power of a dedicated server and high availability without having to pay a high price. <<more>>
March 4, 2010. Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering and Technology shooses a Suite of Ex Libris Solutions. Ex Libris announced that the Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering and Technology in Kansas City, Missouri, has selected a number of solutions from Ex Libris. Migrating from its former SirsiDynix Horizon system, the library has chosen the Voyager ILS, the Primo discovery and delivery solution, the MetaLib gateway and metasearch solution, the SFX OpenURL link resolver, and the Verde e-resource management system. <<more>>
March 4, 2010. First Bibliomation Libraries Live On Evergreen. Beacon Falls Public Library and Douglas Library of Hebron are the first members of Connecticut’s Bibliomation consortium to go live with the Evergreen open source ILS. Bibliomation opted to begin the move to Evergreen with a set of five pilot libraries. Slater Public Library, Windham Free Public Library, and Jonathan Trumbull Library will complete the initial group and are expected live at a later date. The entire consortium is expected live on Evergreen in 2011. <<more>>
March 4, 2010. Follett Software Company introduces Cognite. With leading-edge technology that engages the 21st century learner, Follett Software Company today introduced Cognite, an easy-to-use digital learning environment that integrates discovery tools, retrieval and communication with the goal of creating a vibrant experience where K-12 students excel. Cognite is the newest solution built on Follett Software’s tradition of educational excellence, helping to enrich the K-12 learning experience. <<more>>
March 4, 2010. ByWater Solutions Celebrates One Year of Providing Open Source Services to Libraries. ByWater Solutions, an open source community supporter and official Koha support company, celebrated their one year anniversary for providing quality implementation and support services for open source ILS’s such as Koha and Evergreen. <<more>>
March 3, 2010. Axiell develops world's first mobile application for dual access to library information via iPhone and Android. Axiell, is developing new software which will allow library patrons to visit libraries online via their iPhone or Android-based device. Axiell conceived the application in conjunction with BridgeIT, a Danish mobile software development specialist. BridgeIT has particular expertise in the field of mobile solutions, with emphasis on development for several mobile platforms simultaneously. <<more>>
March 3, 2010. Second phase of Natural Resources Canada Libraries now live on Evergreen. Natural Resources Canada Library has gone live with the second phase of their migration to Evergreen, the consortial open-source library automation software. Equinox Software oversaw the migration and is providing ongoing technical support. This new set of libraries joins those from the first phase of migrations which was completed over the summer. <<more>>
March 3, 2010. Ready to Go: DSpace 1.6 is Now Available. The DuraSpace organization announced the long-awaited release of DSpace 1.6, the popular turn-key open source application for managing and providing access to digital content used to create more than 800 repository instances worldwide. The release of DSpace 1.6 was led by Stuart Lewis, community release manager and IT Innovations analyst and developer at the University of Auckland Library. Lewis worked closely with DSpace developers, community members and DuraSpace staff to make the best possible version of DSpace 1.6 publicly available. <<more>>
March 2, 2010. Acton Public Library Partners with ByWater Solutions for Koha Implementation . ByWater Solutions, an open source community supporter and official Koha support company, announced that Acton Public Library, of Old Saybrook, CT. has partnered with them for the installation and support of the community version of the Koha integrated library system. <<more>>
March 2, 2010. Tech Logic announces second-generation Personal Payment System . Tech Logic has released its second-generation Personal Payment System. The improved design boasts a more compact footprint, reducing the product’s overall size by almost 25 percent. <<more>>
March 1, 2010. PTFS Presents ArchivalWare Widget. PTFS developed a widget for its flagship content management software, ArchivalWare. The ArchivalWare widget can be embedded on any web page, helping to reach new users, drive traffic to a site and extend the reach of content across the web. <<more>>
March 1, 2010. West End Public School Libraries Now Live on LibLime Enterprise Koha. West End Public School Libraries, as a member of ASCC (Automation System Colorado Consortium), are now live on a new integrated library system (ILS): LibLime Enterprise Koha. LibLime is the leader in open-source solutions for libraries. <<more>>
February 26, 2010. The Higher Colleges of Technology go live with AirPAC. The Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates have enabled the new AirPAC for Smartphones, allowing patrons to use the library catalog on mobile devices such as the iPhone, BlackBerry Storm, and more. As the first AirPAC customer in the United Arab Emirates, the library chose AirPAC because it was a new incentive for the students to gain access to the library catalog. <<more>>
February 26, 2010. Silicon Valley University is the first to license EOS.Web Academic. EOS International is proud to announce that Silicon Valley University is the first library to take advantage of its recently released EOS.Web Academic product. EOS.Web Academic was officially released in September of 2009, with Silicon Valley University becoming the first customer in December of 2009. To date, EOS International now has five EOS.Web Academic clients and nearly 100 academic clients in total worldwide. <<more>>
February 26, 2010. Blue Ribbon Task Force Report: Preserving Our Digital Knowledge Base Must be a Public Priority. Addressing one of the most urgent societal challenges of the Information Age - ensuring that valued digital information will be accessible not just today, but in the future - requires solutions that are at least as much economic and social as technical, according to a new report by a Blue Ribbon Task Force. <<more>>
February 25, 2010. East View joins Summon Web-Scale Discovery, boosting international research. International research through Serials Solutions’ Summon web-scale discovery service is significantly expanding through an agreement with East View Information Services for content on its Universal Database platform, a significant source for newspapers, scholarly journals, government publications, archival content and business periodicals from Russia, China and across Eurasia. As with the other 6,200+ content providers to the Summon service, East View will provide full text directly to Serials Solutions for inclusion in the service’s massive unified index, the only one of its kind. <<more>>
February 25, 2010. University of Newcastle, Australia Selects Relais ILL Hosted Service. Relais International announced that University of Newcastle, Australia has selected the Relais ILL Hosted Service. The Hosted Service will be managed by CAVAL Ltd, Relais’ partner in Australia. <<more>>
February 25, 2010. Kansas City Public Library chooses VITAL for Research Repository. Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, Missouri, selected VITAL repository software to upgrade and expand the KCResearch digital repository. VITAL will allow the library to implement and connect two open source solutions: Fedora Commons and Drupal. The KCResearch repository will contain a database consisting of a wide variety of research concerning all things Kansas City, a website for KC organizations to create profiles and highlight research and activities in a collaborative community portal where members can find information and interact with community members with similar research needs. <<more>>
The Library Technology Guides website aims to provide comprehensive and objective
information related to the field of library automation.
It provides information on the technology products, companies, and trends that impact libraries.
Whether you are in the process of selecting a library automation system,
or just want to keep up with developments in the field,
Library Technology Guides is the place to start.
GuidePosts
Perspective and commentary by Marshall Breeding | Blog Archive |
|
2009 in review from Smart Libraries Newsletter, Part one
As a contributing editor to Smart Libraries Newsletter published by ALA TechSource, I write one or more short articles each month on developments in the field of library automation. This publication, known from 1981-2000 as Library Systems Newsletter, has chronicled the events in the field since July 1981. I’ve had the privilege to contribute since 2005. My agreement with ALA allows me to post what I write for them on my Web site after a specified embargo period. For 2009 it was 3 months, beginning in 2010 it will be 6 months. I believe this is a fair arrangement that helps sustain TechSource, but that provides open access within a reasonable period. To get access to SLN articles as they are published, consider subscribing.
The following are the articles that I wrote for Smart Libraries Newsletter in the first half of 2009. I’ll post the second half soon.
Jan 2009: V-smart: A New Web-based Library Automation System from Infor
Infor Library and Information Solutions launched the general release of V-smart in November 2008. V-smart is a new, fully Web-based integrated library system. This product continues the evolution of the Vubis library automation system, advancing the product from the client/server architecture into the realm of Web-based computing, the preferred technology approach in the current technology environment. This release follows the testing and early adoption of the software in two French libraries, Sainte-Geneviève University and La Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris. Infor indicates that at least ten additional libraries are preparing to move to V-smart.
Feb 2009 Inmagic Helps Organizations Build Social Knowledge Networks with Presto
In keeping with the ever-present themes of Web 2.0 and social computing, Inmagic has launched a new version of Presto that fully embraces these concepts and casts a new approach to knowledge management, which it terms Social Knowledge Networks. Initially announced at the Special Library Association Annual Conference in June 2008 and released in late 2008, Version 3 of Inmagic’s Presto product has been enhanced with a number offeatures that enable the organization to enhance and extend its knowledge assets through controlled use of social networking technologies and concepts. Though the growth of new features in the product extends only incrementally beyond previous versions, the shift toward Social Knowledge Networks represents a new strategic focus of the company and itsapproach to knowledge management.
Mar 2009: Summon: A New Search Service from Serials Solutions
Serials Solutions announced a new discovery service called Summon that aims to provide a unified search tool for library users. The goal of this tool is to provide access to all of a library’s content, print and electronic, through a single search box. At the heart of summon lies a very large index of content that the company is building from a variety of sources. This index includes the full text of a large body of articles provided by many different publishers as well as open access content. Summon aims toexpand its index to include all of the content represented in a library’s collection of subscriptions, its local print holdings and other resources.
Biblios.net: An open content bibliographic service from LibLime
LibLime, a company that bases its business on providing services for open source software, has launched a new project called biblios.net. Biblios.net is a new cataloging tool for libraries with access to a large pool of MARC records. The service consists of two components: biblios, a Web-based cataloging interface and biblios.net, the repository of MARC records.
Apr 2009: Open Source Discovery Interfaces Gain Momentum
In addition to Discovery products created by commercial companies, a number of alternatives have emerged in the open source arena. These open source products allow libraries to follow a more experimental approach in establishing their nextgeneration discovery interface strategy. Libraries can download and install the software on a test server, load sample data sets, and customize it without the need to make a major commitment or financial outlay. They can even experiment with multiple products. Theavailability of these open source products allows a library to make an initial investigation of a new generation interface and gain hands-on experience, even if they might eventually decide to purchase a commercial product. In the open source discovery interface arena, VUfind stands as the dominant product. The Mellon-funded eXtensible Catalog project has been underway for about 2 years and will soon be releasing software. Other open source discovery technologies emerging include the University of Virginia’s Blacklight and OpenBib, which is an example of discovery interfaces developed internationally.
May 2009: OCLC Partners with EBSCO to Expand Access to Articles in WorldCat Local
In the world of next-generation discovery interfaces, competitors battle to deliver more and more content through a single search box. OCLC positions WorldCat Local as a next generation library interface, using its massive WorldCat database to provide a novel model of access to library collections rather than Web-based online catalogs tied to the contents of a single library or consortium. WorldCat Local embodies the approach of presenting users with the ability to search against an expansive universe of resources, sorting results so that items available locally appear more prominently than those from more distant locations. This model allows library users to easily discover materials even when they are not held by their local library, with a built-in streamlined approach for requesting materials held in other libraries.
Jun 2009: bX Recommender Service Now Available from Ex Libris
Ex Libris has developed a new service called the bX Recommender that takes advantage of social data to determine related works for any given article. This approach brings Web 2.0 concepts to the realm of scholarly content to provide a new and innovative service. The bX Recommender service mines a vast repository of data from link resolvers across multiple institutions. With link servers mediating the process of connecting users to scholarly content, an interesting opportunity emerges to gather user data and apply it to value-added services. In the same way that search engines rely on social data to determine relevancy for Web-based resources, Ex Libris has devised a service that relies on the user data from link resolvers. Many libraries make use of link resolvers to provide access to the ever-increasing body of articles that are represented in their collections of e-journals.
Marshall Breeding Mar 4, 2010 11:06:12 Link to this thread
Caveat and Credit
Library Technology Guides was created and is edited by Marshall Breeding, the Director for Innovative Technologies and Research at the Jean and Alexander Heard Library at Vanderbilt University. He is solely responsible for all content on this site, and for any errors it may contain. Please notify him if you find any errors or omissions.
Follow Marshall on 
.