Library Technology Guides

April 24, 2013

Islamic Library of Brunei Darussalam selects Virtua ILS and Chamo. VTLS, Inc.

VTLS announced that the Islamic Library of Brunei Darussalam has selected Virtua ILS and Chamo as the main components of its Islamic Digital Library System (IDLS). The IDLS project will include data conversion, cataloging, digitization and portal development. The implementation of Virtua and Chamo will improve the services provided by the existing tools in use at the library.

April 12, 2013

Methodist College Kuala Lumpur goes for Virtua Cloud. VTLS, Inc.

VTLS Inc. announces that Methodist College Kuala Lumpur has become the first customer subscriber to the Virtua Cloud in Malaysia. The three-year subscription package includes the Virtua ILS and Chamo Social OPAC hosted on a locally managed cloud, with all system management services provided by the VTLS office in Malaysia. MCKL’s Tan Sri Runme Shaw Library has a collection of more than 11,000 books, CDs, DVDs and periodicals.

March 22, 2013

Russian International Olympic University launches Virtua. VTLS, Inc.

VTLS announced that the Russian International Olympic University has become their newest customer, completing the installation of Virtua in December 2012. This local implementation was completed in cooperation with the VP Group, a local systems integrator and official VTLS distributor in Russia. RIOU is a new university with campuses in Moscow and in Sochi, home of the 2014 Winter Olympics. The library, which is currently under construction, will feature a significant collection of literature on the history and development of the Olympic movement and related sports management.

March 14, 2013

MozGo goes live at Richmond Public Library. VTLS, Inc.

Richmond Public Library in British Columbia has released their new MozGo Mobile App, becoming the first library to distribute MozGo to their patrons. Richmond was among the first three customers to contract for MozGo immediately following the initial product announcement. The app has been customized and fully “branded” with the library’s colors and logo. The app provides searching, lets patrons place holds and view their accounts, and provides library information for each branch. Richmond Public Library, established in 1976, serves a population of about 200,000 and circulates 4.5 million items per year. The library uses Virtua as its ILS and has been a VTLS customer since 2005.

February 25, 2013

VTLS welcomes Hamilton Public Library as its newest customer. VTLS, Inc.

VTLS announced its selection as the new Integrated Library System provider for the Hamilton Public Library in Ontario, Canada. Hamilton Public Library sought a partner with proven experience in large, multi-branch library systems who demonstrated a solid understanding of public library needs.

January 25, 2013

VTLS Enjoys Successful 2012, Looks Forward to Open Skies in 2013. VTLS, Inc.

VTLS followed up the successful implementation of Virtua at the Hong Kong Public Libraries with an eventful year focused on strategic development and continuing sales success. Among the key software developments in 2012 were the MozGo Mobile App, designed to work with any ILS, and the addition of floating collections management to Virtua, featuring advanced automatic load-balancing capabilities. VTLS also signed contracts for 12 Virtua ILS systems, 26 Chamo and Chamo Discovery, 2 Fastrac RFID systems and 3 MozGo Mobile App implementations. In addition, VTLS continued to expand its expertise in providing Drupal-based solutions with 4 new contracts for Vorpal (VTLS Drupal solutions). In addition, the past year brought the introduction of the VTLS Open Skies Library Services Platform.

Arab World Institute in Paris chooses VTLS. VTLS, Inc.

VTLS announced that the Arab World Institute in Paris has selected Virtua SaaS and Chamo Discovery for the automation of their libraries. The IMA, located in a distinguished building in the heart of Paris, serves as a museum, library and a research institute. The new system will manage the various components of the Institute including the main library, Médiathèque Jeunesse (Youth Media Library) and museum as well as the Picture Library and Audiovisual Collections. The entire system will be implemented at the VTLS hosting facility and managed by VTLS, freeing the library from day-to-day system tasks. Actual implementation commenced on the 1st of January 2013 with completion and go-live set to take place in two stages in June and September.

July 15, 2012

Mobile APP for libraries takes off: several libraries commit to MozGo . VTLS, Inc.

The new MozGo Mobile App will soon be in production in several public libraries in the US and Canada. A few short weeks after being announced at the ALA Annual Conference, MozGo was purchased by three libraries: Richmond Public Library, Smyth-Bland Regional Library and Vaughan Public Library.

June 18, 2012

Virtua adds floating collections management . VTLS, Inc.

Advanced floating collections management is now available in the Virtua ILS. This new functionality is designed to improve the efficiency of floating collections management by providing a flexible and easily configurable solution. What distinguishes Virtua’s floating collections management from other solutions is the inclusion of a configurable collection-balancing function. If your library has a high-traffic branch receiving a large percentage of returned items, Virtua will ensure that the items are redistributed equally among branches according to library-defined parameters. Library staff can easily set and modify rules for floating collections based on item class and location. Libraries will have complete flexibility over what does and does not float and in setting the criteria for collection balancing.

June 11, 2012

Announcing MozGo, the new Multi-Platform Library Mobile App . VTLS, Inc.

Libraries want an affordable and reliable app that will provide the features patrons want without imposing additional work for already overburdened systems staff. Recognizing this need for a consistent, full-featured app that will make lives easier for both patrons and staff, VTLS developed MozGo. The name derives from the Hungarian word for mobile (mozgó). MozGo employs an innovative cloud-based "mobile mediator” to provide a flexible solution that can be used with almost any ILS. VTLS applies the library’s branding to the MozGo app, tailoring it to each library.

May 7, 2012

VTLS Provides Vorpal Solutions for Kansas City Public Library’s Drupal projects. VTLS, Inc.

The Kansas City Public Library selected VTLS to provide Drupal development and support services. These services are being offered by VTLS under the name of Vorpal Solutions. VTLS will work with KCPL staff to develop several microsites, including one on the Missouri-Kansas Conflict that will provide access to thousands of pages of Civil War primary sources. VTLS Inc. will also develop custom search interfaces. In addition, VTLS will enhance website functionality; provide select graphic design and supply overall support for the library’s existing websites, all within Drupal.

May 3, 2012

UMTECH in Malaysia goes for Virtua ILS and Chamo. VTLS, Inc.

VTLS announced that the University of Management and Technology, located in Malaysia, has chosen the Virtua ILS and Chamo Social OPAC for managing its books and library collection.

April 30, 2012

VTLS Inc. recommended for ISO 9001:2008 re-certification. VTLS, Inc.

VTLS recently completed a comprehensive, three-day ISO 9000 re-certification audit. The result of the audit was extremely positive with a recommendation for continuation of the VTLS ISO 9001:2008 registration for another three years. Additionally, VTLS holds the UKAS TickIT certification, which was adopted specifically for use in the information technology industries. The audit was conducted by British Standards Institute with the objective of assessing the quality management system in place at VTLS in its entirety. The audit was structured to satisfy the requirements of the standard and to evaluate the company policies and procedures for the purpose of extending certification for another three years.

VTLS software engineer wins grand prize in the Hokie Health Code-a-thon 2012. VTLS, Inc.

Teams of student and professional developers signed up to compete with each other in the Hokie Health Code-a-thon 2012, which was held on Friday, April 13th, in Blacksburg, Virginia. The goal of the competition was to create innovative software solutions that would help improve healthcare. Eleven teams participated. The teams came in with a blank slate and were tasked to start work on a completely new domain and a totally foreign set of data. The only single-person team was Hussein Ahmed, a software engineer at VTLS Inc. in Blacksburg. He single handedly won the grand prize with his application "HeyRecall."

April 25, 2012

VTLS Drupal Consulting and Development Services are now Vorpal Solutions. VTLS, Inc.

VTLS has expanded its Drupal consulting and development services under a new name: Vorpal Solutions. The change resulted from an increasing interest in Drupal in the library community as libraries look for ways to take advantage of the power and flexibility of the open-source Drupal CMS. Vorpal Solutions covers a range of services to help libraries with their Drupal projects, ranging from integrating OPAC functions with a Drupal-based website to consulting services to help organization’s in-house Drupal designer improve features and performance.