Polaris Library Systems News

Wednesday May 16, 2012

All 228 Press Releases from Polaris Library Systems

20 most recent items:

March 14, 2012. Polaris library systems demonstrates industry-first features at PLA 2012. Polaris Library Systems is demonstrating several new features of the latest version of its library automation software, Polaris 4.1, at the Public Library Association Conference in Philadelphia, March 13-17. Two of the most exciting features Polaris is demonstrating are the integration of e-Books and the new Community Profiles product, both industry-first features that will revolutionize the way that patrons and libraries interact. <<more>>

March 8, 2012. 3M Cloud Library announces integration with Polaris ILS. 3M Library Systems and Polaris Library Systems announce a strategic partnership that will make browsing and checking out eBooks simpler than ever. The 3M Cloud Library eBook Lending Service will now be integrated with the Polaris Integrated Library System, allowing patrons at participating libraries to discover both physical and digital collections from wherever they are browsing—the library’s own public access catalog or from the 3M Cloud Library applications. This first-of-its-kind integration between an ILS and eBook service will bring added convenience to library patrons, who will now be able to browse and check out both physical books and eBooks from one unified interface. The system will also enable unified account profiles, where users will be able to view status updates or receive notifications for all of their materials—both physical and digital. Additionally, with the integrated system, statistics on 3M eBooks will be collected in real time and included in circulation reports—a valuable asset for librarians. <<more>>

January 20, 2012. Polaris Library Systems continues strong growth; reaches 59 signed contracts in 2011. Polaris Library Systems announced that it ends 2011 with a total of 59 signed contracts, up from 27 signed contracts in 2010. These contracts represent a total of 285 new library locations and 41 new customers for the year. Polaris has experienced steady growth over the last several years by expanding its customer base and growing its business with current customers. High customer satisfaction ratings – for both the Polaris ILS and its service and support – have helped the company consistently earn new business from both public and academic libraries. <<more>>

January 20, 2012. Polaris Library Systems debuts new products, new staff and enhancements to customer support at ALA Midwinter 2012. Polaris Library Systems is exhibiting at the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in Dallas. Booth number 1323 features a new design, manned with some new staff members, and offers attendees a sneak peek at the latest version of the Polaris ILS, version 4.1. In addition, the company is offering visitors a walk-through of its new customer extranet, PolarisTown. <<more>>

November 30, 2011. Don’t miss your chance to win $5,000: enter the Polaris great app challenge. Polaris Library Systems announced the Great App Challenge earlier this month; a contest that gives Polaris customers, employees and local college students the opportunity to design and build a mobile application using the Polaris application programming interface (API). The individual or team that builds the best application, as judged by Polaris Library Systems, will win $5,000. This competition is intended to incent talented software developers from regional colleges and universities, as well as startup entrepreneurs and existing Polaris customers, to create a dynamic new mobile application based on the Polaris API. <<more>>

October 18, 2011. Polaris Library Systems launches The Polaris Developer Network. Polaris Library Systems gives its customers the ability to easily build, test and share software applications with both Polaris and other libraries. With the launch of the Polaris Developer Network, Polaris grants customers open access to its application programming interface. <<more>>

October 14, 2011. Coquitlam Public Library selects Polaris. Polaris Library Systems announced that Coquitlam Public Library in British Columbia, Canada, has selected the Polaris Integrated Library System. It will replace the library’s current GEAC Advance system. <<more>>

October 6, 2011. Polaris library systems announces strong third quarter. Polaris Library Systems announces that an additional 45 libraries have signed contracts to use the Polaris Integrated Library System in the third quarter of 2011. This brings the total number of new library locations served by Polaris year-to-date to 251, and already puts Polaris ahead of 2010 in signed contracts. <<more>>

September 19, 2011. Polaris Library Systems welcomes new Vice President of Product Management . Polaris Library Systems, a leading provider of library automation technology, announced today that Steven Nielsen will assume the role of Vice President of Product Management. <<more>>

August 31, 2011. Polaris Library Systems welcomes new Vice President of Sales and Marketing . Polaris Library Systems announced that Scott McCausland will assume the role of Vice President of Sales and Marketing as of September 1. McCausland started at Polaris as Director, Library Development, in February. Prior, he was Regional Vice President of Sales for NetDeposit, and held multiple positions at Dynix/SirsiDynix from 1998-2008 with his final responsibility being Vice President of North American Sales for SirsiDynix. <<more>>

July 27, 2011. Polaris Library Systems Announces strong start to 2011. Polaris Library Systems, a leading provider of library automation technology, announced today that twenty libraries selected the Polaris Integrated Library System during the first and second quarters of 2011. <<more>>

June 22, 2011. Polaris Library Systems to debut new PAC interface at ALA Annual. Polaris Library Systems,a leading provider of library automation technology, will showcase its next generation Polaris PowerPAC offerings. Polaris PowerPAC offers a fresh face, multilingual offerings for both Mobile and PowerPAC, auto-suggest functionality, and extended support for popular smart phones for Mobile PAC. PowerPAC 4.1 features include afresh, modern look-and-feel with updated format icons, a single, print-friendly product page that allows easy customization of content from third party providers, text messaging of item availability, and text message notices, and searchable Community Profiles, which allow libraries to easily connect users to community organizations and events. <<more>>

February 8, 2011. Bergen County Cooperative Library System in New Jersey Selects the Polaris ILS. Polaris Library Systems announced that Bergen County Cooperative Library System in New Jersey has selected the Polaris Integrated Library System. BCCLS includes 75 public libraries in New Jersey's Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Passaic counties. The Polaris ILS will replace the library's SirsiDynix Symphony system. <<more>>

January 6, 2011. Polaris Library Systems to Debut Community-Focused Tools at ALA Midwinter. Polaris Library Systems will debut a suite of new products including a new Feature It tool that enables libraries to promote community and library events, services, and materials prominently in the PAC and Community Profiles, a new database product. Libraries can strengthen their services as community information centers by enabling organizations, businesses, and associations to enter and maintain their information in Community Profiles through an easy-to-use, web-based editor. <<more>>

December 20, 2010. Darien Library is live on the Polaris ILS. Polaris Library Systems announced that Darien Library, in Connecticut, is live on the Polaris ILS. Prior to selecting Polaris, Darien used the Millennium system by Innovative Interfaces. <<more>>

December 16, 2010. Harford County Public Library in Maryland Selects the Polaris ILS. Polaris Library Systems announced that Harford County Public Library in Belcamp, Maryland, selected the Polaris Integrated Library System. Harford County Public Library provides library services to over 210,000 registered borrowers. The Polaris ILS will replace the library's SirsiDynix Horizon system. <<more>>

November 30, 2010. Polaris Library Systems announces new appointments . Polaris Library Systems announced new appointments at the senior management level.Effective immediately, Jodi Bellinger assumes the role of Executive Director of Customer Operations. Connie Wilson will now assume the role of Customer Relations Manager. Anita Wagner has been appointed Vice President of Product Management. Anita Wagner has been appointed Vice President of Product Management. Kathryn Spier-Miller has been appointed Executive Director of Marketing and Communications. <<more>>

November 4, 2010. Sno-Isle Libraries Selects the Polaris ILS. Polaris Library Systems announced that Sno-Isle Libraries selected the Polaris Integrated Library System. Sno-Isle Libraries provides services to twenty-one communities in Washington State. <<more>>

October 13, 2010. Chattahoochee Valley Libraries in Georgia Selects the Polaris ILS. Polaris Library Systems announced that the Chattahoochee Valley Libraries, based in Columbus, Georgia, selected the Polaris Integrated Library System. The Polaris ILS will replace the library's SirsiDynix Horizon system. <<more>>

October 7, 2010. Syracuse iSchool and Polaris Library Systems announce collaboration to develop new technologies and services. Polaris Library Systems is joining forces with the Syracuse University School of Information Studies. The collaboration seeks to improve technological and information services available to libraries and to provide more research and professional development experiences for iSchool students. A key aspect of the collaboration involves the implementation of the Polaris ILS test environment at the iSchool for education and research this fall. <<more>>

September 23, 2010. Yuba Community College District in California Selects the Polaris ILS. Polaris Library Systems announced that Yuba Community College District in California selected the Polaris Integrated Library System. Yuba Community College District includes Yuba College, Woodland Community College, and Clear Lake Campus. The Polaris ILS will be hosted and will replace the library's SirsiDynix Symphony system. <<more>>

Note: The information on this page is a directory listing and is not the company's own Web site. The company may offer additional products and services other than those listed here. Library Technology Guides focuses primarily on Integrated Library Systems. Return to company list

Polaris Library Systems

103 Commerce Boulevard PO Box 4903
Syracuse, 13221-4903
United States
Toll free: 800-272-3414
Fax: 315-457-5883
Web site: http://www.polarislibrary.com
Email: info@polarislibrary.com

Executives

Jim Carrick -- Chairman
Bill Schickling -- President, Chief Executive Officer
Jim Mieczkowski -- Chief Information Officer
David Bendekovic -- Chief Sales and Marketing Officer
Anita Wagner -- Vice President and Board Secretary
Kevin Bryans -- Chief Financial Officer
Scott McCausland -- Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Steven Nielsen -- Vice President of Product Management
Connie Wilson -- Customer Relations Manager
Jodi Bellinger -- Executive Director of Customer Operations

Company Ownership

Polaris Library Systems is owned by its management through a holding company named PLS Solutions.

Library automation systems

Polaris Library Systems offers the following Integrated Library Systems:

Polaris (929 libraries, 1907 facilities in lib-web-cats)
Public libraries: 850
Academic libraries: 38
School libraries: 6
36 libraries have migrated away from this system.
Galaxy (1 libraries, 1 facilities in lib-web-cats)
Public libraries: 1
Academic libraries: 0
School libraries: 0
347 libraries have migrated away from this system.

A total of 1908 library facilities included in lib-web-cats use an ILS provided by Polaris Library Systems.

Corporate Chronology

Jan 15, 2010	Management buy-out of Polaris Library Systems from Croydon Company. Polaris Library Systems, a leading provider of library automation technology, announced today an agreement that transitions the company to employee ownership. The agreement was made with Croydon Company, the privately held investment firm that has owned Polaris from its inception in 1974.
May 1, 2005	GIS Information Systems renamed Polaris Library Systems. GIS Information Systems, Inc. announced today that effective immediately the company will be known as Polaris Library Systems. The new name reflects the way the company is recognized in the marketplace – by the name of its technologically advanced Polaris® Integrated Library System.
May 20, 2003	Gaylord Information Systems renamed GIS Information Systems. Gaylord Information Systems announced that the name of the company has been changed to GIS Information Systems, Inc. This change follows on the announcement that DEMCO, Inc. has acquired the Gaylord library supplies and furniture division of Gaylord Bros., Inc. from the Croydon Company. Croydon, which has owned Gaylord Bros. for more than thirty years, will continue to own GIS Information Systems, Inc.
May 16, 2003	Bill Schickling named President and Chief Executive Officer. GIS Information Systems, Inc. announced the resignation of President Katherine Blauer. William Schickling, GIS vice president of research and development, was named as Blauer’s successor. Blauer will continue in an advisory role through December 2003.
May 1, 2003	Croydon Company sells Gaylord Bros to Demco, retains ownership of Gaylord Information Systems. Gaylord Information Systems, a leader in library automation with its Polaris and GALAXY integrated library systems, announced today that the name of the company has been changed to GIS Information Systems, Inc. This change follows on the announcement that DEMCO, Inc. has ac
Jul 9, 2001	Death of Morris Bergreen. Morris H. Bergreen, a Director of Gaylord Bros., died unexpectedly on Monday, July 9th in New York City. Mr. Bergreen was 83 years old.
May 25, 1999	Katherine Blauer appointed President, Gaylord Information Systems. Ms. Blauer comes to GIS as a proven and successful leader in the library industry. Prior to joining GIS, Ms. Blauer spent two years at Information Access Company in Foster City, California as Vice President, Sales. Ms. Blauer also brings a wealth of knowledge about libraries, information management, and automation solutions to her new position. She spent 11 years with OCLC in a variety of positions, five of those years as Director, National Sales. Prior to her work with OCLC, Ms. Blauer spent 15 years excelling in technical and public services positions at public, academic, and special libraries in the United States and the United Kingdom. Most notable of this experience is work at the Carnegie Mellon University, American Electric Power, University College London, the University of Glasgow, and Glasgow Public Libraries.
Feb 15, 1997	Polaris introduced as new ILS. Gaylord will offer its new POLARIS client/server automated library system product to academic, public, and school libraries which require systems supporting more than 100 concurrent users. Galaxy will continue to be offered to smaller public libraries-the market segment of which it has sold best over the past few years. POLARIS will be offered only under the Windows NT operating system, rather than both UNIX and NT as previously planned.
Mar 1, 1996	Michael K. Skiles named President of Gaylord Information Systems. President Ron Beckman named former Data Research Associates(DRA) executive Michael K. Skiles as Division President of Gaylord Information Systems (GIS).
1993	Gaylord introduces COSMOS. COSMOS is specifically designed to meet the needs of a small library requiring fewer than 10 terminals. COSMOS provides the same range of functions and features as Gaylord's GALAXY Integrated Library System.
1989	Gaylord Information Systems introduces Galaxy. Gaylord Information Systems offers both turnkey systems and software packages. Its multifunction, multi-user system is Galaxy, introduced in 1989. It has a number of circulation-only installations. The hardware is Digital VAX VMS using the VMS operating system. The programming language is C.
1988	Gaylord System 400 Circulation.
1985	Gaylord acquires LSSI. Gaylord recently announced that it has agreed in principle to acquire LSSI, which will continue to pursue its areas of interest as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gaylord.
1984	Gaylord introduces GS 3000 Catalog Management System.
1975	Gaylord Libary Systems established.
1975	Gaylord introduces Gaylord System 100 Circulation.
1930	Gaylord Bros introduce Model C Book Charger .

Key Articles from Library Technology Guides

The following are a sample of articles related to the major events in the corporate history of Polaris Library Systems, or you can view all articles related to the company from Library Technology Guides.

Library Technology Guides

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