June 9, 1999—Innovative Interfaces, a leader in library information technology, and MOBIUS, a consortium of academic libraries in the state of Missouri, have reached agreement to link the collections of 50 academic libraries across the state in a project known as the Common Library Platform project.
MOBIUS systems will be linked by INN-Reach, Innovative's union catalog software, and Millennium library automation systems will be installed in the new member libraries. "The MOBIUS Common Library Platform project is a revolutionary step forward for Missouri institutions of higher education," said George Rickerson, executive director of MOBIUS.
Rickerson added, "Using the Millennium and INN-Reach systems, Innovative will give MOBIUS libraries immediate access to each other's collections. Staff and patrons at the current MOBIUS institutions love the quick turnaround and the elimination of paperwork for moving materials between campuses. Soon most colleges and universities in the state will be able to share these benefits."
"INN-Reach offers libraries in a consortium the ability to multiply their collection size exponentially; the union catalog is both a research and finding tool. MOBIUS shows how an extremely large group of highly diverse libraries and collections can migrate from many systems seamlessly and incrementally," said Sandy Westall, Innovative's vice president and INN-Reach product manager.
"The INN-Reach system in Missouri provides the perfect venue for resource sharing for the academic libraries of Missouri. Academic libraries are facing a multitude of challenges today, and the MOBIUS Common Library Platform provides both a focus and a plan for libraries as well as a strategic direction for institutions," said Cathye Dierberg, MOBIUS executive committee chair.
"MOBIUS' decision to use Millennium and INN-Reach systems for its project proves once again that Innovative provides the most flexible, functional, and scalable solutions available," added Westall.
"We look forward to this opportunity to build on our previous relationship with Innovative. The MOBIUS Common Library Platform project will extend the benefits of technology in a cost-effective manner to the broadest range of academic library patrons in Missouri while enhancing the value of existing library collections," said Rickerson.
The MOBIUS consortium builds on the earlier work of the six members of the MIRACL consortium: the University of Missouri (Columbia, Kansas City, Rolla, and St. Louis), Washington University, and Saint Louis University. These universities implemented an INN-Reach system in early 1999 and now constitute the first two live MOBIUS clusters.
The next MOBIUS cluster (Columbia College, Kemper Military School and College, Lincoln University, Stephens College, Westminster College, and William Woods University) will go live in September 1999. Implementation of the remaining clusters for the full 50-site system will be completed over a three-year period.
The MOBIUS Common Library Platform Project is sponsored by the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education and is being implemented using a combination of state appropriations and member contributions. MOBIUS is one the largest academic consortia in the United States, with joint holdings of more than 14 million volumes. The new member libraries will migrate to Millennium from systems installed by a variety of vendors including Ameritech, DRA, GEAC, TLC, Inlex, and Winnebago.
