Library Technology Guides

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Volume 4 Number 04 (April 1984)

LSN local systems market survey

As in past years, the editors of LSN have surveyed the local library systems market to determine the state of the industry and the individual vendors. Contacts were made with some 27 companies known to be marketing systems of software in North America. At the time of going to press, the vendors of the Virginia Tech Library System Software and Systems Control, Inc. were still completing their responses. Reports on these vendors will be included when received by LSN. Also planned for future issues are more detailed profiles of some of the vendors.

As of the end of 1983, the vendors discussed in this issue were supporting more than 560 operational sites worldwide with another 65 systems awaiting installation. Of this total of 625 sold systems, more than a quarter (174) had been purchased in 1983. The library automation industry is obviously alive and thriving.

Among the TURNKEY VENDORS, two companies-CLSI and Geac-reported gross sales in excess of $15 million. A third company-DataPhase-reported sales between $5 and $9 million. CLSI led the turnkeys with the largest number of installed and accepted systems (209), while DataPhase and Geac tied for second place (65 each). CLSI reported the highest number of new system sales (29) during 1983, followed by Geac (21) and a new entrant, OCLC Inc. (16) . Other vendors reporting ten or more new systems sales in 1983 were Data Research Associates and Dynix.

Biblio-Techniques, agents for the sale of the Washington Library Network (WLN) software in North America and vendors of the WLN-based Biblio-Techniques Library Information System (BLIS) report having sold three systems during 1983. None of the systems had become operational by the end of the year. WLN made one overseas sale of the WLN software in 1983, bringing the total of operational WLN systems to six. All of the WLN systems are using the cataloging and authority control functions. The acquisitions capabilities and the interim interlibrary loan module are being used only at the Network's home site.

[Contact: Biblio-Techniques, 828 East 7th Avenue, Olympia, WA 98501.]

CL Systems, Inc. reports that at the end of 1983 it was supporting 209 installed and accepted CLSI 100 systems of which 22 were multiprocessor configurations. During the year 29 systems were sold and at the end of the year five of these were awaiting installation or acceptance. Gross sales were in excess of $15 million and the company realized an after tax profit for the year. Circulation was in use at all sites as was local cataloging. Interlibrary loan was the next most popular subsystem being used by 71 libraries; 48 sites were utilizing patron access catalog capabilities and 23 were using the acquisitions software. Six libraries made use of the materials booking module. Of the interfaces, OCLC was most popular being used in 70 libraries; 11 used the MiniMARC interface, 2 UTLAS, and one each RLIN and WLN. [Contact: CLSI, 1220 Washington Street, West Newton, MA 02165.]

CTI Library Systems Inc. reports that as of the end of 1983 it was supporting 23 installed and accepted systems, and that it sold 9 during 1983. Two systems were awaiting installation. Gross sales were between $1 and $4 million for the year. All installations were using the circulation, local cataloging, global authority control and patron access catalog features; interlibrary loan was implemented at 4 sides, and the materials booking (audiovisual) system was operational at 2 sites. At least 1 installation is believed to be utilizing the online OCLC interface, and S the tape interface; 2 sites were using tape interfaces to WLN. The interface to remote data base services such as BRS and Dialog was in use at an estimated 5 sites, and 5 were using the system to support word processing. The company is particularly interested in the international market, having placed some 9 of its 23 systems outside of North America.

[Contact: CTI Library Systems Inc., 354 Brook Hollow Drive, Sanata Anna, CA 92705.]

DataPhase reports that as of the end of 1983 it was supporting 65 installed and accepted ALIS systems, 10 of which are multiprocessor installations. During 1983 6 systems were sold, and 2 were awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year. The company's gross sales for the year were between $5 and $9 million. Text editing was utilized on 64 systems and circulation and local cataloging were operational on 63 of the systems; the next most popular functions were the reserve book room, mailbox, report generator and notice production, and MARC output features, each of which was operational at 55 sites. The inter branch loan capability was used at 13 installations and interlibrary loan at 11. The acquisitions software was being used at 2 installations, and patron access catalog and materials booking were each implemented at 1 site. The OCLC interface was being used on 45 systems, and the MiniMARC interface on 2.

[Contact: DataPhase, Inc., 9000 West 67th Street, 2nd Floor, Shawnee Mission, KS 66202.]

Data Research Associates markets not only ATLAS, an integrated automated library system, but also a standalone Library System for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH). DRA reports that at the end of 1983, 4 ATLAS systems and 7 LBPH systems were installed and accepted; 2 of the systems are configured around multiple processors. The sale of 11 ATLAS and 4 LBPH systems during the year resulted in gross sales of between $1 and $4 million, and an after tax profit for the company. The number of systems awaiting installation or acceptance was equal to the number sold during the year. Circulation, local cataloging and interlibrary loan functions were operational on 9 systems and the same number were using the OCLC interface. All 9 had also received the patron access catalog module, and at least 2 were known to be using this function. Word processing and accounting were each supported on 2 systems.

[Contact: Data Research Associates, Inc., 9270 Olive Boulevard, St. Louis, MO. 63132-3276.]

Dynix, a new company formed in the second half of 1983, reports that it was supporting 7 operational automated library system installations by the end of the year and, having sold 10 systems during the year, had 3 systems awaiting installation or acceptance. Gross revenue from sales was under $1 million. All installed sites were using circulation, local cataloging and global authority control together with the patron access catalog function. Tape interfaces to all utilities were available-3 libraries were using the OCLC facility and 1 WLN- and an online interface to OCLC was under development. Serials control software was also being developed. The company is targeting the small systems market, configuring hardware and software packages for under $50,000 in many cases.

[Contact: Dynix, 1455 West 820 North, Provo, UT 84601.]

Geac reports that by the end of 1983 it had a total of 65 installed and accepted systems-.46 in North America and 19 in Europe. Its three multiprocessor installations were all in North America. During the year, 21 systems were sold of which 11 were waiting installation at the end of the year. Gross sales of library systems for 1983 were in excess of $15 million and the library division of the firm realized an after tax profit for the year. In the North American installations the modules most frequently implemented were circulation (37) and local cataloging (21) followed by acquisitions (7); 11 libraries were using the OCLC interface, 6 each the RLIN and UTLAS interfaces, 2 WLN, and 1 the MiniMARC interface. Five of the systems utilized the word processing capabilities of the software and 1 the patron access catalog.

[Contact: Geac, 350 Steelcase Road West, Markum, Ontario L3R 1B3 Canada.]

H.C.E. Library Automation Systems reports that it had installed 1 of its Inter Active Library Processing Systems by the end of 1983 and had made two sales during the year. The systems sold in '83 were still awaiting installation or acceptance. Cross sales for the year were under $1 million and the company realized an after tax profit for the year. By the end of the year circulation was operational at one site and acquisitions and local cataloging were being utilized at two sites. [Contact: H.C.E. Library Automation Systems, P.O. Box 18265, Port Worth, TX 76118.1

OCLC Inc. and Avatar Systems Inc., its recent acquisition, had 9 installed and accepted systems by the end of 1983. During the year 16 systems were sold, 7 of which were awaiting installation or acceptance. Gross sales for the year were between $1 and $4 million. All of the installed systems were utilizing circulation, local cataloging, global authority control, patron access catalog, and the OCLC interface. Acquisition and serials control were under development, but with no announced release date.

[Contact: Local Systems Division, OCLC, Inc., 6565 Frantz Road, Dublin, OH 43017]

M/A-COM Sigma Data reports that it was supporting 11 installations of its DATALIB automated library system by the end of 1983. Three systems were sold during the year, 2 of which were awaiting installation. The library divisions' gross sales were under $1 million and it realized an after tax profit for 1983. Acquisitions capabilities were operational at all installed sites. Local cataloging, global authority control and patron access catalog functions were operational at 7 sites, and circulation at 6. One site was using an interface to external data base vendors such as BRS or Dialog. The company is concentrating its marketing efforts on special libraries.

[Contact: M/A-COM Sigma Data, Inc., 5515 Security Lane, Rockville, MD 20852.]

The Sedna Corporation reports that it was supporting 3 installations of its Sedna Information Management System (SIMS) at the end of 1983. All were multiprocessor installations. One of the systems was sold during the year and none were awaiting installation or acceptance. Gross sales for the year were under $1 million. Acquisitions, local cataloging, global authority control and serials control were operational at all sites. Materials booking, patron access catalog, fund accounting and bindery preparation modules were each being used at 1 site.

[Contact: Sedna Corporation, 970 Raymond Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55114.]

Sirsi Corporation reports that as of the end of 1983 it was supporting 2 installations of its Unicorn Collection Management System; 4 systems were awaiting installation or acceptance. Five systems were sold during the year giving the' company an after tax profit for 1983. The installed systems were both utilizing the circulation, local cataloging, global authority control, academic reserve, word processing and OCLC tape loading features of the system.

[Contact: Sirsi Corporation, 8106-B South Memorial Parkway, Huntsville, AL 35802.]

Sydney Development Corporation, the vendor of the Easy Data Library System reported that it made four sales during 1983 resulting in gross sales of under $1 million. By the end of the year, sixteen systems were installed and accepted and two were awaiting installation/acceptance. Four of the installations utilize multiprocessor configurations, the largest involving the linkage of seven CPUs. On the installed systems, the most popular applications are local cataloging and global authority control, capabilities which are utilized by all the installations. Acquisitions is in operation on eleven systems, and six employ the circulation module. The online patron access catalog function, designed for skilled/ experienced users, has been implemented at three sites. A Marcive interface is used by four libraries, and an RLIN interface by one. Tape loading interfaces are supported for WLN and UTLAS. Four libraries are using the system's word processing module. Although there is no formal module which provides for accessing remote data base services such as Dialog and BRS, the vendor indicated that the software allows for this capability. The company is currently emphasizing the special libraries market.

[Contact: Library Division, Sydney Development Corporation, 1382 West Eighth Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V9 Canada.]

Universal Library Systems reports that it was supporting 13 installed and accepted ULISYS systems by the end of 1983. One was a multi-processor configuration. Six systems were sold during the year, and four systems were awaiting installation or acceptance. The company realized gross sales of between $1 and $4 million. All installed systems were using the circulation and local cataloging modules and 17 had implemented global authority control. Several libraries were using the subject access capability. One library was using media booking and there was one user of the word processing software. The interlibrary loan capability was in use at 16 installations. The OCLC interface was in use at 5 sites, UTLAS at 2 and RLIN at 1 site. Universal was developing an acquisitions capability and expected to have it ready for testing by the end of 1984.

[Contact: Universal Library Systems, 205-1571 Bellevue Avenue, West Vancouver, BC V7V 1A6 Canada.]

SOFTWARE ONLY SUPPLIERS also had an active year. It appears that the most active supplier was Systemhouse, Inc., which markets the MINISIS package.

Battelle Products Center reports that there were 8 BASIS Technical Library systems installed and accepted at the end of 1983. Five systems were sold during the year, resulting in gross sales of library systems of under $1 million. The library division of the company realized an after tax profit during 1983. Circulation, acquisitions, local cataloging and patron access catalog were operating on all systems. The company is of the opinion that most sites are using the OCLC tape interface.

[Contact: Battelle Software Products Center, 505 King Avenue, Columbus, OH 43201.]

Comstow Information Services, vendor of the Biblio-Tech Library software reports that 9 libraries were using the software in operational systems by the end of 1983. Five packages were sold during the year. All users had implemented the cataloging and authority control modules and six had implemented circulation. Acquisitions and serials control were each being used by 4 libraries. Two libraries used the interlibrary loan capabilities and two were loading OCLC tapes. At least one installation was thought to be using the patron access catalog capability. Eight of the installations were using their system hardware to also support word processing and two were accessing remote data base services such as BRS and Dialog.

[Contact: Comstow Information Services, 302 Boxboro Road, Stow, MA 01775.]

The Georgetown University Medical Center Library reports that during 1983 it made two sales of its Library Information System. Cross sales were under $1 million. Three systems were operational by the end of the year and two were awaiting installation or acceptance. Each of the installed systems was utilizing the circulation, acquisitions, patron access catalog and OCLC interface components as well as the mini-Medline System. Two installations were using each of the following functions: local cataloging, global authority control, the PHILSOM interface, serials control and the word processing capabilities.

[Contact: Dahlgren Memorial Library, Georgetown University Medical Center, 3900 Reservoir Road, Washington, DC 20007]

IBM, in keeping with its usual practice, was unwilling to divulge information about the sales of its DOBIS Leuven system; nor would it reveal the number of installations. The editors know of only one new sale in North America in the past year and estimate the total number of installations worldwide at thirty.

However, a spokesman reported that each of the following modules has been implemented by at least one user in the United States: circulation, acquisitions, local cataloging, global authority control, serials control and interlibrary loan. An interface for the loading of OCLC tapes is operational and the version of the system marketed in Canada offers a UTLAS tape loading capability. In relation to word processing capabilities, the spokesman pointed out that separate word processing software could be mounted on the same hardware used for the automated library system.

[Contact: IBM, 10401 Fernwood Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817]

Northwestern University reports that it made four sales of its NOTIS software during 1983. By the end of the year ten systems were installed and accepted and one was awaiting installation. In the period under consideration, gross sales revenues were under $1 million. However, in contrast with most of the other systems reviewed, this figure represents only software sales; purchasers acquire the appropriate hardware separately. All operational sites were using the local cataloging, global authority control and circulation modules. Serials control was the next most popular function, being implemented at eight installations. Four libraries were using the system's online patron access catalog module and one had implemented circulation control. One library has implemented the word processing module. The online interface to OCLC is used at three installations.

[Contact: Northwestern University Library, 1935 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60201.1

Systemhouse Ltd., the Canadian company marketing the MINISIS system software, reports that as of the end of 1983 approximately 84 systems had been sold. The company estimates that 30 sales were made in 1903 and that all but 5 systems were installed and accepted by the end of the year. It is estimated that 25 of the systems are installed in North America, and that of 1983 sales, 6 were in North America. Most of the North American systems are used for library applications. System-house estimates that, worldwide, MINISIS is used to support local cataloging at more than 60 sites, for global authority control at 40 sites, for acquisitions at 30, and for serials control and in terlibrary loan at more than 5 sites. The 1983 sales for the library division of the company were between $1 and $4 million, and it realized an after tax profit for the year.

[Contact: Systemhouse Ltd., 2827 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1V 0C4 Canada.]

OTHER

Innovative Interfaces is an active participant in the local system market even though it does not supply fully integrated automated library systems. It offers interfaces between the utilities and CLSI systems and standalone acquisitions and serials control systems. The company reports that by the end of 1983, it had installed 80 interfaces, 13 acquisitions systems and 3 serials control systems. During 1983 it sold 18 interfaces, and 11 acquisitions and serials control systems. All but 2 of the systems were installed and accepted. The company's gross sales were between $1 and $4 million and it realized an after tax profit for the year.

[Contact: Innovative Interfaces, 2131 University Avenue, Suite 334, Berkeley, CA 94704.]

Regular readers of LSN will be aware that a number of new companies entered the local library systems market during 1983. By the end of the year some of them were still finalizing their first sales. or installations. Among the companies in this position were:

• Pennsylvania State University -- LIAS was operational at Penn State where the circulation, local cataloging and patron access catalog modules were in use. The RLIN interface and the word processing module were also being utilized and dial access from remote sites had been implemented. No sales were made during 1983, however one was finalized early in 1984.
• Advanced Library Concepts -- one AdLib system had been sold but was still awaiting installation.
• Electric Memory Inc. -- the EMILS software was being installed at test sites.

Electronic mail systems update

Two years ago Library Systems Newsletter (Vol. 2, no. 1) described electronic mail service as the fastest growing technology in libraries. The intervening months have borne witness to that appraisal.

• As the largest broker of electronic mail service to libraries, CLASS (Cooperative Library Agency for Systems and Services) estimates that the number of its institutional subscribers has doubled in the past two years, bringing the total number of passwords to nearly 1,200.
• Only two months after beginning operation in January 1984, the American Library Association has assigned over 300 mailboxes on its new ALANET electronic mail service.
• The well-known Cleveland market research firm Predicasts, Inc. recently estimated that the number of messages sent via electronic mail in the U.S. will reach eleven billion by 1995, nearly twelve times the number in 1980.

The most common library applications continue to be interlibrary loan requests, reference referrals, meeting announcements, and conference or committee work. Online publishing, legislative alerting programs, shared files, and materials ordering are becoming more available. All are activities which demonstrate the benefits of electronic mail: instantaneous transmission, the ability to leave a message even when the recipient is not present, and the ability to send the same message to many people simultaneously.

Despite its popularity, there is still no consensus on the correct definition of electronic mail. Perhaps the most useful definition for the library user is that electronic mail is the transfer of messages, graphics, and text from one computer terminal to another using digital electronic transmission. Of the several types of electronic mail systems, node-to-node networks and computer-based message systems are the most common in library applications. As detailed in previous issues of LSN, the development of high-speed digital telefacsimile machines using non-impact printers could result in fax machines carrying a larger proportion of the electronic mail traffic among libraries in the years ahead.

In node-to-node transmission, terminals communicate directly. Each station, or node, must have a "smart" terminal capable not only of composing and transmitting messages, but also of receiving and storing them. Using modems, transmission is made over the telephone system. Node-to-node communication is generally most cost-effective in local networks where local phone service expenses are minimal. For longer distances, the terminals can be configured with special equipment and software which allow messages to be transmitted automatically overnight, taking advantage of late night phone rates as well as freeing the terminal for other users during the day. Node-to-node electronic mail has been in use in libraries in Montana since 1981. Ten libraries communicate directly with one another using Apple computers as terminals and MicroCourier software. In spite of the long distances involved, the Montana State Library reports that node-to-node communication has proven to be an inexpensive alternative to surface mail for-ILL, legislative updating and general messaging.

Five other Montana libraries have chosen to utilize an alternative approach: that of a computer-based messaging system. These libraries also use Apple computers and Micro-Courier software. However, the micros operate as "dumb" terminals to access ONTYME II, a service offered by Tymnet on its host computer. The host computer acts as a depository for messages, storing them until the user dials in to retrieve them. The terminals communicate only with the host computer rather than with each other. Because the users of such systems are often dispersed over great geographic distances, transmission generally takes place over a value-added network such as Tymnet rather than over long distance telephone lines. This results in lower communications costs over long distances.

The advantages of a computer-based messaging system over the node-to-node alternative include: access to greater text editing and storage capacity in the host computer, lower costs over long distances, ability to use any general purpose ASCII terminal, and the ability to send the same message to many recipients with a single command. Of the available computer-based messaging systems, Tymnet's ONTYME is the largest. Acting as a broker for libraries, CLASS (Cooperative Library Agency for Systems and Services) provides a special version of the system called ONTYME II, which includes an interlibrary loan messaging format. It recently developed an interface also allowing ONTYME II users to communicate with libraries using TWX. CLASS currently has over 1,200 users, many of them library network members such as the Montana libraries. The standard rates for ONTYME II include an annual subscription fee of $100 and a monthly maintenance charge of $10. Connect time costs vary from $2.85 to $5.75 per hour.

The American Library Association's ALANET system, which was officially launched in January 1984, offers libraries an alternative computer-based messaging system (see LSN, Vol. 3, no. 10). Along with ILL, reference referral, Association committee work and general message capabilities, users will have access to new ALA data bases for current information on legislation, conferences, and publications, as well as external data bases. Subscribers will be able to communicate directly with both the Chicago and Washington Association offices and with a number of library suppliers such as H.W. Wilson, Blackwell North America, and University Microfilms. The Washington office of ALA is planning a comprehensive legislative alert program, and several newsletters will be available online, among them the ALA Washington Newsline and the ALA News Bulletin.

Computer services for ALANET are being provided by ITT Dialcom of Silver Springs Maryland. Unlike ONTYME II, ALANET will allow dial-up access over several of the major telecommunication networks, including Tymnet, Telenet, Unmet, and TWC. Except for the initial $30 subscriber fee and a $7.50 monthly account maintenance fee, subscribers will be billed based on connect time. Pates range from $17 to $20 per hour in prime time, and are $4 lower in non- prime hours.

As increasing numbers of libraries take advantage of the benefits of electronic mail services, competition will become keener as vendors vie for market dollars. The result is likely to be continued improvement in the systems available at reasonable cost.

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