Systematic is privately owned, with Michael Holm as leading shareholder, along with Alex Holm Jensen and Erik Bank Lauridsen.

Breeding, Marshall. Cicero: A New System Designed for Shared Library Management. June 2018. Smart Libraries Newsletter. Recent months have seen the completion of one of the most ambitious library automation projects globally. The Danish Joint Library System (Fælles Bibliotekssystem), based on the Cicero product developed by Systematic, has been put into production by 97 of the 98 municipalities to support their public and school libraries. In terms of libraries served, this project ranks as one of the largest consortially shared library management systems, serving 2,428 library facilities. Other measures of the scale of the project are likewise impressive. The cumulative inventory of items managed within the consortium totals over 62 million items with an annual lending volume of 50 million transactions; the libraries serve a population of 4.2 million.

Breeding, Marshall. National Public Library System in Denmark Reaches Milestone. December 2014. Smart Libraries Newsletter. KOMBIT, the national agency in Denmark responsible for major projects in the public sector, reported progress on the development of a new automation system for the nationwide deployment for the public and school libraries in in Denmark.

Breeding, Marshall. National Automation System for Public and School Libraries in Denmark. January 2014. Smart Libraries Newsletter. The public libraries in Denmark have reached a major milestone in the creation of a shared national library management environment (Fælles Bibliotekssystem in Danish). Following a long procurement process, the path has been cleared for the Danish company Dantek A/S to commence development and deployment of a platform to support the automation of the public and school libraries in 88 municipalities in the country. These municipalities represent more than 90 percent of the population of Denmark. Those not voting to participate in the initial project expressed potential interest in the future. KOMBIT A/S, a non-profit organization owned by the municipal governments in Denmark, managed the procurement process. The organization handles many other types of procurements and projects on behalf of local authorities in the country.

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March 31, 2026. Finland's largest library consortia selects new IT system. The Helmet consortia — comprising the libraries of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen — has selected the Danish-developed Library Management System Cicero as its new shared platform. The agreement covers more than 60 libraries serving over 1.2 million inhabitants across the Helsinki metropolitan area.

February 25, 2026. Stockholm Public Library goes live with new Danish library solution. Sweden's largest library replaced its core system mid-operation: 1.5 million items and 12.7 million loan records were transferred in one fell swoop. The library now has a shared digital platform that automates working procedures while freeing up time for library personnel. Stockholm Public Library was able to open its doors to lending at the city's 40 public libraries shortly after implementing Cicero, a new library system delivered by the Danish software company Systematic.

November 7, 2025. Bücherhallen Hamburg completes successful switch to new library system. Completed according to plan, Hamburg's 32 public libraries and two library buses made a smooth transition to the Danish library system Cicero, giving the libraries a significant technological upgrade. The implementation was completed on time and with minimal disruption, with more than five million data records successfully transferred from the previous system to the new one.

January 13, 2025. Systematic re-wins valuable contract for Denmark's library system. Systematic has just signed an important, three-digit DKK million contract with the Danish municipalities' joint IT organisation KOMBIT to continue the development and operation of the IT system for all public and school libraries in Denmark until 2038. Supplying Denmark's national library system since 2015 has opened doors to new international markets for Systematic with its Cicero library system. The contract expires at the end of 2025, and KOMBIT's choice of supplier for the Common Library System 2.0 has been eagerly awaited by the software company. Systematic was awarded the contract shortly before New Year, and will now develop and implement the libraries' new IT solution as well as handling operations and further development in the coming years. The contract, signed with KOMBIT on behalf of Denmark's 's municipalities, has an estimated value of DKK 220 million, or about $30 million USD.

November 8, 2024. Stockholm Public Library and Systematic pioneer the future of library services. In the heart of Stockholm, an invisible revolution is underway at the iconic city library and its 40 branches. A 20-year-old IT system is about to be replaced with a new, innovative library system combining the Danish-developed Library Management system Cicero from Systematic with the Intelligent Material Management System (IMMS) from Danish Lyngsoe Systems. The new joint solution will redefine the library experience for users and staff alike.

October 22, 2024. Systematic wins important contract for new library system in Sweden. The Danish software company takes another big step into the European library market after winning a tender worth SEK 100 million for Stockholm Public Library. With the contract, Systematic takes another big bite of the Scandinavian market. The customer list already includes all Danish public and school libraries, Oslo's main library Deichman Bjørvika and its 22 branches, as well as close to 100 other Norwegian municipalities.

October 8, 2024. Danish library system breaks new ground in Germany. After successful implementations in Norway and Sweden, Denmark's Cicero system is set to modernise public libraries across Hamburg, marking Systematic's first foothold in the German library market. Cicero, which forms the digital backbone of Denmark's Joint Library System, continues its expansion across Europe. Following successful implementations in both Norway and Sweden, Germany is now ready to acquire the Danish IT solution. Bücherhallen Hamburg has chosen to replace its 30-year-old library system with Cicero, making Hamburg the first German library customer for Systematic, the company behind the solution. Bücherhallen Hamburg operates all public libraries in the state, and with 32 branches spread across the city, it is one of Germany's largest libraries.

August 21, 2023. The Biblioteca Gabriel García Márquez in Barcelona Spain named Public Library of the Year 2023. The Biblioteca Gabriel García Márquez in Barcelona is an architectural and functional marvel, resembling a stack of open books and serving as a central community hub for 240,000 residents. Today, it was named Public Library of the Year 2023 at the 88th IFLA World Library and Information Conference, which is currently taking place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The Biblioteca Gabriel García Márquez in Barcelona stands out for its exceptional features and the contribution it has made to the local community. Named after the renowned Nobel Prize laureate in literature, Gabriel García Márquez, the library embodies the spirit of interaction with its surroundings and local culture.

June 7, 2023. Four remarkable libraries nominated for the Public Library of the Year 2023 award. Systematic and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) are once again awarding the Public Library of the Year. This year, four remarkable libraries have been nominated, representing the very best from all over the world. To select the Public Library of the Year 2023, jury members of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) have narrowed the field to four nominees: Public Library Janez Vajkard Valvasor in Slovenia, Gabriel García Márquez Library in Spain, City of Parramatta Library in Australia, and Shanghai Library East in China.

March 30, 2023. Oslo's Deichman libraries go live with new Danish library solution. On Tuesday 28 March, 21 public libraries in the City of Oslo were connected to their new library system solution, Cicero. Transferring the data relating to almost two million library items, the profiles of 500,000 borrowers and all the accompanying data went exactly according to plan. Not a single user became aware of the data transfer as it was happening.

Aug 2014 Systematic Group acquires Dantek
With the acquisition of Dantek, Systematic becomes the main supplier of digital library solutions in Denmark. When Dantek and Systematic deliver the new national "Shared Library System" to the Danish libraries in 2015, Systematic's market share of digital library systems will be close to 90%. With the acquisition of Dantek being a reality as of 11th August 2014, Systematic actively and engaged enters the field of library systems.

1992 Allan Schytt leaves Systematic

1985 Systematic Group founded by Michael Holm and Allan Schytt
In 1985 Michael founded Systematic Software Engineering A/S, which today is known as Systematic A/S. Systematic was created to provide mission-critical software systems and system solutions. Core industries include defense, healthcare, law enforcement, the public sector, finance and service industries.

2025 Systematic Group Accomplishments Narrative

Cicero Library Management System: 2025 Developments and Platform Evolution

Throughout 2025, Cicero achieved significant technical and market milestones, completing major implementations in Hamburg and Stockholm while advancing the comprehensive FBS 2.0 modernization initiative for Denmark’s national library system. The year saw successful deployments across approximately 100 Norwegian municipalities, over 400 schools in Norway and Sweden, and Bücherhallen Hamburg delivered on schedule in October 2025.

Platform Modernization:

On the last day of 2024 the Danish National Municipal IT (Kombit) awarded the tender for the FBS 2.0, Denmark’s national agreement for all public and school libraries to Systematic. The development for modernizing the existing library system (FBS 1.0) by introducing a fully web-based user interface through Cicero Mobile. Danish users will transition from the old client-based system to contemporary browsers, accessing enhanced functionality while preserving existing capabilities. The initiative has required substantial architectural improvements to support Denmark’s national infrastructure, enabling seamless data exchange with national populations registers, educational systems, Digital Post infrastructure, and municipal economy systems.

Due to Cicero’s single global codebase architecture where all developments become available to all customers, the FBS 2.0 automation capabilities benefit libraries worldwide. Where integrations ex ists, the system is capable of automatically approve invoices when ordered materials arrive, synchronizes patron debt records with municipal debtor systems, and transmits notifications through Digital Post. Patron data remains current through automated updates, while school library patron information synchronizes with school pupil systems, maintaining accurate class memberships. SIP2 interfaces support self-service equipment and sorting automation throughout library operations, reducing administrative overhead across all implementations.

Architecture:

Cicero’s migration to a new operations platform strengthens stable, secure, and scalable operations for all customers. This future-proof foundation enables seamless delivery of new versions, allowing customers to adopt functionalities individually according to planned release schedules. Delivered as SaaS with continuous delivery, Cicero releases approximately 25 updates annually from a single global codebase supporting both Scandinavian and German markets..

Linked Data Cataloging

Cicero implements EDM linked data cataloging architecture connecting bibliographic records to authoritative external data sources rather than isolated local records. Catalogers reference established entities from national and international authority files, reducing workload while improving data quality through maintained authority connections. Records benefit from automatic updates when authority data changes, supporting sophisticated discovery interfaces where patrons navigate relationships between works, creators, and concepts while maintaining MARC compatibility.

Market-Specific Developments

Stockholm Integration: The Stockholm implementation has required extensive integration with Sweden’s national bibliographic infrastructure, including National Library LIBRIS for data exchange and interlibrary loans, direct connections to book vendors for automated acquisitions, and municipal finance system integration. The platform supports Swedish authentication services, character encoding requirements, and cataloging standards, enabling full participation in national resource-sharing initiatives.

Hamburg Implementation: Bücherhallen Hamburg has necessitated comprehensive membership management supporting complex patron fee structures, membership categories, and registration workflows that differ substantially from Nordic models. These capabilities establish foundations for future German implementations, demonstrating Cicero’s adaptability beyond Scandinavian contexts.

Market Expansion

Cicero achieved significant Swedish market growth with implementation across all Stockholm municipality libraries, partnerships with private school consortia covering approximately 18,000 pupils, and multiple municipal contracts. The Hamburg deployment after only 10 months established Cicero as a vital player in the German library market, generating wide interest and opening dialogues with additional cities. This international expansion, combined with the successful implementation of 70+ Norwegian municipalities and 400 schools in Norway and Sweden, demonstrates efficient implementation management, platform scalability and adaptability to diverse requirements while providing continuous operational feedback informing platform development.