The Ideal Procurement Process : The Vendor's Perspective. Chris Kirby, former GIS Director of Marketing and Anita Wagner, Senior Software Specialist for Gaylord Information Systems share timesaving tips to make the purchase of an IOLS cost efficient, review when an RFP/RFI is appropriate, RFP basics, vendor demonstrations, some myths surrounding consultants and steps toward purchase.

On the Road. ALA Midwinter, Computers Online, National Online/IOLS or SLA. Check out the list of conferences and exhibitors.

Take Two on InMagic DB/TextWorks. Susan Fingerman, Principal of SMF Information Services shares her experience in creating databases for a non-profit institution using InMagic and DB/TextWorks. InMagic was exactly the right fit for the job. As the organization’s database progressed from internal use
only to the Internet to its Intranet, InMagic also progressed from DOS to Windows to WebPublisher to ODBC compliant. Ms. Fingerman discusses building InMagic databases not only for the library, but also for other departments in the organization. She includes tips on customization, MARC record format and more.

Great Site Spotlight

Are you a solo librarian wondering what other solos are doing with their online catalogs? Even if you're not a solo librarian you may find interest in the SURVEY OF LIBRARY AUTOMATION SYSTEMS IN USE AT VARIOUS LIBRARIES BY SOLO LIBRARIANS' LISTSERVE maintained by Cathy Wright of the Albany Research Center Library. It lists the system used, library or organization name, collection size, contact name/e-mail, and phone/fax. Additional submissions are welcome (whether you're solo or not). See the web site for details.

And in the news... (Updated weekly)

Winnebago Software involved in initiative to increase compatibility of software applications school-wide. March 1999. Winnebago Software Company, a developer of library automation software and Internet technology solutions has committed to supporting and participating in the Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) initiative.

Geac Appoints New CEO. Markham, Ontario - March 29th, 1999. Geac Computer Corporation Limited today announced the appointment of Mr. Douglas G. Bergeron as President, Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board of Directors of the corporation, effective April 26, 1999. Geac, Canada's largest software company, is a worldwide provider of mission critical enterprise applications covering numerous industry sectors.

Auto-Graphics Names New Sales Executives : Julie Pitcher and Christine Kirby Join Library Sales Team. Pomona, Calif., March 23, 1999. Two new sales executives have been named to the staff of Auto-Graphics Inc. (OTCBB:AUGR), a leading provider of Web-based PAC, cataloging and interlibrary loan services to libraries. Julie Pitcher and Christine Kirby will be responsible for sales for libraries and library consortia using Auto-Graphics’ Impact/MARCitTM, Impact/TRACEitTM, AVISOTM and the full suite of Impact/ONLINETM system software for sharing library resources via the Web.

Final-Round Winners Of Library Of Congress/Ameritech National Digital Library Competition To Be Announced This Spring : Competition For Grants To Digitize Collections Of Other Institutions Draws 70 Institutions. Washington, D.C.; March 22, 1999. The final round of winners in the Library of Congress/Ameritech National Digital Library Competition will be announced in the spring. The winners will be chosen from the 48 applications representing 70 institutions (some applications were submitted by institutional teams) that were submitted last fall.

Leading Provider of Information Publishing and Database Resource Sharing Systems Creates Electronic Publishing Sales Executive Position. Pomona, Calif., March 18, 1999. Auto-Graphics Inc. (OTC:AUGR) announced it has named Ken A. Kemp to the position of account manager, joining the team responsible for the company’s electronic publishing sales efforts within the Eastern region.

TLC's Turnkey Automation System Continues to be the Solution of Choice for LibrariesWorldwide. Inwood, WV, March 17, 1999. The Library Corporation (TLC), a leading developer of library automation software and data services, today announced that Library Solution-the company's turnkey, fully integrated library automation system-continues to lead the industry in sales. With 47 new contracts signed within the past three months, Library Solution is now scheduled for installation in 165 library systems around the world.

St. Christopher's School Chooses SIRSI for Middle and Upper School Libraries. Richmond, VA, March 17, 1999. St. Christopher's School, one of the South's most prestigious private preparatory schools for boys, has selected Sirsi Corporation's UnicornTM Library Management System to automate its Middle and Upper School libraries. According to Mary Horne, librarian for the Upper School, the SIRSI system provides an online catalog that will meet the research needs of both intermediate and advanced students

Follett Software Company Joins Microsoft to Found New Schools Interoperability Framework. McHenry, IL, March 15, 1999. Follett Software Company has joined forces with Microsoft and other leading educational vendors to develop the Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF). By enabling K-12 instructional and administrative software applications (e.g., student information systems, library systems, etc.) to interact and share data, the new framework will help alleviate inefficiencies in schools caused by disparate software solutions. The framework is planned for release this fall.

Nichols Advanced Technologies and Northern Light Bring Libraries a Revolutionary New Way To Search the Internet. Austin, TX, March 12, 1999. In an exciting new relationship, Nichols Advanced Technologies, developer of the best-selling Athena library automation system, has joined with Northern Light, developer of the world's first and largest Internet research engine, to make it easier for library patrons to take advantage of Internet resources. Using a new Athena WebLink feature called Reference Search, patrons can link directly from the library's catalog to the Northern Light research engine and have the search terms they used to search the library carried over to a search of over 120 million web sites and the Special Collection of over 5,400 full-text sources.

CARL Corporation Announces June Garcia New CEO : San Antonio Public Library Director to Join Company May 1. Denver, CO, March 12, 1999. CARL Corporation is pleased to announce the appointment of June Garcia as Chief Executive Officer. Garcia most recently served as Director of the San Antonio Public Library from 1993 to present. Garcia brings over 20 years of experience in library administration, and is active in many professional associations. Garcia currently serves on the American Library Association Council, and is a past President of the Public Library Association. “Joining CARL gives me an opportunity to extend my contributions to the library community,” Garcia said. “I have been impressed with the company’s products, and I’m excited to be able to help libraries nationwide acquire software and services that will benefit their users.”

Nichols Advanced Technologies Joins Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) Initiative For Sharing Of Information Between School-based Software Applications. Austin, TX, March 12, 1999. To facilitate the sharing of information between various K-12 software applications, Nichols Advanced Technologies, developer of the Athena library automation system, is taking part in the Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) initiative. (For more information on the SIF, visit www.schoolsinterop.org.)

Open Text Announces Plans To Support Microsoft Office 2000 : Livelink enterprise-wide collaboration software to extend the document management capabilities of Office 2000. Waterloo, Ontario, March 10, 1999. Open Text Corporation (NASDAQ:OTEX; TSE:OTC), today announced plans to support Microsoft Office 2000 with its industry leading Web-based collaborative knowledge management application, Livelink. This support deepens Open Text's overall support of the Microsoft platform and extends the document management and collaboration features in Office 2000.

Two more French Universities choose ALEPH500. March 3, 1999. DATAPOINT-FRANCE, our exclusive distributor in France, announces that it has signed up the universities of Pau and of Paris XII-Val de Marne for the licensing and implementation of ALEPH500. Both of these institutions are very young in their present make-up and, with the pending installation of ALEPH, intend to turn their so-called "Common documentation services" into far-ranging, highly modern electronic access sites with connections to national and international library networks.

Dodge City Public and Community College Libraries Combine Resources with SIRSI. Dodge City, KS, March 1, 1999. The Dodge City Public Library and the Dodge City Community College Learning Resource Center have selected Sirsi Corporation's UnicornTM Library Management System to provide library users with easy access to the resources of both libraries. The libraries will introduce their new system to users during National Library Week, April 11-17.

Six Texas Colleges Select SIRSI. Huntsville, AL, February 24, 1999. Six Texas colleges have selected Sirsi Corporation's UnicornTM Library Management System to automate their libraries, joining an increasing number of Texas organizations that have chosen the SIRSI solution. The libraries of Alvin Community College in Alvin; Angelina College in Lufkin; North Central Texas College in Gainesville; Northeast Texas Community College in Mt. Pleasant; Panola College in Carthage; and South Texas Community College in McAllen will use SIRSI's WebCat to provide an online public access catalog for students and WorkFlowsTM to provide library staff with an easy-to-use staff client.

Montgomery County Department of Public Libraries Selects SIRSI. Rockville, MD, February 22, 1999. The Montgomery County, Maryland Department of Public Libraries has selected Sirsi Corporation's UnicornTM Library Management System to automate its 22 branches, including four regional, four large community, one storefront and three special libraries. According to Barbara Smith, director of Technical Services, Unicorn will provide library users with their first graphical Online Public Access Catalog, WebCat, and staff and volunteers with their own state-of-the-art interface, WorkFlowsTM, for streamlining daily tasks.

Kent Institute of Art and Design Chooses UnicornTM. Potters Bar, England, February 19, 1999. The library at Kent Institute of Art and Design (KIAD) has chosen the Unicorn TM Library Management System to replace their existing Bookshelf library system.

Endeavor adds 45 New Libraries to Customer List. Des Plaines, IL, February 19, 1999. Endeavor Information Systems announced today that 45 new academic and research libraries purchased the Voyager library automation system during a four month period (October 1998-January 1999). This brings the total number of customer contracts to 206 serving over 393 libraries.

Endeavor Assumes Complete Employee Ownership Through Buy Out Agreement. Des Plaines, IL, February 19, 1999. Endeavor Information Systems Incorporated announced today that it has completed an agreement to redeem its initial capitalization investment from MARCorp and its parent company Technology Funding Inc. of San Mateo, California.

Boca Raton Educational Publishers Honored. Boca Raton, FL, February 16, 1999. At the recent American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter convention held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Co-publishers and Founders of Boca Raton-based SIRS, Inc. Eleanor and Elliot Goldstein were honored for their long-standing commitment to the promtion of Intellectual Freedom.

Geac Announces Preliminary Results for Q3 Fiscal 1999. Markham, Ontario, February 15, 1999. Geac Computer Corporation Limited today released preliminary results for its third fiscal quarter ending January 31, 1999. Final results will be reported March 9, 1999 as previously scheduled.

Turkey’s Prestigious Ege University Selects INNOPAC Millennium, February 9, 1999. Turkey’s prestigious Ege University, located in Izmir, has signed a contract with Innovative Interfaces to install an INNOPAC Millennium library automation system in the spring of 1999. Ege is the third major Turkish university to select Millennium, following Bogazici University and Istanbul Technical University in 1998.

Winnebago Software Company names Al Bennett to new position of chief operating officer. February 1999. Winnebago Software Company, a leader in library and Internet technology headquartered in Caledonia, Minnesota, announces the addition of Al Bennett as chief operating officer (COO). As COO, Bennett will oversee the day-to-day operations of all departments at Winnebago. Steve Christiansen, Winnebago Software Company president, noted that as he and Jeb Griffith, (Winnebago’s founder) devote more time to research and long-range planning, they felt it beneficial to add Bennett to the staff. Christiansen said, “Al comes to us with many years of experience in software development. He has both a strong technical and business background. We’re very pleased that he’s joining our staff.”

Talis EDI Cataloguing Service extended. February 1999. The Cataloguing Service which was officially launched by BLCMP Library Services Ltd last year has now been extended with new booksellers and Talis libraries joining the scheme at a rapid rate. The service has won enthusiastic acceptance by customers and further expansion is in the pipeline.

County of Henrico Public Library Selects SIRSI. Richmond, VA, February 3, 1999. The County of Henrico Public Library (CHPL) has selected Sirsi Corporation's UnicornTM Library Management System to automate its nine branches, municipal library and bookmobile. According to Robert Sweet, CHPL technology coordinator, the library staff chose Unicorn because it provides easy-to-use graphical interfaces for both the public access catalog, WebCat, and the staff client, WorkFlowsTM.

Geac announces search for new CEO. Markham, Ontario February 2, 1999. Geac Computer Corporation Limited today announced that as part of an orderly succession plan to Mr. William Nelson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, it is working with Korn Ferry to seek candidates to succeed Mr. Nelson as Chief Executive Officer of the corporation.

CARL Corporation, UnCover Company Purchased by Founder, Ward Shaw. Denver, CO, January 29, 1999. CARL Corporation, a Denver-based library automation company, and the UnCover Company have been purchased from The Dialog Corporation by CARL's Chairman and CEO, Ward Shaw. CARL Corporation and UnCover were purchased by Knight Ridder Information, Inc. (now The Dialog Corporation) in 1995. When Knight Ridder Information was acquired by MAID plc, in November 1997, the corporation announced its intent to divest CARL and UnCover. Shaw emphasized the benefits to CARL's library system customers. "We have always partnered with visionary libraries. CARL's independence will re-energize these partnerships."

Winnebago Software named Microsoft Certified Solution Provider, January 1999. Winnebago Software Company®, a developer of library automation software and Internet technology solutions, has been named a member of the Microsoft Certified Solution Provider Program. Winnebago is the developer of Winnebago Spectrum, a 32-bit, cross-platform, client /server library automation program. Operating systems for Spectrum include Microsoft Windows NT, Windows 98, Windows 95, and Windows 3.11.

SIRSI Celebrates 20 Years of Library Technology Leadership. Huntsville, AL, January 30, 1999. Sirsi Corporation has announced that 1999 marks 20 years of successful growth and technological leadership for the company, which was founded in 1979 by a three-person team with extensive computing and library experience. SIRSI has since grown into a worldwide company with 120 employees, more than 900 customers and the most mature client-server library system available today. According to Jacky Young, SIRSI's president and chief operating officer, in 1999, the company will continue to focus on state-of-the-art enhancements to its popular UnicornTM Library Management System.

EOS International Announces UNIX Version Of Its Q Series Library Information Management System : Offers Scalability and Support for Libraries of Virtually Any Size. Carlsbad, CA, January 29, 1999. Electronic Online Systems (EOS) International is pleased to announce that its client/server-based library information management system, the Q Series, is now available on the Sun Microsystems, Inc.’s robust SolarisTM operating environment and a range of powerful Sun EnterpriseTM servers and Sun StorEdgeTM products. EOS is offering Sun’s UNIX-based server in addition to the Windows NT Server operating system on which the Q Series currently runs.

Greensboro Public Library Installs Tech Logic Corp’s Check-In System with Ameritech Library Services’ Software Interface. Provo, UT, January 28, 1999. Greensboro Public Library, North Carolina, has recently installed Cart-Sort, a fully automated check-in system from Tech Logic Corp, which includes a newly developed interface to Ameritech Library Services’ Dynix automation system. Tech Logic’s Cart-Sort system delivers materials from remote wall-mounted book drops via conveyors mounted in ceilings or under floors to the Cart-Sort book processing system. The process-area machinery then sizes and squares books, reads bar codes, rotates and re-sensitizes books, and places books on one of 60 shelves on the Cart-Sort system.

Open Text Corporation Posts Record Results : Company continues to execute on profitable growth strategy. Waterloo, Ontario, January 27, 1999. Open Text Corporation (NASDAQ:OTEXF, TSE:OTC), the worldwide leader of Web-based collaborative knowledge management application software, today announced record revenues and operating profits for its second quarter ended December 31, 1998.

The Library Corporation to Make Public Access Manager (PAM) Available to Libraries Worldwide : Agreement to Provide Invortex Technologies' PAM Will Benefit Libraries with Enhanced Management of Electronic Resources and Patron Access. Research Park, Inwood, WV, January 26, 1999. The Library Corporation (TLC), a major provider of library automation software and data products, today announced it will provide Public Access Manager (PAM) to libraries worldwide. Engineered by Invortex Technologies, PAM has been specifically designed to manage public access to computer workstations, the world wide web and intranets for all types of enterprises. Particularly appropriate for libraries and classrooms, PAM assists librarians, patrons and students by ensuring that technological resources of libraries can be shared and managed in an efficient and user-friendly process in accordance with each library's policies.

Sun Starfire Server To Power Library Of Congress' Integrated Library System. Palo Alto, CA, January 26, 1999. Sun Microsystems, Inc. announced today that its Sun Enterprise servers, StorEdge RAID storage systems, and Solaris operating environment software have been selected as the computer platform for the Library of Congress' new integrated library system. This initiative began in May 1998 when the Library of Congress selected Endeavor's Voyager solution to provide comprehensive integrated library system (ILS) software and support to the Library. With the recent selection of the Sun Enterprise server platform, the Library will gain the hardware scalability and reliability necessary to catalogue and inventory the millions of items in its collection.

School and Business Libraries Go Online : A dollar-a-day brings school and business libraries on to the World Wide Web homework research was never this easy. San Jose, CA, Winter, 1999. CASPR Library Systems, Inc., is bringing school libraries into the wired-world with its new product, LibraryCom, the first complete Internet library web hosting and directory system. For less than four-hundred dollars a year, school libraries can have their complete library catalog on the LibraryCom web site with complete keyword, author, title and subject searching. A web directory provides access to any number of selected libraries on the system including the Library of Congress.

Kate Noerr Joins Ameritech Library Services as Vice President of Marketing and Sales. Provo, Utah, January 1999. Ameritech Library Services welcomes Kate Noerr as vice president of marketing and sales. Noerr, an industry veteran of 17 years, will lead the international sales and marketing departments. "We’re pleased to welcome Kate to our executive team," said Lana Porter, president of Ameritech Library Services. "As the former CEO and founder of a library automation company, Kate understands this industry from the ground up. Her international experience in Europe, Asia and Africa will be invaluable as we seek to expand our opportunities in global markets and move forward with a unified global marketing plan."

Gaylord announces first GALAXY to Polaris conversion. January 22, 1999. Gaylord Information Systems is pleased to announce that the Lisle Library District in Lisle, Illinois will purchase the Polaris Integrated Library Automation System. The contract signing, which took place on December 9th, 1998, marks the first time that a library using Gaylord’s GALAXY system has formally contracted to purchase Polaris. It also marks the continuation of a long partnership between Gaylord and Lisle, which bought its first library automation system from Gaylord on November 8th, 1982. Polaris will be the fifth Gaylord automation system operated by Lisle since that time.

Ontario Library Consortium Selects A-G Canada To Upgrade And Integrate Multiple Resource-Sharing Technologies : Wide Range of Network and Desktop Application Solutions Offers Choices and Growth Path to Each of Nearly 300 Sites. Toronto, Ontario, January 21, 1999. A-G Canada Ltd. has been selected to implement a resource sharing system with a choice of access by Internet, stand-alone PC or CD-ROM system for nearly 300 public libraries in the Province of Ontario. This contract award marks the first installation that merges the technologies of A-G Canada and its parent company, Auto-Graphics Inc.

CARL Corporation, Phoenix Public Library Sign Automation Agreement. January 21, 1999. Phoenix Public Library has contracted with CARL Corporation to provide its next generation library automation system. CARL will install its Information Management and Delivery System (IMDS) in the Phoenix Public Library’s Central Library and 12 branches in early 1999. The Phoenix Public Library collection numbers over 600,000 titles and 1,900,000 physical items, serves over 675,000 users, and circulates 6.5 million items each year. Phoenix Public will be converted from its current Dynix and Innovative Interfaces systems.

Data Research Associates Announces First Quarter Results. St. Louis, MO, January 22, 1999. Data Research Associates, Inc. (DRA) (NASDAQ: DRAI) announced today that revenues for its first quarter of fiscal 1999, ended December 31, 1998, were $6.4 million, compared with $7.5 million for the first quarter of fiscal 1998. Earnings for the first quarter of fiscal 1999 were $125,000, or two cents per share basic and diluted, compared with $492,000, or nine cents per share basic and eight cents per share diluted, for the same period in fiscal 1998.

American Heart Association and Mallinckrodt, Inc: Healthcare Libraries Find Remedy in Corporate Intranets. Woburn, MA, January 20, 1999. In step with the increasing use of intranet technology to disseminate information company-wide, the corporate libraries of two prominent healthcare organizations, the American Heart Association and Mallinckrodt, Inc., now offer employees worldwide rapid access to information that is instrumental in the overall performance of each organization. The American Heart Assocation’s "help desk" and Mallinckrodt’s competitive intelligence textbase exemplify the potential of corporate intranet library applications beyond the library catalog.

Austrian ALEPH500 Library Network and Central Catalog Go On-Line. Vienna, January 20, 1999. Thirteen months after the signing of Ex Libris' largest library automation contract to-date was announced on these same pages, this history-making project is now effectively completed. It involved the replacement of a multiplicity of older systems with ALEPH500 at the National Library of Austria and at over 20 academic institutions, including ten academic libraries located in the capital city of Vienna, plus the universities of Graz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Linz, Klagenfurt, Leoben and the St. Gabriel library at Mödling.

Inmagic Appoints Director of Product Management. Woburn, MA, January 20, 1999. Inmagic, Inc., leading developer of library automation and information retrieval software for the Web, intranets, CD-ROM and LANs, announces the recent appointment of Barbara Bishop to the position of Director of Product Management.

Nichols Offers US School Libraries That Upgrade to Athena Free Books and a Deep Discount. Austin, TX, January 15, 1999. Nichols Advanced Technologies announced today that they are giving $1,500 or $1,000 in books from Econo-Clad Books to any US school library that upgrades to the multi-user version of Athena from any other currently supported non-Nichols library automation system. The company also announced that they are giving any site that upgrades to Athena a $500 discount on the price of the software.

United Nations Changes Landscape With Endeavor's Integrated Library System. Des Plaines, IL, January 6, 1999. Bolstering its position in the international market, Endeavor Information Systems Incorporated announced today that the Library of the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland (UNOG) selected Voyager for their integrated library system. The UNOG Library's unique collections date back to the League of Nations, including also some rare materials from the pre-League period, and are thus among the richest collections of human rights, disarmament and peace movements worldwide.

Ex Libris (USA) Inc. Announces Major Expansion in North America. Chicago, IL, January 4, 1999. Ex Libris (USA) announced today that the company has undertaken a major expansion in North America. This expansion includes: An expanded North American Office; New Vice President of Sales/Marketing; New Vice President of Operations, (transferred from Israeli headquarters); New Vice President of Research/Development; And expanded operations staffing. The company has opened a new, expanded North American Office in Chicago Illinois. "This facility will house sales, marketing, support and development staff," said company President, Carl Grant. "It is strategically located in the northern, midwest portion of the country in order to readily serve customers in both the United States and Canada."

TLC to Host Industry-wide IPIG Meeting in February; Goal of Group is to Complete Interlibrary Loan Profile : Event to Enhance Interoperability Between Library Automations Systems. Inwood, WV, January 4, 1999. The Library Corporation (TLC), a major developer of library automation systems, announced today that the company will host the ILL Protocol Implementation Group (IPIG) meeting designated to complete the interlibrary loan (ILL) profile promoting interoperability between library automation systems. The meeting, to be held February 24-26 at the Wingate Hotel in Winchester, Virginia, marks the first time a vendor has been selected by the IPIG organization to host an IPIG event.

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