Wow, finally we get to say something official! J
Begin forwarded message: > From: HSLC_News <[email protected]> > Date: August 26, 2010 1:30:01 PM EDT > To: [email protected] > Subject: PRESS RELEASE - Pennsylvania Moves Toward Statewide Open Source > Library System > > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: > > Pennsylvania Moves Toward Statewide Open Source Library System > > Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - August 26, 2010 - HSLC/Access PA, managers of > the Access PA Union Catalog and interlibrary loan systems, has announced its > intention to migrate an initial group of public libraries to an Evergreen > open source integrated library system beginning in 2010. This group of public > libraries currently shares an Innovative Interfaces, Inc. Millennium library > system managed by HSLC in Philadelphia. HSLC has signed a contract with > Equinox (original developers of the Evergreen software) for data enhancement > and training services, and has received letters of intent from 39 public and > 8 school libraries that plan to participate in the project. > > HSLC is developing the new Evergreen system for public libraries in close > coordination with the work of the Statewide Integrated Library System (ILS) > Task Force convened by Pennsylvania's Office of Commonwealth Libraries. The > ILS Task Force will also assist in establishing a not-for-profit organization > to oversee the project by the end of 2010. HSLC will continue to maintain the > Access PA Union catalog of 3000 libraries' holdings based on Innovative > Interface's INN-Reach product. > > While the initial group of libraries to migrate to Evergreen will be limited > to public libraries currently participating in the HSLC Millennium system, > the new organization that will oversee the statewide system will accept > applications from additional libraries in 2011. A separate instance of the > Evergreen system is being planned for school libraries. > > The new shared system, which will utilize virtualized servers and storage, is > designed to be highly fault tolerant and reliable. It will be hosted at a > commercial hosting facility in Philadelphia that offers redundant network > connections and diesel generated back-up power. > > The integrated library system will also include a separate discovery > interface based on VuFind open source software developed at Villanova > University. The VuFind discovery interface integrates a modern, easy to use > searching interface with social software functionality. It also allows > libraries to customize and integrate the discovery layer with their websites. > > Contact: > Joseph C. Scorza > Executive Director > HSLC/Access PA > 3600 Market Street, Suite 550 > Philadelphia, PA 19104-2646 > 215-222-1532 > [email protected] > -- John Houser Technology Coordinator HSLC Philadelphia, PA [email protected]
