09/06/12 kb
HAYS, Kan. -- Forsyth Library at Fort Hays State
University went live today with new, cloud-based library services called Alma
and Primo, by the Ex
Libris Group®, a world leader in the provision of library services.
Ex
Libris began rolling out the new Alma system earlier this year with its 60
institutional development partners, including such institutions as the Boston
College Libraries. FHSU's Forsyth is the first of the "early adopter"
institutions in the country to go live on Alma. The news conference at Forsyth was
streamed to libraries and institutions around the world.
Alma
is a single, consolidated library system that manages print, electronic and
digital collections. It replaces several systems at Forsyth that separately
manage different aspects of library operations. The use of business analytics
and real-time resource analysis tools within Alma allow the library to become
much more efficient and provide an opportunity for cost-savings.
"If
the heart of a great educational institution is its faculty and students, then the
lifeblood is the resources of knowledge available to them through their library
system," said FHSU President Edward H. Hammond. "With Alma and Primo,
we ensure that the information, scholarship and knowledge available to and
through Forsyth Library will reach every part of the university body, its
faculty, staff and students, no matter what part of the world they find
themselves in."
For
Fort Hays State, said Hammond, the cloud-based Alma system is a logical match. "Technology
and its innovations in products and services have been keys to Fort Hays
State's advancement, growth and mission for more than 25 years," he said.
"We are proud to partner with Ex Libris in this project."
"We
have the privilege of partnering with our clients to deliver technology
solutions that enable them to accomplish strategic goals for research, teaching
and outreach," said Tate Nunley, director of sales for Ex Libris North
America. "Across the industry, libraries are facing tremendous
environmental pressure from the economy and from exponentially rising materials
costs. Alma provides relief from these constraints, enabling libraries to
provide greater value to their campus community."
In
anticipation of the launch at FHSU, Mark Triest, president of Ex Libris North
America, said, "Going livewith Alma is an important landmark for Fort Hays
State, and one which the ExLibris community in North America is watching with
great interest. As oneof the major pillars of FHSU's
Forsyth Library's long-term strategy, theimplementation of Alma will enable the
library toclearly demonstrate its value throughout the campus community."
"This
library system is unlike any other library system out there," said John
Ross, Forsyth director. "It is unique."
Through
Alma, he said, the library has a uniform resource management system that allows
staff to monitor and manage collections, databases and other resources. Library
staff can track usage and analyze collections on a real-time basis.
Ross
cited several features of Alma and Primo that provide two valuable tools to
researchers. E-Shelf allows faculty to select library holdings and place links
to them within Blackboard. Another, called Get It Now, delivers documents
directly to a user's desktop. The new software also provides immediate access
to the catalogs of the world's largest and most prestigious libraries.
Ross
congratulated the library staff on their teamwork and dedication to the
project. The implementation of Alma and Primo began during January 2012.
"The
staff performed admirably while dealing with the stress of a major system
migration on a short time-line," said Ross. "Heath Bogart, Forsyth
Library systems administrator, deserves praise for his work as the project
manager. We also thank the Ex Libris project team for their unending support
and assistance." Ross presented Bogart with a plaque honoring his
leadership of the project.
John
Larson, Ex Libris' team leader for the project at Forsyth, praised Forsyth
staff members for their hard work, dedication and expertise in the transition,
especially for their adoption of the Alma component, "the
behind-the-scenes, staff management part of this."
About
Ex Libris
Ex
Libris is a leading provider of automation solutions for academic, national and
research libraries. Offering the only comprehensive product suite for electronic,
digital and print materials, Ex Libris provides efficient, user-friendly
products that serve the needs of libraries today and will facilitate their
transition into the future. Ex Libris maintains an impressive customer
base consisting of thousands of sites in more than 80 countries on six
continents. Dedicated to developing creative solutions in close collaboration
with customers, Ex Libris enables libraries to maximize productivity and
efficiency and, at the same time, greatly enhance the user experience. By
empowering users to discover and obtain the information they need, libraries
ensure their position as the bridge to knowledge. For more information about Ex
Libris Group, see the website (www.exlibrisgroup.com), join them on Facebook,
view their videos and follow them on Twitter.