Library Technology Guides

Documents, Databases, News, and Commentary

Library Technology Guides provides comprehensive and objective information surrounding the many different types of technology products and services used by libraries. It covers the organizations that develop and support library-oriented software and systems. The site offers extensive databases and document repositories to assist libraries as they consider new systems and is an essential resource for professionals in the field to stay current with new developments and trends.

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The 2024 Edition of the International Library Automation Perceptions

The 2024 Edition of the International Library Automation Perceptions is underway. All libraries are invited to participate in the latest edition of the International Library Automation Perceptions Survey conducted through Library Technology Guides. This survey aims to measure the levels of satisfaction libraries have with their core resource management systems and discovery services and the vendors that support these products. It has been conducted every year since 2007. The reports based on these surveys provide a unique resource to libraries as they assess systems and serve as an important feedback mechanism to the vendor community.

(, November 26, 2024)

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2024 Library Systems Report: Companies focus on developing practical solutions

2024 Library Systems Report: Companies focus on developing practical solutions

The library technology industry had a quiet year in 2023. But in the absence of major business moves and acquisitions, companies set their sights on executing strategies to strengthen their market position.

Previous cycles of business consolidation have yielded a layered landscape with distinct levels of competition. At the top, a handful of large organizations with considerable resources—Clarivate, EBSCO Information Services, Follett School Solutions, and OCLC—continue to expand their portfolios, covering multiple business sectors and library types. Middle-tier companies, including Axiell, ByWater Solutions, The Library Corporation (TLC), and SirsiDynix, offer growing suites of products used by thousands of libraries. And finally, a group of smaller companies round out the industry, covering specialized libraries with niche products and services.

Competition at each level remains vigorous. Libraries may have fewer product choices because of past acquisitions, but the options remaining are distinctive. Most libraries can choose between for-profit and nonprofit vendors, and between proprietary and open source products. For instance, academic libraries can pick from a short list of library services platforms (LSPs), including a proprietary solution from a for-profit company (Alma), an open source product supported by for-profit companies (FOLIO), or a proprietary product from a nonprofit organization (WorldShare Management Services).

Libraries see their technology vendors as strategic partners. They are increasingly purchasing core products from a single provider, rewarding companies' efforts to create suites of integrated applications that function more efficiently than mix-and-match offerings. These days, libraries expect third-party integration from their products—but they generally acquire new components from a single main vendor.

(American Libraries, May 1, 2024)

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Libraries Under Cyberattack

The last year or so has brought incredible challenges to the digital infrastructure of some high-profile libraries. The recent wave of cyberattacks targeting one of the world’s most prestigious and well-resourced libraries brings a sobering reminder of the dangers lurking for libraries in this digital age. Libraries of all types and sizes must be vigilant and prepared for any possible security breach.

(Computers in Libraries, March 2024)

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Project Reshare and OpenRS: differing approaches to open source resource sharing

Project Reshare and OpenRS: differing approaches to open source resource sharing

In recent months, a schism has erupted in the open source resource sharing realm. Two open source resource sharing projects that previously resided within a single organization have separated, due not only to the differing functional models of their products, but also because of differences in styles of collaboration. Launched in 2018, Project ReShare has been advancing an open source platform for resource sharing, created collaboratively among a community of interested libraries and vendors. Project ReShare continues with its mission to strengthen its resource sharing community and to continue to enhance and support its platform. The organization is also refining its organizational structure and articulating its values and community processes. OpenRS, was launched in 2023 as a new initiative to develop, support, and promote a new open source direct consortial borrowing solution. Though a relatively new project, OpenRS moves forward with a well defined development agenda, backed by two commercial vendors, EBSCO Information Services and Knowledge Integration, with substantial involvement of MOBIUS as its first planned implementor.

(Library Technology Newsletter, December 2023)

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Looking Toward the Next Phase of Library Systems

Looking Toward the Next Phase of Library Systems

Libraries have benefited from technology systems for more than half a century. Computerized systems were developed to automate circulation, cataloging, serials, and other library activities in the mid-to-late 1970s, with some earlier precursors. Since that time, library systems have continuously evolved, driven by the advances in technology architectures, changes in the operational priorities of libraries, and the business environment. These factors will continue to shape future generations of library systems.

(Computers in Libraries, March 2022)

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Caveat and Credit

Library Technology Guides was created and is edited by Marshall Breeding. He is solely responsible for all content on this site, and for any errors it may contain. Please notify him if you find any errors or omissions.

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Industry News

Tuesday Dec 3, 2024    Subscribe to Industry News Announcements via RSS

Full Automation News Report

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December 3, 2024. NAR Streamlines Access to Real Estate Knowledge with Soutron Archive. Soutron Global, an internationally recognized provider of information management solutions for corporate libraries and digital archives announces that the National Association of REALTORS has streamli ... <<more>>

December 3, 2024. Grove announces hosting and implementation services for Aspen Discovery and Aspen LiDA. Grove, Aspen's premier development company, announced that they now offer hosting and implementation services for Aspen Discovery and Aspen LiDA. Grove's hosting and support packages are designed to g ... <<more>>

December 3, 2024. EBSCO Information Services releases definitive full-text resource for Petroleum Studies. EBSCO Information Services announced the launch of Petroleum Source, a new full-text resource covering the extraction, refining, transportation and impact of oil, gas and other resources. Petroleum S ... <<more>>

December 2, 2024. OrienTales: Online the New Digital Library of the University of Naples L'Orientale. OrienTales is the new digital library managed by the University Library System of the University of Naples “L'Orientale”. The project aims at the creation, enhancement, promotion, dissemination, and l ... <<more>>

December 2, 2024. Ossipee Library joins Northern New Hampshire Library Cooperative and goes live on Koha and Aspen Discovery with ByWater Support. ByWater Solutions, America's forefront provider of Open Source library technology support, announced that the Ossipee Library in New Hampshire is now live on the Koha ILS with Aspen Discovery and ByWa ... <<more>>

November 29, 2024. Wolf River Consortium (TN) expands Unique Services. Unique Library announced the addition of MessageBee phone notifications for the Wolf River Consortium in the Memphis, Tennessee area this week. The consortium was already using SMS notifications to ke ... <<more>>

November 28, 2024. Civica acquires Daymap to advance its school management platform. Civica, a global GovTech champion supporting the needs of citizens and those who serve them, has acquired Loop Software Pty Ltd and their core product Daymap as part of its mission to deliver high-qua ... <<more>>

November 27, 2024. Daikin selects IPfolio from Clarivate. Clarivate, a leading global provider of transformative intelligence, announced that Daikin Industries has selected IPfolio from Clarivate. The leading air conditioner manufacturer will utilize this so ... <<more>>

November 27, 2024. Clarivate and the Chinese Academy of Sciences release Annual Collaborative Report to identify 125 research fronts. Clarivate, a leading global provider of transformative intelligence, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences released 2024 Research Fronts, identifying the most dynamic and rapidly growing specialties in ... <<more>>

November 27, 2024. Las bibliotecas parlamentarias encuentran en AbsysCloud la solución perfecta para gestionar sus servicios y colecciones. AbsysCloud, la solución en la nube de Baratz, está ayudando a las bibliotecas parlamentarias a modernizar la gestión de sus servicios y colecciones, haciéndolos más eficientes y accesibles. Institucio ... <<more>>

November 27, 2024. Cambio en el Sistema de Gestión Bibliotecaria de la Red de Bibliotecas de Castilla-La Mancha. El pasado mes de marzo se firmó con la empresa XERCODE el contrato para la implantación en la Red de Bibliotecas Púbicas de Castilla-La Mancha, del software libre Koha, que sustituirá a Absysnet, actu ... <<more>>

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