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

Wednesday Dec 11, 2024    Subscribe to Industry News Announcements via RSS

Full Automation News Report

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December 11, 2024. Soutron Global acquires MINISIS, a Vancouver-based provider of archive, library and museum management software. Soutron Global, an internationally recognized provider of information management solutions for corporate libraries and digital archives announces the acquisition of MINISIS, a Vancouver-based provider ... <<more>>

December 10, 2024. LexisNexis Risk Solutions announces definitive agreement to acquire IDVerse. LexisNexis Risk Solutions, part of RELX, has entered into an agreement to acquire IDVerse, a provider of AI-powered automated document authentication and fraud detection solutions. IDVerse will become ... <<more>>

December 10, 2024. The American Library Association receives transformational gift to fund scholarships. James W. Lewis of Washington, DC has made the largest individual bequest to the American Library Association in the association's history. The approximately $25 million bequest is truly transformation ... <<more>>

December 10, 2024. Grove adds a Year-In-Review feature (Spotify Wrapped for the Library!) and nearly 50 enhancements to the Aspen 24.12 Release. With the growing popularity of Year-In-Review features such as Spotify Wrapped, Grove organized a volunteer community initiative to develop Aspen's own Year-In-Review feature for libraries called 2024 ... <<more>>

December 10, 2024. Strong foundations for The Palace Project: A collaboration between OAPEN and Lyrasis. OAPEN and Lyrasis announced the implementation and integration of the OAPEN Library collection with The Palace Project. Through this joint effort, more than 22,000 open access books have been made ava ... <<more>>

December 10, 2024. Equinox partners with Unique Management Services to launch MessageBee SMS for the Missouri Evergreen Consortium. Equinox Open Library Initiative, a trusted leader in open source technology development and support for libraries, is pleased to announce that the Missouri Evergreen Consortium is live on MessageBee S ... <<more>>

December 10, 2024. Celebrating the enactment of the New Jersey Freedom to Read Act 2024. EveryLibrary is celebrating the historic signing of the New Jersey Freedom to Read Act, S2421/A3446, into law by Governor Phil Murphy on December 9, 2024. This landmark legislation solidifies New Jers ... <<more>>

December 9, 2024. 10 libraries in Alberta to join OCLC's WorldShare Management Services community. libraries from the NEOS Library Consortium in Alberta, Canada, are moving to OCLC's WorldShare Management Services, the fully integrated library services platform designed to meet the needs of modern ... <<more>>

December 9, 2024. Cooperative Information Network (CIN) is live on Aspen Discovery with ByWater Support. ByWater Solutions, an open-source community contributor and America's forefront provider of Open Source library technology support, announced that the Cooperative Information Network, a consortium of ... <<more>>

December 9, 2024. Join us December 17 for a public forum on Advancing Digital Accessibility for Scientific and Technical Publications. The DAISY Consortium, the World Wide Web Consortium, and the National Information Standards Organization announced that they are partnering to support and advance the accessibility of scientific and ... <<more>>

December 9, 2024. Just Published: The Schlager Anthology of the Ancient World. Schlager Group announced the publication of our latest primary source title, The Schlager Anthology of the Ancient World. Edited by Dr. Eric Cunningham (Gonzaga University), this volume continues our ... <<more>>

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