Blacksburg, VA - January 31, 2008. CARE Affiliates announced today that they've expanded their suite of offerings with two new service packages;
FaStart is a complete package of digital repository services for libraries and non-profit organizations. FaStart is designed to be a path to a rapid and successful repository implementation. This suite of services are based on open source software repository products such as Fedora/Fez, DSpace or EPrints. The services include: identifying the needs of users, planning the implementation of the repository, planning for rights management, selecting the right product to meet needs, installing the repository and then marketing it to users. CARE can also provide support, maintenance, training, customization and hosting/SaaS for repositories.
CrOSS is a package for organizations that have developed open source software applications and wish to see the application broadly marketed and coupled with CARE provided commercial maintenance/support/development and hosting services. For those organizations that need those service in order to be able to use open source software this package fulfills those needs. The result will be making open source software (OSS) packages more accessible, successful and sustainable for all types of libraries, not just those with large IT departments. For those organizations that develop OSS this package can free up their OSS developers from answering support questions and can potentially free them to work on new ideas and applications.
Both packages debuted at the ALA Mid-Winter conference in Philadelphia earlier this month and were met with widespread interest.
"Since entering the OSS marketplace, we’ve listened closely to what librarians say they need in order to be able to use OSS applications. We’re going to meet those needs with FaStart." said Carl Grant, President of CARE, "For those organizations that develop OSS, we’re offering to support and market their packages in order that the marketplace at large can benefit from their work and ideas. We’ll help to build strong communities that provide further growth and development opportunities for those OSS packages."
About CARE Affiliates, Inc.
CARE Affiliates provides services and products based on open source software to libraries and information centers around the world. These services include consulting, selection, packaging, integration, installation, support, hosting (SaaS), maintenance and continued development. Products include repositories, federated search tools, preservation and archiving solutions. CARE Affiliates is an international organization with offices in Chicago, Illinois, Blacksburg, Virginia and Toronto, Canada. Learn more about CARE at www.care-affiliates.com
