Civica Pty Ltd has announced that it is extending the scope of its international library solutions business into the broader education sector and will re-name the business Library and Learning.
The business has experienced solid growth in the past five years within Asia-Pacific and the UK and Civica will remain committed to marketing and supporting its Australian-developed Spydus library management system, which is now implemented in more than 1500 libraries worldwide.
Expansion into the education market is driven by a number of significant opportunities in the Singapore, Brunei, UK and Australian education marketplaces.
Philip Barr, Civica's Managing Director Library and Learning, says: "Libraries are an integral part of the lifelong learning process and as people seek sophisticated ways of dealing with trusted knowledge, libraries are well positioned to offer solutions."
"At Civica, we are building on our long experience in library solutions and taking this wealth of expertise further, into the broader Education sector where we are finding new opportunities."
Civica is developing a solution that will allow educational institutions to offer students of all ages a new learning approach, which is problem or co-constructivist learning, as opposed to the traditional "chalk and talk" or instructivist learning methods. Civica will utilise the unique Spydus search and retrieval engine expertise as a core element of its new Learning solution to provide advanced search, retrieval, indexing and qualification of information for students.
The company has achieved continued success in Asia-Pacific within the education sector during 2007 including major contracts with the Ministry of Education in Brunei, which is expected to roll-out to more than 180 schools and Queensland Institute of Technical and Further Education (TAFE) in Australia, which involves 80 libraries.
The final phase of the Singapore Ministry of Education contract to provide library services, across 352 schools, was completed successfully in June 2007, 16 months ahead of the original award.
In the United Kingdom the company has contracted with Sheffield City Council as strategic ICT partner for the city's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Civica has also been awarded a contract by Essex County Council to provide the foundation for a shared learning environment for schools across the county.
Civica believes the new Labor Government's education policy will also offer opportunities within the Australian education sector, with every Australian student in years 9-12 to have access to their own school computer. Every secondary school will be equipped with educational tools of the 21st century to teach the lessons of tomorrow, enabling Australia to stay competitive in a digital economy. Civica is currently working on a School of the Future solution for a number of Australian schools.
About Civica
Civica is a global provider of consulting, software and managed services to the public sector. Supplying specialist solutions to the library, local government, enforcement, education and healthcare industries, the Group has more than 1500 customers in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the UK and the US. Civica has a 27 year history of providing effective software solutions to the library industry. More than 1500 libraries worldwide are using the Spydus Library solution with more than 680 libraries choosing a Managed Service delivery model, enabling them to provide the highest level of customer service to their library patrons.
Civica Pty Limited is a fully owned subsidiary of Civica Group PLC, a leading global software provider to the Public Sector, with revenues in excess of $A300 million and 1300 staff worldwide.
About Spydus
Spydus is a web-based application which combines automation of traditional library functions with innovative technology to deliver a total information management capability. The system integrates modern library automation including web-based and mobile access and the latest tracking capabilities of RFID with a powerful and flexible search engine. Delivered and fully supported by Civica's experienced consultants as a complete in-house or managed service solution Spydus helps library staff meet performance and customer service objectives.
