In January 1998, the directors of ALS International Limited (UK), Sisis GmbH (Germany) and Pica (The Netherlands) signed a Letter of Intent to form a strategic alliance for the purpose of a close technical co-operation.
The alliance, code named EuroLIB brings together three of the main European suppliers of library systems which already serve a large number of libraries within Europe.
The three alliance partners will co-ordinate the further development of their respective systems, working from a common technology basis and will develop exchangeable system components which will fit seamlessly together.
They will offer a growth path to existing customers and at the same time a state of the art solution to new customers, combining the strength of the ALSi, Pica and Sisis systems.
Based on an object oriented, intranet and Internet technology the new solution will be available on UNIX as well as NT platforms and will be aimed at smaller as well as larger libraries and at research as well as public libraries.
A spokesman for the alliance, said: "This co-operation will guarantee our customers have an evolutionary path to the newest technology with a greater scope of functionality. The alliance is firmly committed to provide the premier European systems solution for libraries into the Millennium, offering the best of all worlds."
ALSi has been a developer and supplier of library systems since 1969 and has installed systems serving more than 900 libraries within Europe. Pica has a majority shareholding in ALSi.
Sisis has been a developer and supplier of library systems which has been active since 1986 as a part of the Siemens Nixdorf parent company. Since 1997 Sisis has been an independent company in which Siemens Nixdorf has a majority shareholding. The Sisis library system is serving over 400 libraries within Europe.
The Pica Foundation is a Dutch non-profit making organisation developing systems and services for libraries. Pica provides a total technical infrastructure combining large co-operative systems with local library systems and serving over 1,500 libraries in The Netherlands, Germany and France.
For further information please contact:
David J. Horrell, ALS International Ltd, ALSI House, Argyle Way, Stevenage SG1 2AD, UK. Tel: (01438) 230023. Fax: (01438) 235000. E-mail: Sales@als.co.uk
