The following section completes the annual vendor survey published last month (LSN Vol. V, No. 4). The vendors included in that issue offer integrated, multifunction, library systems that include either circulation or online patron access catalogs along with automated support of other functions. Companies offering either turnkey systems or supported software packages were included. A number of other companies that offer significant library automation products or services do not fit readily into either of these categories. These companies, together with companies that have withdrawn from the turnkey and supported software markets, are examined in the following section.
Other Vendors
During the year one company, CTI Library Systems Inc., disappeared from the market and another, IBM, ceased offering regular software maintenance for its DOBIS Leuven software in the United States.
At the end of 1983 CTI had reportedly been supporting 23 installed and accepted systems (nine of them outside of North America), and had had two systems awaiting installation. It appears that most of the CTI users in North America have now become Dynix users. Two of the CTI users have become customers of a new company, the founders of which include a former principal of CTI. The new company, Library Information Systems, is installing its software at Pomona Public Library and the State Library of Alaska, and has three people devoted to software maintenance and development. Its system offers support for cataloging, circulation, online catalog, interlibrary loan and materials booking.
[Library Information Systems, Inc., 840 Irvine Avenue, Suite 5-210, Newport Beach, CA 92663 (714) 631-0784.]
IBM had never revealed how many DOBIS sites it was supporting in the United States, but the editors estimate the number at more than five and less than ten. The DOBIS contracts written for U.S. sites before 1984 committed software maintenance up to December 31, 1984. These agreements have now expired and an IBM spokesperson has indicated that libraries with the software must now pay for maintenance on a time and materials basis. The software is still being made available to potential users, but the company no longer appears to be maintaining a central office for DOBIS inquiries in Bethesda, MD. Libraries interested in acquiring DOBIS are advised to "Contact their local IBM office."
Science Press, which showed its Automated Library System software at ALA in June, is still evaluating its marketing strategy and had not yet made the system available for sale.
A number of other companies were active in the local library systems market during 1984. They have not been included in the main survey for one of several reasons: a product line that includes neither circulation nor full patron access catalog, a system based on regular microcomputers, lack of visibility in the market place, or a product line that does not fit readily into the turnkey/software categorization. The more significant vendors in this group include:
- Blackwell Library Systems which was supporting 16 installed and accepted PERLINE/BOOKLINE periodicals control and acquisitions systems by the end of 1984. Ten systems were sold during the year, and two of these were awaiting installation or acceptance. The functions in operation at various sites were: acquisitions, global authority control, and serials control. Interfaces to OCLC and RLIN were in use and the systems have the capability of interfacing with other systems from the same vendor. Interlibrary loan, word processing and report generator capabilities were operational. Blackwell has 12 staff assigned to software maintenance and development.
[Blackwell Library Systems, Inc., 310 East Shore Road, Great Neck, NY 11023 (516) 466-5418.]
- DTI Data Trek offers support for acquisitions, cataloging, circulation, serials control, patron access catalog, and materials booking through its Card Datalog microcomputer software programs. DTI reported having sold a total of 125 systems by the end-of 1984, with sales of 75 programs during the year. The company has five people committed to software maintenance and development.
[DTI Data Trek, 121 west E. Street, Second Floor, Encinitas, CA 92024 (619) 436-5055.]
- Carlyle Systems Inc. began offering its TOMUS turnkey system to support data base creation and maintenance and online catalog functions in 1984. During the year the company installed eight systems, the first of which was in the Research Libraries of New York Public Library. All the systems are currently in the acceptance or testing stages of installation.
[Carlyle Systems Inc., 2930 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94702 (415) 843-3538.]
- Gaylord Systems Division offers libraries a number of automated support options. The offerings range from single- function single user software packages for acquisitions, circulation, patron access catalog and serials control, with products specially tailored for the public and school library markets, to stand-alone minicomputer-based systems to support circulation and/or patron access catalog functions. As of the end of 1984 Gaylord was supporting DEC-based GS 300 and GS 400 circulation systems in 16 library sites and one DataPoint-based GS 3000 standalone online catalog system. Another GS 3000 online catalog system was sold during the year and was awaiting installation. The company has eight staff devoted to software maintenance and development- for its automated products.
[Gaylord Systems Division, Box 4901, Syracuse, NY 13221 (800) 448-6160.]
Several other companies offer libraries automated support for a range of functions including acquisitions, circulation, patron access catalog and interlibrary loan using large time-sharing systems. Among the companies promoting these capabilities are Auto-Graphics and Brodart.
Address Changes
A number of the organizations which produce systems and services regularly featured in LSN have recently changed addresses. The companies and their new addresses are:
Blackwell Library Systems, Inc.
202 East Main Street, Suite 105.
Huntington, NY 11743.
(516) 351-1611 or (800) 645-5359
DTI Data Trek.
621 Second Street.
Encinitas CA 92024.
(619) 436-5055
Information Management Consultants, Inc.
225 West 34th Street, Suite 1105.
New York, NY 10001.
(212) 244-5440
Innovative Interfaces.
1409 Fifth Street.
Berkeley, CA 94701.
(415) 527-5555
Library Information Systems, Inc.
1691 Browning.
Irvine, CA 92714.
(714) 261-7425
NOTIS retains its address, but has changed its phone number to (312) 491-7004.
