Once a year we systematically survey the library automation industry to get an overview and to facilitate comparison among vendors. This entire issue is devoted to the vendors who offer integrated, multi-user, multi-function turnkey systems--those which include hardware, software, installation, training, and ongoing support from a single source. While some of the turnkey vendors will also sell the software separately, they are distinguishable from those that sell only software. The April issue will include a survey of vendors that offer only supported software packages for supermicros up to mainframes.
Introduction
The integrated, multifunction system has truly come of age. All major vendors are now committed to providing acquisitions, serials control, circulation and patron access catalog modules-- and in some cases, additional functionality besides. Virtually all of them could deliver these basic modules by the end of 1987, although some had 1988 delivery dates.
This survey uses the same methodology employed in previous years. Vendors were contacted by mail, with telephone follow-up as necessary. Our queries focused on the number of installed and accepted systems, the number of sales during the past calendar year, the number awaiting installation and/or acceptance, gross sales, profits. number of staff committed to software maintenance and development, the number of customers using each module or major function, and the size of the systems sold. We made no attempt to determine the number of libraries served by the systems, primarily because the numbers are continually changing.
Summary
The editors identified some 31 North American organizations marketing integrated multi-function library systems or software packages for supermicro, mini or mainframe computers. Approximately two-thirds of the vendors offered turnkey systems and one- third software packages. Vendors that offer both turnkey and software-only options (for example, Unisys and VTLS) have been included in the turnkey summary.
At the end of 1987, the 20 turnkey vendors included in the survey were supporting 1,432 operational systems throughout the world, and another 100 or so systems were awaiting installation or acceptance. Of more than 1,500 turnkey systems sold since 1974, 350 were contracted for during 1987. That number is higher than the previous record year of 1984 when 232 systems were sold, and substantially higher than 1986 and 1985 when 210 and 196 g~ systems, respectively, were sold.
Among the turnkey vendors, one company--CLSI--reported gross sales in excess of $30 million. Geac reported sales of just under $20 million. DRA, Dynix, and OCLC Local Systems reported sales of $10 to $14 million each. All others realized sales of under $10 million for the year.
CLSI also led the turnkeys with the largest number of installed and accepted systems (302); Sydney was second (169) but with mostly very small systems. Geac was third (152); OCLC Local Systems ranked fourth (141) and Dynix was fifth (125). Innovative Interfaces was sixth (85), but its count includes a large number of small technical services systems. DRA was seventh (76). No other vendor reported having more than 35 sites.
Dynix reported the highest number of new system sales during 1987 (72); second highest was Sydney (60). CLSI was in third position (35), Innovative Interfaces in fourth (31), Sobeco in fifth (24) , Carlyle in sixth (22) , DRA in seventh (17), Geac in eighth (15), INLEX in ninth (15), and OCLC and VTLS tied for tenth/eleventh (14 each). No other vendor reported selling more than 8 systems during the year.
Geac led the industry in the number of staff devoted to software maintenance and development (over 100) followed by CLSI (79). Ode Local Systems was in third place (26), DRA and Dynix tied for fourth (24 each), VTLS was sixth (21), Carlyle was seventh (20) , Innovative Interfaces was eighth (13), Gaylord and Sobeco tied for ninth (12 each), Eyring, INLEX, Sedna and Universal tied for eleventh place (11 each). No other vendor reported committing eight or more staff to software maintenance and development.
The following vendor reports are arranged alphabetically and are based on information furnished by the readers:
Advanced Libraries and Information, Inc. (ALII), formerly Advanced Library Concepts, reported making three sales of its Advance and Aloha products during 1987. The total number of installed systems is now 16. The company has apparently completed its reorganization from primarily a development company to a marketing driven company. Private venture funding is the source of the additional capital necessary to undertake such a transition. Gross sales reportedly were under $1 million and the company claimed to be profitable. Modules available at all installations were: local cataloging, circulation, online patron access catalog, report generator and word processing. In addition, thirteen sites have authority control. Acquisitions is in prototype at one site and one client has serials control. Two sites have interlibrary loan and inventorying. Four sites have an Odd interface; two have a BiblioFile interface, and one has an UTLAS interface. Half of the installations are able to interface with the vendor's other systems and over 19 percent interface with a LAN (Local Area Network). None has community information or journal citation files. In regard to number of terminals, one system has over 200 terminals, two have 30 to 60 terminals, three have 16 to 29 terminals, five have 8 to 15 terminals, and five have 2 to 7 terminals. Five persons are committed to software maintenance and development.
[Advanced Libraries and Information, Inc., 2570 5. Beretania Street, Suite 207, Honolulu, HI 96826; telephone (808) 947- 4441.]
Carlyle Systems Inc. began offering its TOMUS turnkey system to support data base creation and maintenance, and online catalog functions in 1984. It sold 22 systems during 1987, up from 13 sales in 1986. The total number of systems installed and accepted by the end of 1987 was 40. Eight systems were awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year, bringing the total to 40. The company reported gross sales to be between $5 and $10 million. It declined to disclose whether it realized a profit. It also declined to report the number of sites using each module, but did confirm that the following were in use at one or more sites at the end of 1987; local cataloging, authority control, circulation, online patron access catalog, and interfaces with OCLC. The company plans to introduce acquisitions and serials control modules, and enhanced circulation in early 1988. Some 20 staff were devoted to software maintenance and development at the end of 1987, a substantial increase over past years.
[Carlyle Systems Inc., 5750 Hollis Street, Emeryville, GA 94608; telephone (415) 654-2600.
CLSI .reported sales Of 35 systems during 1987, 25 of them in North America. At the end of 1987 it was supporting 302 installed and accepted LIBS 100 systems of which 99 were multiprocessor configurations. At the end of the year, ten systems were awaiting installation or acceptance. Gross sales were in excess of $30 million, and the company realized an after tax profit for the year. CLSI, for the first time in these surveys, supplied figures for users of each software module: all CLSI sites have both circulation and local cataloging. Twenty-three percent (70 sites) were using acquisitions; 10 percent, authority control; and less than 1 percent, serials control. Thirty-six percent (109 sites) have the online patron access catalog; 15 percent, interlibrary loan; 4 percent, materials booking; 11 percent, report generator; and 10 percent, community information. Twenty-five percent have interfaces with OCLC; 2 percent each have interfaces with RLIN, UTLAS, BiblioFile and MiniMARC; and 1 percent have interfaces with WIN. Twenty-one percent of the sites were able to interface with the vendor's other systems or access external data bases. Five of its clients had more than 200 terminals one their systems at the end of 1987, 22 had from 100 to 199, 27 had from 60 to 99, 98 had from 30 to 60, 71 had from 16 to 29, 41 from 8 to 15, and 38 from 2 to 7 terminals. The company reported that more than 79 staff were assigned to software maintenance and development.
[CLSI, 320 Nevada Street, Newtonville, MA 02165; telephone (617) 965-6310.]
Data Research Associates. markets ATLAS, an integrated automated library system, and a standalone Library System for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH). DRA reported having sold 17 systems during 1987, all ATLAS systems. Of these, 9 were configured with multiple processors. At the end of 1987, a total of 76 systems had been installed and accepted. Three more were awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year. The company had gross sales of approximately $10 million, and an after tax profit. Circulation and local cataloging were being used at all sites; acquisitions was being used by 90 percent. Some 65 percent (49 sites) were using the patron access catalog, and 50 percent were using materials booking and authority control. Serials control was in use by 10 percent, as was inventorying. Community information was in use by 15 percent. The report generator and interlibrary loan applications were in use at 5 percent of sites. The OCLC interface was operational on 75 systems. One system was using the WIN interface, and another was using a Bibliofile interface. Some 15 percent had a LAN interface, while 20 percent (15 sites) were using an interface to other DRA sites. Approximately 20 percent were using word processing. One client was supporting over 400 terminals, 5 had from 100 to 199 each, 30 had from 60 to 99, 15 from 30 to 60, and 17 from 16 to 19.
Twenty-four staff were committed to software maintenance and development.
[Data Research Associates, Inc., 1276 North Warson Road, St. Louis, Mo 63132-1806; telephone (800) 325-0888 or (314) 432-1100.]
Dynix. reported sales of 72 systems during 1987, bringing its total installed and accepted systems to 125. There were 21 systems awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year. Gross revenue from sales was over $10 million, and the company realized an after tax profit for the year. At the end of the year principals in the company arranged a buy-out of Eyring Research's interest, owners of a major part of the company for the past two years. All sites were using local cataloging, authority control, and the report generator at the end of 1987; 75 percent (94 sites) were using the online patron access catalog; 10 percent, acquisitions; and 3 percent, serials control. Some 30 percent (38 sites) were using word processing.
Fifty percent had OCLC online interfaces, 5 percent each had RLIN or WLN interfaces, and 20 percent had Bibliofile interfaces. Over 15 percent were interfacing with the vendor's other systems. Of the total 146 systems sold, 125 installed and accepted, and 21 awaiting installation or acceptance, eight support more than 100 terminals, 18 support from 60 to 99, 28 from 30 to 60, 30 from 16 to 29, 33 from 8 to 15, and 29 from 2 to 7. The company had a staff of 24 committed to software maintenance and development.
[Dynix, 151 East 1700 South, Provo, UT 84601; telephone (801) 375-2770.]
Eyring Library Systems., a division of the Eyring Research Institute, reported selling one system during 1987, bringing its total installed and accepted systems to four. Two more systems were awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year. Revenues for Eyring Research Institute as a whole were over $10 million, with an after tax profit. No separate figures on Eyring Library Systems were available. All installed sites were using local cataloging, circulation, online patron access catalog, interlibrary loan, word processing, and the report generator. Over 60 percent were using community information; and 40 percent each were using acquisitions and inventorying. The OCLC interface was in use by 60 percent; MiniMARC by 20 percent; LAN interfaces by 40 percent; and interfaces with other library systems of the same vendor, 60 percent. Of the five installed systems, one of which was awaiting acceptance, one site was supporting more than 400 terminals, 1 had 200 to 399, one had 100 to 199, and two had 60 to 99 terminals. Eyring has a staff of ten committed to software and maintenance.
[Eyring Research Institute, 5280 S. 300 West, Suite E. 260, Salt Lake City, UT 84017; telephone (801) 263-9200.]
Gaylord Information Systems. reported selling 2 Gaylord Circ 400 systems and 2 Spectrum 1000 Interlibrary Loan systems, bringing their total for the two types of systems to 46, 44 of the former and two of the latter. One Circ 400 system was awaiting installation at the end of the year. Sales were between $2.5 and $5 million. The company did not indicate whether it realized a profit on its automation products. All of the Circ 400 users had circulation operational, and 5 percent had an interface to an OCLC system. Two of the sites were supporting 100 to 199 terminals, one had 60 to 99, two had 30 to 60, one had 16 to 29, three had 8 to 15, 12 had 2 to 7, and 23 had only one terminal. The company had 12 staff members committed to software development and maintenance.
[Gaylord Information Systems, Box 4901, Syracuse, NY, 13221; telephone (315) 457- 5070.]
Geac .reported sales of 15 systems in 1987, plus 6 major system upgrades, bringing its total installed and accepted systems to 152, all of which were multiprocessor installations. Three sites were awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year. Gross sales for the company were over $20 million. Though its fiscal year is not yet complete, company spokesmen believe that the library division will realize an after tax profit. Over the course of the last several months, LSN has documented the significant financial troubles faced by Geac Computer Corporation Limited and its attempts to work clear of the Canadian equivalent of Chapter 11. In late 1987, the company emerged from court protection and by January, 1988 was realizing a positive cash flow. The modules implemented in North America only include: circulation at 95 percent of sites; local cataloging at 90 percent; authority control at 20 percent (30 sites); and online patron access catalog at 75 percent (114 sites). Acquisitions was in use at 60 percent. Interlibrary loan, materials booking and report generator functions are configured as part of the circulation module and, therefore, were available at all sites using that module (144). Twenty-five percent had installed serials control. Forty percent of the libraries were using online interfaces to OCLC 15 percent UTLAS interfaces, 10 percent RLIN interfaces, 5 percent WLNinterfaces, and 2 percent MiniMARC interfaces. Five percent of the library system sites also had purchased Geac's word processing module. Of their 152 sites, five users had from 200 to 299 terminals each, 30 had from 100 to 199, 38 from 60 to 99, 44 from 30 to 60, 22 from 16 to 29, 8 from 8 to 15, and five from 2 to 7 terminals. The company reported having 86 people devoted to software development and maintenance in North America, and another 44 in Europe.
[Geac, 350 Steelcase Road West, Markham, Ontario, L3R 1B3 Canada; telephone (416) 475-0525 or 515 N. Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; telephone (703) 836-0225.]
INLEX .reported selling 15 systems during 1987, bringing its total number of installed and accepted systems to 26. Two were awaiting installation and/or acceptance at the end of the year. Sales were between $2.5 and $5 million, with an after tax profit. All sites were using local cataloging, circulation, online patron access catalog, report generator, and an OCLC, RLIN, WLN or BiblioFile interface. Three accounts had 60 to 99 terminals; 10, 30 to 60; 7, 16 to 29; 6, 8 to 15; and 2, 2 to 7. Eleven staff were committed to software maintenance and development at the end of 1987.
[INLEX, 656 Munras Ave., Monterey, CA 93940; telephone (408) 646-9666.]
Innovative Interfaces. sold 31 of its INNOVACQ systems in 1987, bringing their total to 85 installations. It also sold 14 of its new INNOPAC circulation and patron access catalog systems during the year, most of them to libraries that already had INNOVACQ. Eleven of the systems were awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year. A total of 8 customers had both INNOVACQ and INNOPAC installed at the end of 1987. All installations use a multiprocessor design. Gross sales were between $5 and $10 million, and the company realized an after tax profit. One-hundred percent of the installations were using INNOVACQ's report generator, 90 percent were using acquisitions and serials control, and 10 percent were using the patron access catalog. Two sites had circulation operational at the end of the year. The OCLC interface was in use at 65 percent of the installations, and the RLIN and UTLAS interfaces were used at 20 percent and 5 percent of the sites, respectively. Fifteen percent of the systems were interfaced to a LAN, and 5 percent were able to interface with another system from the same vendor. Five of the sites were supporting 30 to 60 terminals, 18 were supporting from 16 to 29, 34 were supporting 8 to 15, and 28 were supporting 2 to 7 terminals. A staff of 13 was committed to software maintenance and development at the end of the year.
[Innovative Interfaces, Inc., 1409 Fifth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710; telephone (415) 644-3600.]
OCLC Local Systems. sold 14 LS/2000 systems during 1987, bringing the total to 94 systems. It was also supporting 47 LS/2 systems, those based on former DataPhase Ails II systems. The total installed base was 141 systems. OCLC also sold 34 SC350 PC-based serials control systems and 9 ACQ35O PC-based acquisitions systems, four of them for use with the IS 2000. There were 9 LS2000 systems in various stages of installation and/or acceptance at the end of the year. Gross sales for 1987 were just above $10 million. The company did not make an after tax profit because it is a non-profit organization. Some 94 percent of the sites were using local cataloging and authority control; 75 percent, patron access catalog; 70 percent, circulation; and 35 percent, interlibrary loan. Some 79 percent had an OCLC interface, and 24 percent had a LAN interface. Only 4 percent were interfacing with another system from the same vendor. One site was supporting over 100 terminals, four were supporting from 60 to 99; 28, 30 to 60; 25, 16 to 29; 24, 8 to 15; and 17 from 2 to 7 terminals. OCLC had 26 staff committed to software maintenance and development.
[OCLC Local Systems Division, 6565 Frantz Dublin, OH 43017-0727; (614) 764-6000.]
Although the Sedna Corporation. has sold no new systems for the past two years, it is still supporting the same five Sedna Information Management Systems (SIMS) that it reported in 1985. The company has undergone restructuring and is now in a development phase. The company reported that all installations had the online catalog module, three had authority control, and two had acquisitions and serials control. Of the five sites, two are in the 30-60 terminal category, another two have 2-7 terminals, and the fifth has only one. Indicative that considerable developmental work is in progress is the report that a staff of eleven is committed to software development and maintenance.
[Sedna Corporation, P.O. Box 22436, Minneapolis, MN 55422; telephone (612) 535-2326.]
Sigma Data Services Corp.,. formerly M/A-COM Information Systems, Inc., reported selling 6 systems during 1987, to bring its total to 20 DATALIB automated library systems. Two were awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year. The company would not disclose its revenues or profitability. The company claimed that acquisitions, serials control, circulation and interlibrary loan capabilities were operational at 40 percent of the sites; and online patron access catalog and online authority control at 100 percent. One-third of the clients had an OCLC interface. It did not indicate the number of terminals in use. The number of staff committed to software maintenance was not given, but six staff were known to be committed to software maintenance and development at the end of 1985.
[Sigma Data Services Corp., 12730 Twin-brook Parkway, Rockville, MD 20852; telephone (301) 984-3636, extension 581.]
The SIRSI Corporation. reported 8 sales of its Unicorn Collection Management System during 1987, bringing its total to 32 completed and accepted installations as of the end of 1987. One system was awaiting installation and/or acceptance at the end of the year. The company would not quote sales figures, but the editors believe it was under $1 million. The company claimed to have realized an after tax profit. The company would not say what modules were operational at the various sites, but system reportedly includes modules for acquisitions, circulation, patron access catalog, serials check-in and control, electronic mail and bulletin board. The system is to be enhanced in 1988 to include global authority control and materials booking. An interface to OCLC was available at the end of 1987, as were word processing and report generator capabilities. The vendor claimed that 2 sites were supporting 30 to 60 terminals, and 7 were reporting 16 to 29. Five staff were committed to software development and maintenance at the end of 1987.
[SIRSI Corporation, 2904 West Corp. Boulevard, Suite 209, Huntsville, AL 35805; telephone (205) 536-5881.]
SOBECO Group Inc.., also known as MultiLIS Corporation in the United states, and best known to libraries by its product's name, MultiLIS reported selling 24 systems during 1987, bringing its total to 36. of these 9 were multi-processor installations. Some 15 of the systems were awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year. Gross sales were between $1 and $2.5 million, and the company realized an after tax profit. The sales figures suggest that almost all sales were for software only, even though the company claims to be a turnkey vendor. The company claimed that 45 percent of its clients were using acquisition; ioo percent local cataloging, authority control, and report generator; and 30 percent, circulation and online patron access catalog. Only 5 percent had OCLC interface, 25 percent an UTLAS interface, and 15 percent a Bibliofile interface. Some 5 percent were interfacing with other systems from the same vendor. Approximately 30 percent were using word processing. One user had over 100 terminals, one had 60 to 99 terminals, three had 30 to 60, two had 16 to 29, nine had 8 to 15, and five had 2 to 7. At least 12 staff were committed to software maintenance and development.
[SOBECO Group Inc., 505 Dorchester Blvd. West, Montreal, Quebec H2z 1Y7; telephone (514) 878-9090 and MultiLIS Corporation, P.O. Box 222, Boston, MA 02258; telephone (617) 969-l82l.]
Sydney Dataproducts Inc.., the vendor of the Easy Data Library System, reported sales of 91 systems in 1987, bringing its total to 244. Of these 44 were multi-processor configurations. The company did not provide information on revenues or profitability. All of the sites were using local cataloging, authority control, and online catalog. Approximately two-thirds were using circulation, acquisitions, and serials control. Two-thirds had interfaces to OCLC, MiniMARC, or Bibliofile. Forty-four of the sites had 8 to 15 terminals and 125 had 2 to 7. The company would not say how many staff were committed to software development and maintenance.
[Sydney Development Co., 600-1385 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V9; telephone (604) 734-8822.]
Universal Library Systems. reported selling 4 systems during 1987, bringing its total to 33 installed and accepted ULISYS systems by the end of 1987. Seven were multi-processor configurations. One system was awaiting installation and/or acceptance at the end of the year. The company reportedly realized gross sales of between $2.5 and $5 million, but did not achieve an after tax profit. The company noted that virtually all of its installations were using local cataloging and circulation; 96 percent were using authority control; 88 percent, interlibrary loan, and 60 percent each the online patron access catalog, inventorying and report generator. Only 3 percent each were using acquisitions and media booking. Some 6 percent were using journal citation files. Over 25 percent were using an OCLC interface, and 3 percent each were using interfaces to RLIN, UTLAS, WLN, and remote data bases. Some 12 percent had a LAN interface. Seven of the sites were supporting over 100 terminals, 7 were supporting 60 to 99, 3 from 30 to 60, 9 from 16 to 29, six from 8 to 15, and one from 2 to 7 terminals. Universal claimed to have 10 people committed to software maintenance and development.
[Universal library Systems, 205-1571 Bellevue Avenue, West Vancouver, BC V7V 1A6 Canada; telephone (604) 926-7421.]
UTLAS. made three sales in 1987, bringing the total number of installations to 11. One system was awaiting acceptance at the end of the year. Total sales were in excess of $3.5 million. UTLAS appears not to have made a profit in 1987, but the corporate group of which it is a part did. All users had circulation, local cataloging, inventorying, OCLC interface, and report generator operational, and five had online patron access catalog implemented by the end of 1987. Two sites were using media booking, and one each had RLIN or UTLAS interfaces. Acquisitions and serials control were still in development. Two sites had 16 to 29 terminals, one had 60-99, eight had 100-199, and one had 200-399 terminals. No data was supplied on the number of staff committed to software development and maintenance.
[UTLAS, 8300 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS 66210; telephone (913) 451-3111.]
VTLS. reported selling 14 systems during 1987, bringing its total to 82 installations by the end of 1987. Six systems were awaiting installation or acceptance at year's end. The organization gross sales were between $2.5 and $5 million and it did realize a profit. The company reported that 100 percent of its accounts were using local cataloging and report generator capabilities; 96 percent were using circulation; 90 percent authority control; 75 percent the online patron access catalog; 15 percent, interlibrary loan; and 8 percent, serials control. None were using acquisitions, media booking, journal citations, or inventorying. Some 40 percent were using the Ode interface, and another 10 percent the RLIN interface. Four percent were using WLN MiniMARC, and BiblioFile interfaces. Some 25 percent were using a LAN interface, and 50 percent were using an interface with one of the vendor's other systems. Forty percent were using word processing. Three of the accounts were supporting over 100 terminals, 5 had 60 to 99, 20 had 30 to 60, 20 had 16 to 29, 25 had 8 to 225, and 10 had 2 to 7 terminals. VTLS reported that it had a staff of 21 people committed to software maintenance and development at the end of 1987.
[VTLS, 416 Newman Library, Blacksburg, VA 24061; telephone (703) 961-5847.]
