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 which offer integrated, multi-user, multi-function systems. This year both turnkey and software only vendors are included in the same issue because a majority of vendors now sell both ways. Turnkey vendors are those which provide hardware, software, installation, training, and ongoing support from a single source. They assume liability for total system performance. Software only sales give the buyer only a guarantee that the software is free of defects. In the next issue we will summarize the survey results for PC-based systems.
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. Virtually all of them could deliver these basic modules by the end of 1988, although some had only Beta sites for serials control in 1988, with general release scheduled for 1989.
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 whether the product was available as a turnkey, a software package, or both; the hardware platform, operating system and programming language; the number of sales during the past calendar year; the total number of installations; the number awaiting installation and/or acceptance; gross sales for 1988; profitability status; the percentage of customers using each module or major function; the sizes of the installed systems; and the number of staff devoted to software maintenance and development.
SUMMARY
The editors identified 25 North American organizations marketing integrated multi-function turnkey library systems or software packages for supermicro, mini or mainframe computers--down from 31 the previous year. Fifteen of the vendors offered both turnkey systems and software packages, six only offered software packages, and four only offered turnkey systems.
Twenty-two of the vendors responded to the survey, but data for the non-respondents has been included when available from the previous year's survey response, or from other sources.
The 22 respondents, and one non-respondent for which reliable data was available, together sold 376 systems during 1988. While the number is only slightly higher than the previous record year of 1987 in which 350 sales were made, it is well above the 232 systems of 1984 and the 196 and 210 respectively for 1985 and 1986.
The total number of installations claimed by the respondents, and estimated for the three non-respondents, is 2,441.
Three vendors--CLSI, IBM DOBIS, and Information Dimensions--reported gross sales in excess of $20 million. CLSI's sales of more than $35 million retained for it the position of the industry's revenue leader. The Information Dimensions figure of $25 million included some revenue for non-library products. DRA, Dynix, Info Data and OCLC Local Systems each reported sales of between $10 and $20 million. Geac did not respond to the survey, but is believed to have had sales of just under $20 million. INLEX, Innovative Interfaces, NOTIS, and UNISYS each claimed sales of between $5 and $10 million. others reported sales for the year under $5 million.
As it did in 1987, Dynix reported the highest number of new system sales during 1988 (49); CLSI was second (42); Sobeco/MultiLIS was third (39); Innovative Interfaces was fourth (33); DRA was fifth (32); NOTIS was sixth (30); VTLS was seventh (26); Info Data was eighth (25); Information Dimensions was ninth (22); INLEX was tenth (19). No other vendor claimed to have sold more than 18 systems in 1988.
CLSI led all vendors with the latest number of installed and accepted systems (331); Info Data, a company which provided only very sketchy information, claims a figure which would put it in second (325); Dynix moved up to third (220); IBM DOBIS was fourth (182); Geac, which did not respond, appears to have slipped to fifth (approximately 170); OCLC Local Systems, which did not breakout its PC-based acquisitions and serials control systems, appears to be sixth (approximately 140); Information Dimensions was seventh (124); NOTIS was eight (119); Innovative Interfaces was ninth (118); and DRA was tenth (100). No other vendor claimed to have as many as 100 installations. However, VTLS should reach that figure in 1989.
CLSI led the industry in the number of staff devoted to software maintenance and development (89); although Geac, which did not respond, may have had a comparable number and would rank no lower than second. Information Dimensions was third (44); DRA, Info Data and NOTIS were tied for fourth-fifth-sixth (35); Dynix was seventh (27); OCLC was eighth (approximately 26); Sobeco/MultiLIS was ninth (21); and UTLAS was tenth (20). No other vendor claimed to have more than 15 people devoted to software maintenance and development.
The following vendor reports are arranged alphabetically and are based on information furnished by the respondents. For those vendors that did not respond, the editors have provided available information and informed estimates.
Advanced Libraries and Information, Inc. (ALII), formerly Advanced Library Concepts, was purchased by Geac in 1988. Its figures have been incorporated into those of its new parent.
CARL Systems Inc. offers both turnkey systems and software packages. CARL assumed responsibility for direct marketing of its product in mid-year after discontinuing its licensing arrangement with Eyring Systems Inc. The hardware is Tandem, and the operating system is Tandem s Guardian 90XF. The applications are written in TAL (Tandem Application Language). CARL made no sales during 1988. Its installed base was six systems as of the end of the year. The company declined to report sales figures or profits. All sites were using local cataloging, circulation, patron access catalog, interlibrary loan, report generator, and inventorying capabilities. Community information was up at 83 percent of the sites, and journal citations files at 67 percent. Half were using acquisitions and serials control. None had authority control or media booking. An OCLC interface was in use at all sites, and MiniMARC or BiblioFile interfaces each were in use at 17 percent of the sites. Half of the sites had local area network interfaces, and all had interfaces with other systems of the same vendor. One of the sites had over 400 terminals; three had between 200 and 399, and two had between 100 and 199. Five persons were committed to software maintenance and development.
[CARL Systems Inc., 777 Grant Street, Suite 304, Denver, CO 80302; telephone (303) 861-5319.)
Carlyle Systems, Inc. , offers a turnkey system which utilizes a proprietary hardware based on Intel boards. The operating systems are RMX 86 and 286, and the programming languages are PL/M and C. The vendor sold four turnkey systems in 1988, down from 22 systems during 1987. The total number of systems installed and accepted by the end of 1988 was 44. No systems were awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year. The company reported sales of between $2.5 and $5 million. It did not realize an after-tax profit in 1988. It 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 1988; local cataloging, authority control, circulation, online patron access catalog, and interfaces with OCLC, RLIN, and local area networks. One of the sites had between 100 and 199 terminals, four had 60- 99, five had 30-60, ten had 16-29, ten 8-15, twelve 2-7, and one had only 1 terminal. The company appears to have dropped plans to introduce acquisitions and serials control modules. Ten staff were devoted to software maintenance and development at the end of 1988, down from 20 the year before.
[Carlyle Systems, Inc., 5750 Hollis St., Emeryville, CA 94608; telephone (415) 654-2600.1
CLSI continues to be a vendor of turnkey systems only. The company has migrated to Sequent and Altos hardware platforms using the UNIX operating system and C programming language, but continues to support the Digital PDP 11 platforms previously installed. The vendor reported sales of 42 turnkey systems during 1988, 29 of them in North America. At the end of 1988, it was supporting 331 installed and accepted systems. At the end of the year, 21 systems were awaiting installation or acceptance. Gross sales were in excess of $35 million, and the company realized an after tax profit for the year. All CLSI sites had both circulation and local cataloging. Forty percent of the sites were using the patron access catalog module, 26 percent were using acquisitions, 25 percent authority control, 20 percent community information, 15 percent interlibrary loan, 13 percent a report generator, five percent materials booking, and one percent serials control. Sixty percent of the libraries were using an OCLC interface; 2 percent each the BiblioFile, MiniMARC, RLIN and UTLAS interfaces; and 3 percent a local area network interface. Twenty-two percent had an interface with other systems of the same vendor, and 22 percent had a remote data base searching interface. Ten of its clients had more than 200 terminals; 26 had between 100 and 199, 19 had 60-99, 91 had 30-60, 91 had 16-29, 71 had 8-15, and 23 had 2-7 terminals. The company reported that 89 staff were assigned to software maintenance and development.
[CLSI, 320 Nevada St., Newtonville, MA 02165; telephone (617) 965-6310.]
CoBIT offers turnkey systems and software packages known as TLM (The Library Machine) for the Data General Eclipse (MV) line of minicomputers. The product was previously marketed by OHIO-NET. The operating system is DG's AOS/VS and the programming language is PL/1. The company reported sales of two systems in 1988, bringing its total number of installations to four. Both sales were awaiting installation and/or acceptance at the end of the year. Revenues were under one million. The company did not report on profitability because it is a non-profit organization. All of the sites had local cataloging, authority control, circulation, and report generator, 75 percent had the online patron access catalog, and 25 percent had acquisitions, inventorying and community information. All had an OCLC interface, and 75 percent had word processing. One of the sites supported 100-199 terminals, one each supported 60- 99, 16-29, and 2-7. The company had two persons devoted to software maintenance and development.
[COBIT, 1500 West Lane Avenue, Columbus, OH 43221; telephone (614) 486-2966.]
COMSTOW Information Services is a vendor of supported software only. The product known as Bibliotech, runs on Digital VAX hardware using the VMS operating system. The company reported selling five software packages in 1988, bringing its total installations to 39, all in North America. No sales were awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year. Revenues were under $1 million, and the company realized an after-tax profit. All of the sites were using local cataloging, authority control, report generator, journal citation files, and inventorying at the end of 1988. Some 75 percent were using circulation and serials control. Half were using acquisitions and interlibrary loan. Approximate 30 percent were using an OCLC interface, and ten percent a BiblioFile interface. Approximately 90 percent had a local area network interface, and 30 percent an interface with other library systems of the same vendor. Ten percent had a remote data base searching interface. All were using word processing. One of the sites had between 30 and 60 terminals, eight had 16-29, ten had 8-15, and twenty had 2-7 terminals. The company had three persons devoted to software maintenance and development.
[Comstow Information Services, 249 Ayer Road, Harvard, MA 01451; telephone (508) 772-2001.]
Data Research Associates markets ATLAS, an integrated automated library system, as either a turnkey system or a software package. It also offers a standalone library system for the blind and physically handicapped. DRA reported having sold 32 systems during 1988, bringing its installed base to 100 sites. Seventeen systems were awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year. The company had gross sales between $10 and $20 million, and an after-tax profit. Local cataloging, authority control, and circulation were being used at all sites; 95 percent were using the patron access catalog and community information capabilities; 90 percent were using acquisitions and serials control. Materials booking was in use by 50 percent; inventorying by 40 percent, and interlibrary loan by 5 percent. Over 75 percent had an OCLC interface, 10 percent a BiblioFile interface, and 5 percent each a UTLAS or WLN interface. Thirty percent had an interface with other systems from the same vendor, and 25 percent Each had a local area network interface and the remote data base searching interface. Over 20 percent were using word processing. Two sites were supporting over 400 terminals, 12 had 100-199, 12 had 60-99, 27 had 30-60, 29 had 16-19, 12 had 8-15, and 6 had 2-7 terminals. Thirty-five 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 offers turnkey systems and software packages for a wide range of machines which use the Pick operating system. Its major hardware platforms are Ultimate-DEC. Ultimate-Honeywell, and Prime. The vendor reported sales of 49 systems during 1988, bringing its total installed and accepted systems to 220. There were 17 systems awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year. Gross revenue from sales were between $10 and $20 million, and the company realized an after-tax profit for the year. All sites were using local cataloging, authority control, and the report generator at the end of 1988; 95 percent were using circulation; 75 percent were using the online patron access catalog; 10 percent acquisitions; 2 percent serials control; 5 percent journal citation files; and 2 percent community information. Half of the sites had an OCLC interface; 15 percent a BiblioFile interface; 4 percent a WLN interface; and 2 percent each an RLIN or UTLAS interface. Half had interfaces to other systems of the same vendor, 5 percent had remote data base searching interfaces, and 2 percent had a local area network interface. Two sites had between 200 and 399 terminals; 11 had 100-199, 19 had 60-99, 36 had 30-60, 45 had 16-29, 61 had 8-15, 42 had 2-7, and 3 had one terminal. The company had a staff of 27 committed to software maintenance and development.
[Dynix, 151 East 1700 South, Provo, UT 84601; telephone (801) 375-2770.]
Geac offers turnkey systems using its own hardware platform operating system, and programming language. It did not respond to the 1988 survey. It is believed to have made a number of upgrade sales to its existing customer base of at least 152, but possibly as few as two "new name" sales. However, it purchased ALII late in the year, thus expanding its customer base to approximately 170. The new product, to be designated "Advance," uses the Pick operating system, thus moving Geac away from its proprietary hardware. Sales for the company appear to have been nearly $20 million. Though its fiscal year ends at the beginning of the first quarter of the calendar year, it appears that the library division will realize an after- tax profit. As of the end of 1987--when Geac did report--the modules implemented in North America included: circulation at 95 percent of sites; local cataloging at 90 percent; authority control at 20 percent; and online patron access catalog at 75 percent. Acquisitions was in use at 60 percent. Interlibrary loan, materials booking and report generator functions were configured as part of the circulation module and, therefore, were available at all sites using that module. Twenty-five percent had installed serials control. Forty percent of the libraries were using online interfaces to OCLC, 15 percent UTLAS interfaces, 10 percent RLIN interfaces, five percent WLN interfaces, and two percent MiniMARC interfaces. Five percent of the library system sites also had purchased Geac's word processing module. Of the 152 sites for which information was reported at the end of 1987, five users had 200-299 terminals each, 30 had 100-199, 38 had 60-99, 44 had 30-60, 22 had 16-29, eight had 8-15, and 5 had 2-7 terminals. At the end of 1987 the company reported having 86 people devoted to software development and maintenance in North America, and another 44 in Europe.
[Geac, 350 Steelcase Road West, Markham, Ontario, ISP 133 Canada; telephone (416) 475-0525; or 515 N. Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; telephone (703) 836-0225.]
HCE Computer Consultants offers software only for NCR "I" series minicomputers although in past years it has targeted 13$ System 36 users. The operating system is ITX and the applications language is COBOL. The total number of sales in 1988 was two, bringing the customer base to three. Two systems were awaiting installation and/or acceptance at the end of 1988. Sales were under $1 million, but with an after-tax profit. All of the sites were using local cataloging, circulation, online patron access catalog, and limited acquisitions capability. No other modules had been developed. Two of three sites were using a BiblioFile interface. One of the sites had 16-29 terminals, and two had 8-15 terminals. Two persons were devoted to software maintenance and development.
[HCE Computer Consultants, P.O. Box 18265, Fort Worth, TX 76180; telephone (817) 498-6350.]
IBM DOBIS offers software only for hardware based on the IBM 370 architecture. The operating systems are MVS and VSE, and the programming languages are PL/l and Arc. IBM would not disclose how many systems were sold in 1988, but did represent that the total number of systems supported worldwide was 182. The editors believe that fewer than ten percent are in North America. The company claims that revenues were in excess of $20 million for the year. It refused to say whether the library automation product line was profitable. No data was provided on the modules in use at the various sites or the number of terminals at each. The company refused to disclose the number of people active in software maintenance and development, but it may have been as few as four. [IBM Library Marketing, 472 Wheeler Farms Road, Milford, CT 06460.]
Infodata Systems Inc. offers software only for IBM mainframes under the IBM VM/CMS or MVS/TSO or CICS operating system. The applications are written in PL/1 and Assembler. The company claims to have sold 25 packages in 1988, bringing its claimed total to 325 worldwide. The company could not say how many systems were awaiting installation and/or acceptance at the end of 1988. sales were claimed to be between $10 and $20 million, with an after-tax profit. The company claims not to know what modules are operational at various sites, or the number of terminals in use. Thirty-five people are claimed to be committed to software maintenance and development.
[Infodata Systems Inc., 5205 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041; telephone (703) 578-3430.]
Information Dimensions Inc. offers software only. The product known as Techlib/Stacs runs on Digital, IBM, and Wang mainframes and minis. The operating systems are VMS for Digital VAX, MVS/TSO and VM/CMS for IBM, and VS for Wang. The company sold 22 packages during 1988, bringing the total number of installations to 105 worldwide--95 in North America. Two systems were awaiting installation and/or acceptance at the end of the year. Revenues were in excess of $25 million, although some of the revenues were for the underlying BASIS systems software. The firm realized an after-tax profit for the year. All of the sites were using local cataloging and report generator capability, 90 percent were using circulation, 80 percent had authority control, 60 percent had acquisitions, 50 percent had online patron access catalog, 30 percent had serials control, and 20 percent had journal citation files. Thirty percent of the sites had an OCLC interface, and 5 percent had an REIN interface. Sixty percent had an interface with other systems from the same vendor. Of the sites, twenty-five each r have over 400, 200-399, and 100-199 terminals respectively; ten have 8-15; and 20 have 2-7 terminals. Over 60 persons are claimed to participate in software maintenance and development.
[Information Dimensions Inc., 655 Metro Place South, Suite 500, Dublin, OH 43017; telephone (614) 761-7300.]
INLEX offers turnkey systems and software packages for the Hewlett-Packard 3000 series of minicomputers. The operating system is MPE or MPE/XL, and the programming language is PASCAL. The company reported sales of 19 turnkey systems and packages during 1988, bringing its total number of installed and accepted systems to 39. Nine were awaiting installation and/or acceptance at the end of the year. Sales were between $5 and $10 million, with an after-tax profit. All sites were using local cataloging with report generator; 90 percent were using circulation; 75 percent the online patron access catalog; 50 percent the interlibrary loan module; and 30 percent authority control. Over 60 percent had an OCLC interface, 10 percent each the WLN and BiblioFile interfaces, and 5 percent the RLIN interface. Approximately 5 percent had a local area network interface. Twenty percent were using word processing. The sites included two with 100-199 terminals, four with 60-99, twelve each with 30-60 and 16-29, and 17 with 8-15. A total of six persons were committed to software maintenance and development.
[INLEX, 656 Munras Avenue, Monterey, CA 93940; telephone (408) 646-9666.]
Innovative Interfaces sold 33 of its INNOVACQ and INNOPAC turnkey systems or software packages in 1988, bringing its total to 118 installations. The equipment can be any UNIX-based system. The programming languages are PASCAL and C. The company usually bids ARIX and Convergent computers. Its software only sales tend to be on Digital VAX equipment. The acquisitions and serials control modules were still being rewritten to UNIX at the end of the year, thus requiring customers to mount these packages on a separate processor or wait until 1990 for the completion of the migration to the same system as the circulation and patron access catalog modules. There were 24 systems awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of 1988. Sales were quoted at $5 to $10 million, with an after-tax profit. All of the sites had a report generator; 96 percent had acquisitions; 95 percent had serials control; 25 percent local cataloging; authority control; and online patron access catalog; and 15 percent had circulation. Seventy percent had an OCLC interface, 20 percent an RLIN interface, 4 percent a UTLAS interface, and 1 percent an WLN interface. Ten percent had a local area network interface, and five percent had a remote data base searching interface. Three of the sites had 100-199 terminals, six had 60-99, 19 had 30-60, 30 had 16-29, 33 had 8-15, 24 had 2-7, and two had only one terminal. Fifteen people were 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.]
NOTIS offers software only for IBM mainframes which use the 370 architecture. The operating systems are DOS/VSE and MVS, although CICS/VS also is required. The online programs are written in IBM Basic Assembly. Batch programs are written in Assembler and PL/l. Thirty packages were sold in 1988, bringing the total worldwide installations to 119-115 in North America. No systems were awaiting installation and/ or acceptance at the end of 1988. sales were in the $5 to $10 million range, but without an after-tax profit. When a NOTIS site is in full production it uses acquisitions, serials control, cataloging, authority control, circulation, and patron access catalog. Most libraries have an OCLC interface, three are known to have an RLIN interface, and one a UTLAS interface. Data is not available on actual implementations. While there is no data available for the number of terminals at each site, the range is estimated at between 10 and 1,100 dedicated terminals. Thirty-five staff are committed to software maintenance and development.
[NOTIS Systems, Inc., 1007 Church Street, Second Floor, Evanston, IL 60201; telephone (312) 491-7658.]
OCLC Local Systems offers turnkey systems with software packages for the Data General hardware line using the MIIS/MUMPS operating system and programming language. The product, known as LS/ 2000, does not include acquisitions and serials control because they are mounted on PCs. The acquisitions and serials control systems can be standalone or interfaced with the LS/2000. The company did not break-out the statistics for the PC-based products. However, of the total of 99 sales for the year, approximately a dozen are believed to be 15/2000 sales. The total number of installations of LS/ 2000 is at least 100, and the total of all systems 306. The company also was supporting over 40 LS/2 systems, former DataPhase ALIS II systems. There were several 15/2000 systems in various stages of installation and/or acceptance at the end of the year. Gross sales for 1988 were reported to be between $10 and $20 million. The company did not report an after-tax profit because it is a non-profit organization. No breakdown on modules was made available, but at the end of 1987 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. At the end of 1988 two sites were supporting between 100 and 199 terminals, 11 were supporting 60-99; 40 were supporting 30- 60; 65 were supporting 16-29; 13 were supporting 8-15; 39 were supporting 2-7-a number of them acquisitions or serials control only. OCLC had approximately 26 staff committed to software maintenance and development.
[OCLC Local Systems Division, 6565 Frantz, Dublin, OH 43017-0727; telephone (614) 764-6000.]
The Sedna Corporation did not respond to the survey this year. However, at the end of 1987 it reported that it had sold no new systems in the previous two years, but that it was still supporting the same five Sedna Information Management Systems (SIMS) that it reported in 1985. The company had undergone restructuring in 1987 and claimed to be in a development phase through 1988. 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 was the report that a staff of eleven was committed to software development and maintenance at the beginning of 1988.
[Sedna Corporation, P.O. Box 22436, Minneapolis, MN 55422; telephone (612) 535-2326.]
Sigma Data Services Corporation , formerly M/A-COM Information Systems, Inc., did not respond. A year ago it reported selling seven turnkey systems and software packages during 1987, to bring its total to 20 DATALIB automated library systems. 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 the 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, the last year the company reported that data.
[Sigma Data Services Corporation, 12730 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD; 20852; telephone (301) 984-3636, extension 581.]
The SIRSI Corporation offers turnkey systems and software packages for a variety of UNIX-based machines. Lately, it has tended to bid the UNISYS 5000 series. The programming language is C. The company sold eight turnkey systems and packages during 1988, bringing its total installed base to 24 systems at the end of the year--8 fewer than the figure claimed the previous year. Six systems were 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. All of the sites were using local cataloging, circulation, inventorying, patron access catalog, and a report generator. Seventy-one percent were using interlibrary loan, 42 percent were using acquisitions, and 25 percent were using serials control. Media booking and community information were used by 4 percent each. Two of the sites were supporting 30-60 terminals, two had 16-29, and ten each had 8-15 and 2-7 terminals. An OCLC interface was in use by 29 percent, and a BiblioFile interface by 8 percent. Eight percent had a local area network interface. Four staff were committed to software development and maintenance at the end of 1988.
[SIRSI Corporation, 2904 West Corp. Boulevard, Ste. 209, Huntsville, AL 35805; telephone (205) 536-5881.]
SOBECO Group, Inc ., a.k.a. MultiLIS Corporation in the United States, offers turnkey systems and software packages. The major hardware environments are Digital VAX, NCR Tower, and MIPS. The first uses the VMS operating system and the other two the UNIX operating system. The programming languages are PASCAL and C. The company reported selling 39 systems during 1988, bringing its total to 54. Twelve of the systems were awaiting installation or acceptance at the end of the year. Gross sales were between $2.5 and $5 million, and the company realized an after-tax profit. All of the sites were using local cataloging, authority control, circulation, and online patron access catalog. Thirty percent each were using acquisitions and the report generator. Two percent of the sites were using a UTLAS interface and 25 percent were using a BiblioFile interface. Three sites had between 100 and 199 terminals, 3 had 60-99, four had 30-60, fifteen had 16-29, 24 had 8-15, and five had 2 to 7 terminals. Twenty-one staff were committed to software maintenance and development.
[SOBECO Group, Inc., 505 Dorchester Blvd. West, Montreal, Quebec H2Z lY7 Canada; telephone (514) 878-9090 and MultiLIS Corporation, P.O. Box 222, Boston, MA 02258; telephone (617) 969-1821.]
Sydney Dataproducts, Inc. , the vendor of the Easy Data Library System, offers turnkey systems and software packages for Digital and IBM minis. It did not respond to the survey, but a year ago it reported sales of 92 systems in 1987, bringing its total installations to 244. However, a number of these are believed to be PC-based systems. 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. At press time it was reported that Sydney Data Products, Inc. had been dissolved and that a new company composed of its former staff was in the process of being formed to market the Easy Data Library System which still belongs to Sydney Development Company. More later.
[Sydney Development Company, 600-1385 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V9 Canada; telephone (604) 734-8822.]
UNISYS offers turnkey systems configured around the UNISYS 1100/2200 and U series machines. The product, known as PALS, uses the OS1100 operating system with the COBOL programming language or the UNIX operating system with C. The company claims sales of 18 systems during the year, bringing its total to 26 worldwide, 16 in North America. The company realized revenues of $5 to $10 million on the library product, and claimed profitability. All of the sites were using the online patron access catalog and report generator, and 95 percent were using circulation. Some 75 percent were using acquisitions and serials control, and 20 percent were using interlibrary loan. Community information was up at ten percent of the sites. All systems had the OCX interface, and 10 percent had a BiblioFile interface. Ten percent each were using the remote data base searching interface and word processing. One site had over 400 terminals, one had 200-399, one had 100-199, one had 60-99, three had 30-60, 12 had 16-29, and seven had 2-7 terminals. The company refused to disclose the number of staff committed to software maintenance and development.
[UNISYS, P.O. Box 500, MS/B-lAO, Blue Bell, PA 19424.]
Universal Library Systems offers turnkey systems and software packages using Digital VAX hardware. The operating system is VMS and the programs are written in VAX BASIC. The company reported selling two systems during 1988, bringing its total to 29 installed and accepted ULISYS systems by the end of the year. One system was awaiting installation and/or acceptance at the end of the year. The company reportedly realized gross sales of under $1 million, and did not achieve an after-tax profit. The company noted that all of its installations were using local cataloging, circulation and interlibrary loan; 90 percent were using authority control; 55 percent were using online patron access catalog; 17 percent inventorying; and 10 percent journal citation files. Three percent each were using acquisitions and serials control interfaces. Nearly half had an OCX interface, 7 percent had a UTLAS interface, and three percent each had an RLIN or WIN interface. Three percent had an interface to a local area network. Two of the sites were supporting between 200 and 399 terminals, three were supporting 100-199, four were supporting 60-99, 14 were supporting 30-60, five 16-29, and one 8-15 terminals. Universal claimed to have 7 people committed to software maintenance and development.
[Universal Library Systems, 205-1571 Bellevue Avenue, West Vancouver, BC V7V lAG Canada; telephone (604) 926-7421.]
UTLAS offers turnkey systems and software packages for the Tandem T series of computers. The system uses Tandem's Guardian 90 operating system. The programming language is COBOL 74, with an upgrade to COBOL 85 in progress. Two new systems were sold in 1988, bringing the total installations to 11. The systems were awaiting installation and/or acceptance at the end of the year. Total revenues were just under $5 million. Profitability informa-tion was not provided. All sites were us-ing local cataloging, circulation, and report generator. The patron access cata-log was in use at 50 percent. Some 80 per-cent had an OCLC interface, 40 percent had a UTLAS interface, and one site had an RLIN interface. One site had a local area network interface. One site was supporting between 200 and 399 terminals, the others had between 30 and 199 terminals. Twenty people were committed to software maintenance and development.
[UTLAS, 8300 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS 66210; telephone (913) 451-3111.]
VTLS offers turnkey systems and software packages using the Hewlett-Packard 3000 line of computers. The operating system is MPE/MPE-XL and the programming language is COBOL. The company reported selling 26 systems during 1988, bringing its total to 93 at the end of 1988. Ten of the installations were outside North America. Ten systems were awaiting installation or acceptance at year's end. The organization's gross sales were between $2.5 and $5 million, and it did realize an after-tax profit. The company reported that 100 percent of its accounts were using local cataloging and report generator capabilities; 90 percent were using circulation; 85 percent the online catalog; 80 percent had authority control; 60 percent used serials control; 30 percent had interlibrary loan; 20 percent used community information; and 5 percent used acquisitions. Some 45 percent were using the OCLC interface, and another 20 percent, the RLIN interface. The WIN interface was in use by 15 percent, a local area network interface by 25 percent, and an interface to other systems by the same vendor by 30 percent. Ten percent were using word processing. Five of the accounts were supporting between 200 and 399 terminals, eight had 100-199, 15 had 60-99, 28 had 30-60, 23 had 16-29, 18 had 8-15, and 8 had 2-7 terminals. VTLS reported that it had a staff of 15 people committed to software maintenance and development at the end of 1988.
[VTLS, 1800 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060; telephone (703) 961-5847.]
