San Jose, CA -- June 23, 1997, CASPR Library Systems and McGraw-Hill School Systems today announced the signing of a letter of intent whereby CASPR will acquire the library automation products and services of McGraw-Hill School Systems. These products include the Columbia Library System (CLS), used in over 2,700 school, public and private libraries across North America. As part of the contract, CASPR will take over technical support services for the Columbia Library System (CLS) user base by July 1, 1997 and will work with customers to migrate them from CLS, a DOS application, to CASPR's LibraryWorld '97 integrated cross platform software.
"CASPR is the ideal acquirer of our library assets because of their advanced library products, their excellent support reputation and their long range technology vision," says Peter Carabi, President of McGraw-Hill School Systems." According to Norman Kline, President of CASPR Library Systems, "CASPR will provide existing McGraw-Hill library customers with steady and consistent support of their current software, while providing a smooth and cost-effective upgrade path to CASPR's cross-platform LibraryWorld solution. Our highest priority is to insure our customers existing invest-ments while also opening a path to future opportunities."
Headquartered in San Jose, CA, CASPR provides advanced information management products to the K-12, post secondary and special library market. CASPR announced an OEM agreement with Chancery Software Ltd. in early 1997 to provide Library World software as the heart of Chancery's LibraryPro 2.0 product. That product will be used by over 2,000 Chancery K-12 customers. The combination of CASPR's current customers, CLS and LibraryPro users will bring the number of libraries using CASPR's technology to over 8,000.
LibraryWorld is CASPR's 3rd generation library automation product designed to take advantage of the newest and most powerful desktop computers. It is a full featured integrated library solution with a compelling user interface that goes well beyond simple icons and pull-down menus. LibraryWorld supports both Windows and Macintosh computers and all standard networks and file servers. Combined with CASPR's LibraryNet product, LibraryWorld provides an easy method to publish libraries on the Internet using standard WEB servers.
CASPR is also a major player in the CD-ROM database development market. The company currently has license agreements with UMI, Catalog Card Company and Professional Media Services to use its database technology to build CD-ROM products.
