Syracuse, NY. Gaylord Information Systems (GIS) today announced that Belhaven College is the latest academic institution to join GIS as a library automation technology partner. The college has decided to install GIS' GALAXY automation solution at the Warren A. Hood Library.
With one eye on easy implementation and integration, Belhaven looked for a flexible system that could support a collection of 100,000 items. But beyond system functionality, Belhaven, a 116-year old Christian college located near the heart of Jackson, Mississippi, also required a vendor who provides more than just software. Their search led directly to GIS.
Gretchen Cook, Associate Librarian and Director of Libraries at Belhaven, said that more than the proven performance and sustainability of GALAXY, it was GIS' commitment to technology and partnership that convinced the school it was making a good choice. "Years ago, when we first began retrospective conversion, we contacted many vendors about their MARC specifications. We were years away from a commitment to a system, yet GIS worked closely with us and offered considerable advice to ensure our database was of high quality and versatile enough to use with any system," Cook said.
Officials at Belhaven also commented that GIS' solid financial standing and its 100-plus year history in the library industry reassured both the college and library staffs. They noted that the stability of the company, continued product development for the academic market, and compatibility with other products made their decision to go with GALAXY and GIS a relatively easy one. Cook added, "Knowing Gaylord Brothers' tradition of service to libraries made GIS a comfortable choice of partner for our automation project."
The Warren A. Hood Library joins more than 30 medium-to-large academic libraries that have chosen GIS as their automation solution provider. With the release of its award-winning Polaris Integrated Library System, GIS is once again proving it can deliver stable, technologically sophisticated solutions to academic libraries of all sizes. Gretchen Cook reiterated this fact. "We needed a vendor who provides a web-accessible catalog that can support the diverse requirements of students and faculty. We also needed a sturdy application on a solid operating system. GIS provides both. They have a proven track record of delivering robust, graphical web-based solutions on stable operating systems. In these days of over-stressed IT departments, this was a critical feature for us."
Belhaven is confident that their partnership with GIS positions the library for measured and well-supported future growth. Cook concluded, "GIS' simple, proven solutions provide an excellent technology foundation for us. When you balance 'bells and whistles' against continuous operation, continuous operation wins out every time. You can't hear a bell when the system is down."
GIS is the 25 year-old software development division of Gaylord Brothers, a library supplies and furniture company in business since 1896. In addition to its library automation systems, GIS offers networking, retrospective conversion, and database enhancement services to libraries of all types. For more information, visit www.gaylord.com/automation or contact GIS headquarters at 800-272-3414.
