AUSTIN, TEXAS, September 10, 1999 - The Atlanta Public School District, winner of the 1999 Computerworld Smithsonian Award, has chosen to automate its 97 schools with Sagebrush Technologies' Athena library automation software.
A selection committee from the Atlanta Public School District chose Athena in favor of other library automation products. The selection committee was comprised of media specialists from every level of the school system - elementary, middle, and high schools. Athena will be implemented during the course of this school year.
According to Merchuria Williams, Media Services Coordinator for the Atlanta Public Schools, the committee decided that Athena was the best product for a number of reasons. "One reason is because it has a user-friendly, graphic interface," Williams said. "You can add icons and other applications. It's also simple, yet effective. You really don't need much training."
Another factor in the committee's decision to choose Athena was the versatility of its cataloging features. "The committee liked being able to choose the method of cataloging," Williams said. "They could go to the Easy Entry screen and fill in the blanks to catalog or, if they preferred, they could catalog in MARC format using the MARC Entry screen."
Choosing Athena is significant because the district prides itself on using technology as an aid to education, according to Nathan Jackson, Network Specialist and Internet/Intranet Developer with the Atlanta Public Schools. "We rely very heavily on technology and integrating different systems as a tool for achieving advances in education," he said.
An example of the Atlanta Public School's strides in technology is their selection as one of this year's winners of the Computerworld Smithsonian Award. The district won the award in recognition of its network, which utilizes broadcast, fiber, wireless, switched, and multimedia technologies for a communications infrastructure that can better deliver educational and instructional opportunities. Other 1999 Computerworld Smithsonian Award winners include such technology leaders as America Online and Cisco Systems.
"The decision to implement Athena is a great testament to the product, considering the effort the selection committee went through to choose the right solution for the district," said D. Bruce Butler, President of Sagebrush Technologies. "Atlanta is devoting a number of resources to technology. This is evidenced by their Computerworld Smithsonian Award. They took their time in choosing the right solution and we're pleased that they are moving forward with Athena."
Athena is the award-winning library automation system for Windows. It provides circulation, searching, cataloging, Internet solution options, cross-platform capabilities (Windows, Macintosh, and DOS), and related functions for large and small public, academic, corporate, and school libraries and school districts.
Austin, Texas-based Sagebrush Technologies is a division of Sagebrush Corporation, a leading provider of education and information solutions for libraries and K-12 schools. With additional offices in Edmonton, Alberta, and La Crosse, Wisconsin, Sagebrush Technologies provides powerful, easy-to-use information management solutions. Sagebrush's library automation software leads the industry and is installed in more than 6,000 libraries throughout the world.
