LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Dec. 10, 1997) - Four Arkansas libraries that serve as vital information hubs for their communities have announced the licensing of Sirsi Corporation's UNICORN system. Representatives from the State Library of Arkansas in Little Rock, Ark., the White County Public Library in Searcy, Ark., the Lyon College Library in Batesville, Ark., and the Little Rock, Ark., satellite library for the U.S. Federal Courts, say that UNICORN will help them better serve the wide range of patrons who make use of their library's resources.
Located on the State Capitol grounds, the Arkansas State Library provides information resources and documents to state employees and business and industry, and by interlibrary loan to Arkansas citizens . It also serves as the official archive for state documents and as the depository for federal documents as well as a Patents and Trademarks Depository Library. In addition, the State Library handles the distribution of federal funds for technology improvement to Arkansas public libraries.
According to Sally Hawkes, coordinator of network services at the State Library , the UNICORN system will enable the library to make its resources available to non-government patrons. "For the first time, we will be able to circulate materials to the general public. In addition, we plan to use WebCat to offer the online catalog on our World Wide Web site. We're particularly pleased that WebCat incorporates the Z39.50 communications protocol, which means that our staff and users can search Z39.50 databases at other libraries, including the Library of Congress," she reported. She also noted the benefits of UNICORN's new staff interface: "WorkFlows will make it easy for our staff to make the transition to an automated system."
Susie Boyett, director of the White County Public Library, commented that WebCat will enable patrons to take full advantage of the library's recently established Internet connections. Having an automated system will also improve standard library services, she added. "For example, UNICORN will be a wonderful tool for collection development. By clicking on the icon for each subject area, we can quickly decide whether we need more materials on that subject. "
Founded in 1872, Lyon College is a four-year college of the liberal arts and sciences associated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). In its annual ranking of America's best colleges and universities, U.S. News and World Report has twice selected Lyon College as the #1 regional liberal arts college in the South. The Little Rock, Ark., branch of the U.S. Courts library system is a satellite library for the 8th Circuit, headquartered in St. Louis, Mo. The Little Rock branch serves all federal judges in Arkansas.
SIRSI, founded in 1979, is a privately held company with headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama. SIRSI uses the most advanced technology available to provide easy-to-use information systems for libraries, businesses, and archives.
