Library Technology Guides

Malaysia Institute for Research in Youth Development selects Virtua. Innovative announced that Malaysia Institute for Research in Youth Development has selected Virtua. A national research center under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the library has approximately 2,000 items in its collection and this is its first library-automation system. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. National Library of Malaysia celebrates 25 years with VTLS. The National Library of Malaysia and VTLS celebrated their 25-year partnership at a special anniversary event on November 8, 2013 at the NLM’s beautiful 238,000 square foot home in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Dato’ Raslin Abu Bakar, Director-General of NLM, and VTLS President and CEO Dr. Vinod Chachra attended the event along with approximately 100 staff from NLM and VTLS Technologies Sdn Bhd (VTLS’ Malaysian subsidiary). [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. Universiti Putra Malaysia Celebrates 25-year Anniversary with VTLS. Universiti Putra Malaysia celebrated 25 years of partnership with an anniversary event on November 11, 2013. UPM’s Chief Librarian, Amir Hussain Mohd. Ishak and former Chief Librarian, Tuan Syed Salim Agha, both attended the event along with VTLS President & CEO Dr. Vinod Chachra, library staff members and staff from VTLS Technologies Sdn Bhd (VTLS’ Malaysian subsidiary). While the event was held a few days after a similar silver anniversary celebration with the National Library of Malaysia, UPM was actually the first VTLS customer in Malaysia. With its original VTLS implementation, UPM became the first library in Malaysia to automate with an online integrated library system (ILS), housed in its own computer room inside the library. VTLS is proud of its association with UPM, a proven leader in information technology, and is pleased to continue to enjoy the confidence and loyalty of UPM as a customer. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. VTLS completes Phase II implementation for Hong Kong Public Libraries. The second phase of the Next Generation ILS implementation at Hong Kong Public Libraries was formally concluded in June, 2013 and was marked by a gathering that included high-level executives, key members of the project team and representatives of the Hong Kong government. Phase II of the project included implementation of a separate Virtua database with development of additional features to automate the processes of the Hong Kong Books Registration Office, a legal depository for each book first printed, produced or published in Hong Kong. It also introduced 111 new Virtua ILS features created to meet specialized workflows and local requirements, as well as implementation of ILL and ERM solutions in cooperation with other suppliers. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. Methodist College Kuala Lumpur goes for Virtua Cloud. VTLS Inc. announces that Methodist College Kuala Lumpur has become the first customer subscriber to the Virtua Cloud in Malaysia. The three-year subscription package includes the Virtua ILS and Chamo Social OPAC hosted on a locally managed cloud, with all system management services provided by the VTLS office in Malaysia. MCKL’s Tan Sri Runme Shaw Library has a collection of more than 11,000 books, CDs, DVDs and periodicals. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. Russian International Olympic University launches Virtua. VTLS announced that the Russian International Olympic University has become their newest customer, completing the installation of Virtua in December 2012. This local implementation was completed in cooperation with the VP Group, a local systems integrator and official VTLS distributor in Russia. RIOU is a new university with campuses in Moscow and in Sochi, home of the 2014 Winter Olympics. The library, which is currently under construction, will feature a significant collection of literature on the history and development of the Olympic movement and related sports management. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. VTLS welcomes Hamilton Public Library as its newest customer. VTLS announced its selection as the new Integrated Library System provider for the Hamilton Public Library in Ontario, Canada. Hamilton Public Library sought a partner with proven experience in large, multi-branch library systems who demonstrated a solid understanding of public library needs. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. Arab World Institute in Paris chooses VTLS. VTLS announced that the Arab World Institute in Paris has selected Virtua SaaS and Chamo Discovery for the automation of their libraries. The IMA, located in a distinguished building in the heart of Paris, serves as a museum, library and a research institute. The new system will manage the various components of the Institute including the main library, Médiathèque Jeunesse (Youth Media Library) and museum as well as the Picture Library and Audiovisual Collections. The entire system will be implemented at the VTLS hosting facility and managed by VTLS, freeing the library from day-to-day system tasks. Actual implementation commenced on the 1st of January 2013 with completion and go-live set to take place in two stages in June and September. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. Virtua adds floating collections management. Advanced floating collections management is now available in the Virtua ILS. This new functionality is designed to improve the efficiency of floating collections management by providing a flexible and easily configurable solution. What distinguishes Virtua’s floating collections management from other solutions is the inclusion of a configurable collection-balancing function. If your library has a high-traffic branch receiving a large percentage of returned items, Virtua will ensure that the items are redistributed equally among branches according to library-defined parameters. Library staff can easily set and modify rules for floating collections based on item class and location. Libraries will have complete flexibility over what does and does not float and in setting the criteria for collection balancing. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. Hong Kong Public Libraries launch Virtua and Chamo. VTLS announced that the Hong Kong Public Libraries, one of the largest public library systems in the world, is now live on Virtua. The public launch of the new Virtua system occurred on December 27, and was announced by the Hong Kong Secretary for Home Affairs as a New Year’s present for the people of Hong Kong. The Virtua implementation includes all of the ILS features of Virtua as well as the Chamo Social OPAC running on Hewlett-Packard hardware configured to support HKPL’s 59 million annual circulations and 3.8 million patrons. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. Jewish Public Library to become the first public library in the world to adopt RDA/FRBR. In February 2012, Jewish Public Library/ Bibliothèque publique juive, in Montreal, Quebec will become the first public library in the world to adopt the RDA/FRBR standard by implementing the FRBR/RDA capabilities of their Virtua ILS. JPL joined VTLS in 1994, and implemented the Chamo Social OPAC in 2011. The FRBR/RDA implementation in Virtua extends the functions of the traditional bibliographic record, which will make it easier for patrons of JPL to find and obtain information. Virtua is currently the only ILS offering full FRBR and RDA Scenario 1 support. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. Palau de la Música Catalana hits the right note with Virtua. VTLS announced that Palau de la Música Catalana selected the Virtua ILS to automate the Orfeó Català Library and Archives, going live with Virtua and Chamo in early 2011. The implementation was completed immediately after the server was received at the library. Currently, only the library material is being catalogued; archival material will follow once the greater part of the library has been cataloged in Virtua. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. Cultural Studies and Resource Centre (CERC) joins a growing number of SaaS users of VTLS systems. The Information and Documentation Center of the Cultural Studies and Resource Centre (CERC) has become the latest Virtua SaaS customer. Virtua SaaS and the Chamo Social OPAC will be implemented, with the system hosted and managed by VTLS Europe. In the initial phase of the project VTLS will convert and update the library records from CATMARC to MARC21 and load them into the Virtua database. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. Delaware County Community College Chooses Virtua ILS. VTLS announced its newest ILS customer, Delaware County Community College in in Media, Pennsylvania. Delaware County Community College has selected the Virtua ILS SaaS option to replace its current SirsiDynix Horizon system. The SaaS model allows DCCC to focus more on satisfying the learning needs of their students as opposed to spending time maintaining the IT infrastructure. DCCC was particularly impressed with the feature rich software provided by Virtua as well as the social networking capabilities of Chamo, the web OPAC. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. VTLS Announces The RDA Sandbox. VTLS Inc. announces its sponsorship of The RDA Sandbox, a special program designed to provide tools by which Libraries and librarians can practice creating MARC records following the Resource Description and Access (RDA) Implementation One Scenario. Participants in the program will have access to a Virtua database with over 250,000 MARC FRBRized linked records. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. Hong Kong Public Libraries selects HP to help write new chapter in public service story. HP Enterprise Services today announced it has signed a 10-year contract with the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China, to help the Hong Kong Public Libraries deliver public library services in Hong Kong. Under the terms of the agreement, which was signed by Hewlett-Packard HK SAR Limited, HP will implement and provide ongoing support for a new Integrated Library System (ILS) that is designed to maintain efficiency and support new library offerings to meet the increasing demand for HKPL's services. Virtua ILS, which HP is scheduled to implement at HKPL in 2011, is a Unicode-compliant offering from VTLS Inc., a global provider of library solutions. The system delivers a user-friendly, self-service experience to library visitors and includes a pilot implementation of Fastrac, RFID technology to enable automated management of book borrowing rights. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. VTLS Virtua attractive to diverse organizations in Malaysia. Six different organizations from six different areas of activity recently selected the VTLS Virtua system for their information needs. The six different areas are a university, a state library, a government ministry, a security company, a foundation, an industry board and a development corporation. In addition to Virtua, some libraries have also purchased VITAL and Visualizer. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. 25 Virtua Users in India on VTLS 25th Anniversary. VTLS Software Limited in India celebrates its 25th customer in the year that VTLS Inc. is celebrating its silver anniversary. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. VTLS EMEA Office Announces New Customers. VTLS Inc. announced two new customers and is upgrading seven existing customers. These customers are located in Ghana, UAE, Russia, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia and Ireland.The University of Education, Winneba, Ghana, signed a contract in October with VTLS for a Virtua system with plans to go live in early 2010. The British University in Dubai also signed a contract for VTLS Virtua. [Full Announcement].

VTLS, Inc.. Grand Canyon University Selects Virtua ILS. VTLS announced its newest ILS customer, Grand Canyon University. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, GCU is a private institution offering campus-based and online undergraduate and graduate degree programs for both traditional and non-traditional students. [Full Announcement].