February 5, 2004-Boston-Ex Libris announced today that the University of Wisconsin System has contracted to purchase the combined MetaLib/SFX information portal/context-sensitive linking solution on behalf of all twenty-six University of Wisconsin System campuses.

The MetaLib/SFX agreement with the University of Wisconsin comes on the heels of a similar agreement for MetaLib/SFX with Northwestern University and a contract for SFX with the Indiana University System. With these three milestone agreements the Committee on Institutional Cooperation-the academic consortium of the Big Ten universities plus the University of Chicago-is looking more and more to Ex Libris for information management solutions. Seven of the eight CIC member institutions that have selected commercially developed link resolvers have now selected SFX. ** (Two CIC institutions have their own locally developed link resolvers.) Of the seven CIC institutions with SFX, four have chosen to implement it in combination with MetaLib.***

SFX is now the link-resolver of choice at 56 ARL institutions, representing 45% of the ARL membership. MetaLib, SFX's younger sibling, is the preferred portal at 25 ARLs.

The University of Wisconsin System includes the following campuses:

1. University of Wisconsin-Madison (ARL member)
2. University of Wisconsin-Baraboo/Sauk County
3. University of Wisconsin-Barron County
4. University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
5. University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac
6. University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley
7. University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
8. University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
9. University of Wisconsin-Manitowoc
10. University of Wisconsin-Marathon County
11. University of Wisconsin-Marinette
12. University of Wisconsin-Marshfield/Wood County
13. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
14. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
15. University of Wisconsin-Parkside
16. University of Wisconsin-Platteville
17. University of Wisconsin-Richland
18. University of Wisconsin-River Falls
19. University of Wisconsin-Rock County
20. University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan
21. University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
22. University of Wisconsin-Stout
23. University of Wisconsin-Superior
24. University of Wisconsin-Washington County
25. University of Wisconsin-Waukesha
26. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

**SFX: University of Chicago, Indiana University, University of Iowa, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, University of Wisconsin-Madison

***MetaLib: University of Iowa, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, University of Wisconsin-Madison

About the University of Wisconsin

The University of Wisconsin System, one of the United States leading academic and research institutions, is also one of the largest state systems in the United States. In 2003-04, 160,895 students were enrolled throughout the system. For more on the University of Wisconsin System, visit www.wisconsin.edu

About Ex Libris

Ex Libris is a leading worldwide developer of high-performance applications for libraries, information centers, and researchers. A multinational company, Ex Libris has offices around the world. ALEPH, the Ex Libris integrated library solution, has been installed at over 800 sites in 50 countries. MetaLib, the information portal for library collections, and SFX, the context-sensitive linking solution for heterogeneous electronic resources in the scholarly information environment, have been purchased by more than 535 customers in 30 countries. The DigiTool solution for constructing digital collections as components of an overall digital strategy rounds out the Ex Libris product suite.