As of December 2003, the Bavarian Library Consortium (Bibliotheksverbunds Bayern, or BVB) has been operating its Gateway Bayern portal with the Ex Libris MetaLib® and SFX® software products. MetaLib replaces the IPS-Pro system that BVB installed in 1999. BVB is made up of 28 member libraries.
The growing use of MetaLib worldwide and in the German-speaking countries, in particular, was a major motivation for BVB's decision. In addition, BVB enjoys the advantages of compatibility between MetaLib, the SFX linking technology, which was implemented previously, and the ALEPH library system, which is currently being implemented.
Gateway Bayern provides access to the BVB consortium catalog along with some 30 other freely available data resources. With MetaLib, BVB patrons can use one uniform search interface to conduct parallel searches in these data resources. The gateway is the first large SFX source to become active in Bavaria.
While tailored to the local requirements and preferences of each library, the SFX services of Gateway Bayern offer access to bibliographic databases and full-text electronic resources and afford a convenient way for users to perform target-specific searches through dynamic linking. The context-sensitive capability of SFX further ensures that the usage entitlements for each library are fully respected.
For more information, see http://gateway-bayern.bib-bvb.de.
About MetaLib:
MetaLib, the Ex Libris library portal, offers users easy access to libraries' e-collections, enabling users to find resources relevant to their area of research and to search simultaneously across a range of diverse resources. MetaLib is fully integrated with SFX to allow onward navigation from records that MetaLib has retrieved. For librarians, MetaLib provides tools for managing today's hybrid information resources under one umbrella, be they local or remote, freely available or licensed.
About SFX:
SFX—the original OpenURL link server—is an innovative tool for navigation and discovery. It provides users with context-sensitive services that librarians define on the basis of their institution's e-collections and policies. Such services, which are dynamically created, can include links to the full text of an article, the OPAC (for local holdings), preferred document-delivery suppliers, Web-based resources, local information repositories, and a range of other services.
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 system, has been installed at over 800 sites in 50 countries. MetaLib, the information portal for library collections, and SFX, the Ex Libris context-sensitive linking solution for heterogeneous electronic resources in the scholarly information environment, have already been purchased by 535 customers in 30 countries. The DigiTool product for the construction of digital collections as components of an overall digital strategy rounds out the Ex Libris product suite. For more information on Ex Libris, see www.exlibrisgroup.com.