Mannheim, Germany - February 1, 2007. Ex Libris (Germany) announced today that as part of the centennial celebrations of the University of Mannheim, the institution has chosen to replace its library management software with the Ex Libris Group ALEPH 500 integrated library system.

One of the key functions University of Mannheim requires and that the ALEPH 500 system offers is a completely scalable and reproducible authentication method that will serve the entire library structure, with specific workflow and authorization procedures for each branch. The flexibility of ALEPH 500 will facilitate its integration with the southwest German PICA central catalog, the incorporation of the Mannheim library’s budget control system, and the use of the campus-wide chip card - all features of major importance to the university.

"ALEPH 500 complied with the customer’s list of requirements more fully than all the competing products," noted Jürgen Küssow, senior Ex Libris sales consultant. "The Ex Libris system satisfies the university's own vision of the future with particular emphasis on the optimization of patron services and on efficient electronic resource management."

About University of Mannheim

Founded in 1907, University of Mannheim is known as one of the best academic institutions in Europe in the field of economics and social sciences. In 2005, the German Stern magazine gave its highest rankings to the university’s business administration, economics, sociology, political science, and law faculties. University of Mannheim has a student body of approximately 11,500, and its library collection exceeds two million items.

For additional information on University of Mannheim, see http://www.uni-mannheim.de/english/.

About Ex Libris Group

Ex Libris Group is a leading worldwide developer and provider of high-performance applications for libraries, information centers, and researchers, with installations around the globe. ALEPH 500 and Voyager, the Group's flagship integrated library solutions, are in use at over 3,000 sites worldwide. Other products from the Ex Libris suite, deployed at more than 1,300 sites, focus on the digital library and offer state-of-the-art, user-centric solutions for managing electronic resources and digital assets and providing informed access to them.