BIRMINGHAM, England, April 18, 2007 – SirsiDynix, the global leader in strategic technology solutions for libraries, announced today that St Helens Council libraries have selected the SirsiDynix Unicorn GL3.1 Library Management System. Along with Unicorn, additional integrated modules will be installed, including SirsiDynix Enterprise Portal SolutionTM (EPS) and SirsiDynix Director's Station.
Enterprise Portal Solution will provide the libraries with a single interface to all the relevant, high-quality information, resources and services they offer, including books from the libraries' collection, databases, digital archives, RSS feeds, virtual reference, interlibrary loan and even powerful federated search capabilities – all in contexts that make sense.
Director's Station gives library executives a quick and easy-to-use system for both data analysis and deep circulation analysis to uncover trends and aid planning. Director's Station, with its data-mining and online analytical processing tools, will allow St. Helens Council libraries to make the most of their data, resulting in enhanced services for their users.
Dorothy Bradley, head of St Helens Library and Information Services, said: "We chose Unicorn because we were particularly impressed with the design flexibility and functionality offered. Library staff were involved in the process from the start, and the general feeling was that the software will provide powerful, yet easy-to-use, facilities for our customers. The technical solution will also provide us with opportunities for cooperation and partnership working with colleagues in other authorities."
Keith Sturges, president of SirsiDynix International, said: "St Helens Council is an example of the many libraries recognizing the value of upgrading to newer-generation strategic technology solutions. SirsiDynix and St Helens are committed to delivering solutions that help communities in their quest for information and knowledge."
In March, SirsiDynix announced a new technology platform, code-named "Rome." The platform is built on the proven, scalable and extensible architecture of the industry-standard Unicorn Library Management System and will include an impressive set of new solutions created as part of SirsiDynix Horizon 8.0/Corinthian development. Rome offers integrated technology building blocks for today's libraries and consortia, including costsaving software-as-a-service (SaaS) hosted options, state-of-the-art portal and search solutions, new and easy-to-manage Web-based library staff software, electronic content management and presentation solutions, the broadest suite of library management and productivity solutions – and more. The first version of Rome will be released later this year.
About SirsiDynix
SirsiDynix is the global leader in strategic technology solutions for libraries – vital institutions whose primary mission is to make sense of the vast world of information for people and communities. This is an exciting role as libraries assist people in discovering and using knowledge, resources and other valuable content for their educations, jobs and entertainment. In concert with key industry partners, SirsiDynix supports this strategic role for libraries by offering a comprehensive integrated suite of technology solutions for improving the internal productivity of libraries and enhancing their capabilities for meeting the needs of people and communities. SirsiDynix has approximately 4,000 library and consortia clients, serving more than 300 million people through more than 20,000 library outlets in the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. For more information, please see www.sirsidynix.com.
About St. Helens Council
St.Helens has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years to become a growing regional location of choice for businesses, residents and visitors alike. The borough's prime position at the heart of the North West's motorway network, midway between the vibrant cities of Liverpool and Manchester, continues to be a major factor in its ongoing success.
The award-winning council's commitment to service excellence is reflected in its maximum four-star rating, making St.Helens one of the top local authorities in the country delivering a wide range of services to 176,000 residents. St. Helens is home to Pilkington glass, Haydock Park (the premier race course) and, of course, the multi champions St. Helens Rugby League Club.