Atlanta, Ga., July 7, 2022: Equinox Open Library Initiative, a trusted leader in providing open source technology services for libraries, announces support for Aspen Discovery, an open source discovery layer which unites e-resources, catalog records, and third party databases within a single search. Aspen Discovery is user-friendly for staff and patrons alike and brings together all formats and titles in the search results, including resources from across the library's print and electronic collections and licensed content from OverDrive, Hoopla, and more. A mobile app for iOS and Android devices, LiDA, is also available for use with Aspen Discovery.
"Aspen Discovery is well-suited for public libraries and consortia that want out-of-the box discovery for Evergreen, Koha, and a variety of electronic content providers," said Galen Charlton, Implementation and IT Manager at Equinox. "By providing services for Aspen Discovery, Equinox is reinforcing our commitment to offering our customers the greatest choice in open source products."
With the addition of Aspen Discovery, Equinox now offers two options for libraries and consortia seeking a discovery platform. Equinox announced support for VuFind earlier this year. Aspen and VuFind are both compatible with many widely used integrated library systems, including Evergreen ILS and Koha ILS, and both provide a comprehensive search experience. For libraries deciding between these discovery options, Equinox offers free consultations with our expert team.
"There are many decisions to make when choosing library software: Do you build it? Do you buy it? Is there a product available that meets your library's needs and budget?," said Lisa Carlucci, Executive Director at Equinox. "Our mission to support libraries includes help navigating these questions and providing guidance and expertise based on our team's knowledge, experience, and community involvement.
We're excited to join the Aspen community and to announce our support for Aspen." Equinox delivers extraordinary service and exceptional value to libraries worldwide backed by Equinox's experienced team of library professionals. Aspen Discovery joins the suite of open source tools provided by Equinox, including Evergreen ILS, Koha ILS, VuFind Discovery, SubjectsPlus, Fulfillment ILL, and CORAL ERM.
About Equinox Open Library Initiative
Equinox Open Library Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is the successor to Equinox Software, Inc. Equinox's mission as a nonprofit is to support a thriving ecosystem for open source library communities and to provide libraries worldwide with innovative, affordable, and sustainable open source solutions. We are devoted to reducing barriers to library technology and services, expanding library access to open source software, and providing high quality technology, consulting, and support services. To learn more, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.org.
About Aspen Discovery
Aspen Discovery is an open source discovery layer that powerfully gathers all of a library's resources together into a single search. Aspen Discovery provides comprehensive access to the entirety of a library's holdings, pulling in data from the ILS and licensed databases. To learn more, visit: https://www.equinoxoli.org/products/aspen-discovery/
About VuFind
VuFind is an open source discovery product for libraries and archives developed and maintained by Villanova University's Falvey Memorial Library. VuFind enables library users to discover the entirety of libraries' collections, including catalog records, journals, digital items, and more. Search results are retrieved quickly, often in a fraction of the time of an OPAC search. VuFind is open source and customizable—the interface may be configured to best meet users' needs. For more information on VuFind visit: https://www.equinoxoli.org/products/vufind/.
About Evergreen
Evergreen Integrated Library System is an award winning and trusted library solution used by more than 1,800 libraries worldwide. Evergreen ILS is a web-based and mobile-friendly system which provides attractive, easy to use interfaces for library acquisitions, administration, cataloging, circulation, OPAC, reports, course reserves, and serials functionality. Evergreen ILS is an enterprise level system designed to manage a scalable catalog hared across libraries, including large public and academic library consortia. While designed for large collections, Evergreen is suitable for libraries of any size and type from government libraries to museum and special library collections. Its flexibility enables libraries to configure policies and settings that work best for their communities and to maintain ownership of their library and systems data.
For more information about Evergreen:
https://www.equinoxoli.org/products/evergreen/.
About Koha ILS
Created in 1999 by Katipo Communications for the Horowhenua Library Trust in New Zealand, Koha Integrated Library System is the first open source Integrated Library System to be used worldwide. The software is a full-featured ILS with a dual-database design (search engine and RDBMS) built to be compliant with library standards. Koha's OPAC, staff, and self-checkout interfaces are all web applications.
Distributed under the General Public License (GPL), libraries are free to use and install Koha themselves or to purchase support and development services. For more information on Koha, please visit https://www.equinoxoli.org/products/koha/.