SUNY, the State University of New York, announced today that they have selected the ALEPH 500 system from Ex Libris (USA) Inc. Pending successful contract negotiations, ALEPH 500 is poised to become the core library management system (LMS) for the SUNYConnect initiative. SUNYConnect will provide access to the entire SUNY library collection of 18 million volumes while integrating technology based resources and capabilities with traditional library services.

SUNY is a unified system of public higher education institutions with 64 campuses, representing 71 libraries comprised of community colleges, two-year colleges of technology, specialized and statutory colleges, traditional four-year colleges, research university campuses and academic health science centers. Serving nearly 400,000 students SUNY is the nation`s largest single, most diverse, multi-campus higher education system. SUNY stands today as a system of higher education committed to excellence, access, diversity, affordability, research and service to the state and nation.

Dr. Peter D. Salins, SUNY Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, stated he is "pleased with the capabilities the Ex Libris system brings to the development of new cooperative arrangements with libraries as part of the SUNYConnect project."

Noting that ALEPH has demonstrated essential library functions and highly developed consortium components, Mr. Carey B. Hatch, SUNY Assistant Provost for Library and Information Services, said of the selection, "We saw in ALEPH, and Ex Libris, a unique combination of flexibility, functionality and collaboration that meant SUNY institutions would benefit from a common system that would facilitate access to unique collections, while allowing each institution to tailor the system to the needs of their users. Ultimately, the selection of ALEPH is a fundamental component in taking SUNYConnect one step closer to reality."

The SUNY system has a tradition of individual campus autonomy. SUNY libraries, as a result have implemented a wide variety of library management systems. During the early 1990s, 40 SUNY libraries worked together to implement the DRA/Multilis software. As a direct result of the success of that program, SUNYConnect was begun with the goal of having as many SUNY libraries as possible using the same LMS. That system is ALEPH 500. Installation and implementation of the system will occur over the next 4-5 years and will ultimately support a database of 18 million volumes.

Carl Grant, President of Ex Libris (USA) Inc. said "SUNY`s selection of ALEPH and Ex Libris is deeply gratifying. It tells us that our devotion to listening to the needs of the customer and collaborating with the customer in addressing those needs is indeed the approach desired. More importantly, it confirms for the marketplace at large, that ALEPH and Ex Libris represent an important part of the future of library automation in North America."

With a strong customer base of academic institutions and consortia, Ex Libris has been expanding its market in North America. SUNY joins major North American research institutions such as the University of Iowa, McGill University, and the University of Notre Dame in selecting the ALEPH 500 system.

The system marketed by Ex Libris, called ALEPH, is now in over 500 installations with more than 17,000 concurrent users in 40 countries. Ex Libris is a multi-national company with offices located around the world.

For more information, please see: http://olis.sysadm.suny.edu/projects/slam/exlibris.htm