St. Louis, Missouri, USA -- October 5, 1994: Data Research Associates, Inc. (DRA) today announced that the Wyoming Libraries Database (WYLD) Network has selected DRA to provide a range of automation and networking services to 36 Wyoming libraries spread across 100,000 square miles of the state. Members of WYLD include all 23 of Wyoming's county libraries, all seven of its community colleges, the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming State Library.
State Librarian Helen Meadors Maul says, "To serve the needs of the people of Wyoming, our libraries have a long history of interaction. We recognized years ago that resource sharing and cooperation were necessary. We chose DRA now because it offered the means to continue the best possible service to fulfill the needs of the people and the librarians who joined in this effort."
WYLD originally automated its library members in 1984 with a Geac system. As selected members of WYLD convert to the Data Research System, these members are looking forward to implementing PAC for their borrowers and taking advantage of Open DRANET, DRA's state-of-the-art collection of networking resources. With Open DRANET, they will be able to use DRA's Library of Congress database for some of their cataloging, as well as for providing access for staff and borrowers to a variety of periodical indexes and full-text databases.
Taking advantage of DRA's networking expertise, WYLD also will establish a gateway - between Data Research System WYLD members and those members using other library automation systems, as well as between WYLD members and many other libraries in the Rocky Mountain area.
DRA, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a leading provider of library automation systems, networking services and other related services for libraries. The Data Research System is adaptable for use in academic, public, school and special libraries ranging from single libraries to large, multi-branch systems and consortia. DRA currently has a customer base of more than 400 systems representing 1,300 individual libraries worldwide.