Systems Purchasing Analysis

Metropolitan Public Library Cooperative

Dennis Borden, Brandi King, Julia Marx & Amanda Westfall
LS 560
April 29, 2010

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Table of Contents

Metropolitan Public Library Cooperative 2

Description and Purpose 2

Library Automation Systems 3

Unicorn 3

Millennium 6

Evergreen 9

Product Recommendation 12

Bibliography 13

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METROPOLITAN PUBLIC LIBRARY COOPERATIVE

Description and Purpose

! The Metropolitan Public Library Cooperative (MPLC) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt educa-

tional consortium of public libraries in Metropolis.  Metropolis has had regional public library
service since 1927, however, no fee service for citizens begins in April 2011.  The 10 member li-
braries within the cooperative are autonomous, each maintaining its own board, director, and
budget.  The mission of the MPLC is to provide the highest quality service to our community for
lifelong learning, cultural enrichment, and enjoyment and to encourage and coordinate services
and resource sharing among the public libraries of Metropolis.  Member libraries serve a com-
bined population of 250,000 citizens.

! The MPLC administration holds responsibility for finding and implementing an appro-
priate integrated library system (ILS) to connect member libraries.  Four individuals represent-
ing the member libraries have been chosen by the MPLC administration to evaluate and select an
ILS.  The following describes the specifications, analyses of 3 ILS products, and final recom-
mendations by the evaluation team to the MPLC administration.

Systems Specifications

OPAC
    1. intuitive search capacity (one box search, e.g. Google, spell check, ‘Did you mean’)
    2. multilingual search capability

Cataloging
    1. bulk import MARC records from vendors
    2. automatic records update 

Circulation
    1. online initiation of holds, requests, and renewals by patron
    2. email notifications

Acquisitions

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    1. electronic transfer of records from vendors into system
    2. manage accounts payable/invoices 

LIBRARY AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

Unicorn

SirsiDynix
400 West Dynix Drive
Provo, Utah 84604
Phone: 800-288-8020
Email: sales@sirsidynix.com
URL: www,sirsidynix.com

Products Available:
! Unicorn, Symphony, Dynix, and Horizon

System Requirements:
! Unicorn server requirements include: Intel computers on Windows 200X and Linux,
IBM RS6000 on AIX, SUN on Solaris, Hewlett Packard on HPUX, and DEC Alpha on Digital
UNIX. The WorkFlows client uses Windows/XP/200X & Mac.

Programming Language:

Unicorn server-based applications are written in the C programming language.
Unicorn client applications are written in Java,® HTML, XSLT, CSS, and JavaScript.

Available Components/Modules:
! •! acquisition and funding accounting
! •! cataloging and authority control
! •! circulation control
! •! reports and database utilities manager
! •! materials booking
! •! serials control
! •! serials database
! •! outreach services
! •! collection exchange

Functionality:

! Acquisition and funding accounting: The acquisition and funding accounting module
allows the library to track materials from ordering, track performance of vendors and funds, con-
vert currency, manage budgets and fund accounting, audit and generate reports, create selec-

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tions lists for collection development staff. Also, it offers detailed management data and unlim-
ited field lengths and local field definitions for all acquisition data objects.
 
! Cataloging and authority control: The cataloging and authority control module pro-
vides the ability to create catalog records and establish single, authoritative form for headings.
This function also includes bibliographic catalog control, flexible date formats, full text catalog-
ing, "bound-with" titles, shadow catalog, authority control, cataloging with authority control,
"see" and "see also" references, and authority import utility. 
 
! Circulation control: The circulation control module provides automation of activities
usually associated with circulation such as user registration and management, charging and dis-
charging items, renewals, holds, overdues, fines, fills, generation of user notices, etc. Also, this
module allows for interlibrary loans, circulation backup, system integration, counting in-house
use, development of circulation policies. and accounting.
 
! Collection exchange: Collection exchange enables better management of materials
rotating among participating libraries. This allows large library systems to support many
branches and share resources. Collection exchange determines which materials are sent to each
library and makes sure exchanges are fair and equal.

Support:
! SirsiDynix offers several methods to reach their support team- telephone, fax, email, or
the Client Care Web site. SirsiDynix also offers 24 hour, 7 days a week support known as Extra
Care, and user groups as another support resource.

Stability:
! Information about the stability of the company is not readily available. SirsiDynix elected
not to provide data for the 2010 automation marketplace survey. There appear to be no major 
recent shake-ups in the company.
 
Types:
! Unicorn is scalable and can be used by libraries of all types and sizes. 

Customers:
! Unicorn is used by a variety of libraries. This product is used in 2650 libraries, which
includes: 1871 public libraries, 545 academic libraries, and 47 school libraries. Also, 6558 facili-
ties in lib-web-cats also use Unicorn. Primarily, Unicorn is popular among urban libraries. It is
used in library consortiums such as District of Columbia Public Library, Albuquerque Bernalillo
County Library System, and Tulsa City - County Library System.   

Costs:
! The costs for this product could not be determined. However, the company maintains
that Unicorn is cost effective.

Services/Products/Enhancements under Development:

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! The architecture of Unicorn allows for technologies to be easily integrated, or retired
from the software's framework. SirsiDynix is actively focusing and enhancing its flagship ILS,
Symphony.

Unicorn and MPLS Specifications:

a. OPAC

! 1. intuitive search capacity (one box search, e.g. Google, spell check, suggest a word)-
Unicorn offers a broad Web-style search.

! 2. multilingual search capability- SirsiDynix offers a Native Language module for librar-
ies that operate in multilingual areas. The Native Language module includes languages such as
Chinese, Arabic, French, Spanish, and Danish.

b. Cataloging

! 1. bulk import MARC records from vendors- Unicorn includes full support and templates
for all MARC bibliographic formats. Unicorn also provides Z39.50 cataloging.
!
! 2. automatic records update- Unicorn offers automated heading updates for modified
and updated authority records.

c. Circulation

! 1. online initiation of holds, requests, and renewals by patron- Unicorn does not provide
online initiation by patrons.

! 2. email notifications- Unicorn does not offer email notification. But it does offer tele-
phone notification.

d. Acquisitions

! 1. electronic transfer of records from vendors into system- SirsiDynix provides Elec-
tronic Data Interchange.

! 2. manage accounts payable/invoices- Unicorn has fund management capability.

     
General Evaluation:

! SirsiDynix Unicorn library management systems appears to be a good product. How-

ever, it does not meet all of the specification outlined by the MPLC. The major problem with this
product is that it does not offer the circulation specifications that we require. Despite that, Uni-
corn offers features that would fit well with our library system. As a large metropolitan library
cooperative, Unicorn provides options to accommodate growth in our system.

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Millennium

Innovative Interfaces
5850 Shellmound Way
Emeryville, CA 94608
Phone: 510.655.6200
Email: info@iii.com
URL: http://www.iii.com

Products Available:

! Millennium ILS: Millennium Circulation, Millennium Cataloging, Millennium Acquisi-

tions & Discovery Encore (OPAC)

System Requirements:
! Millennium enables libraries to use existing hardware to minimize costs. Millennium
program can run on customer servers or on Intel x86-based systems running Red Hat Enterprise
Linux. Millennium offers their applications for Windows, Mac, and Linux workstations, and
WebPAC Pro can be used on any device that can connect to the system from a standard web
browser. Millennium also uses any standard label, form, and receipt printers, as well as virtually
any barcode scanner that can read alphanumeric patterns.

Programming Language:

! Millennium is a native-mode UNIX application, written in C/C++ and Java.

Functionality:
! The primary module is the Millennium ILS (Integrated Library System), which contains
Millennium Circulation, is a module that provides self-service options; Millennium Cataloging
provides tools that create, edit and refine information; Millennium Acquisitions brings materials
into the library using vendor management tools to grow the collection at whatever pace you de-
sire. The Discovery Encore component features several modules for searching databases and
offers numerous discovery tools.
 
! Millennium Circulation: Millennium Circulation provides a complete set of circula-
tion, holds and ILL functions. The circulation status of materials is immediately reflected in the
system allowing items just returned or cataloged to be available. Millennium Circulation is inte-
grated with My Millenium, allowing users to perform circulation activities like placing holds,
which are then immediately reflected in the entire system. This module also provides functions
that are particularly convenient for cooperatives such as Priority Pages and Floating Collections. 

! Millennium Acquisitions: Millennium Acquisitions provides ordering and invoicing

and instant generation of order records when a new bibliographic record is created. EDIFACT
and MARC electronic data exchange (EDI) allows for direct communication with vendors. Fiscal
Close guides the creation and posting of statical reports and fund activity reports for the end of
the fiscal year.

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! Millennium Cataloging: Millennium Cataloging aims to provide cataloging functions
for the creation, editing, and refining of a collection that can be used by catalogers of all skill lev-
els. This fully integrated staff module allows for precise metadata handling, in-client connection
to vendors and content providers, and flexible reporting. Millennium Editor provides either
guided record creation or work forms for catalogers, Create Lists provides customized reports
on anything catalogers want to know about the database and Global Update allows staff to alter
large numbers of records efficiently.

! Millennium Encore Discovery: Encore provides discovery tools such as faceted search
results, Tag Cloud, Did You Mean...?, Popular Choices and Recently Added suggestions, and
RightResult™ relevance ranking.

Support:
! Innovative provides plans implementation services, training, and workflow consulting.
 Prices were not divulged for these support plans. Innovative also offers support for software and
hardware issues via a 24/7 Help Desk available by e-mail, phone, or CSDirect, their web-based
customer service center based at the company headquarters.  

Stability:
! Innovative Interfaces is a privately-owned company that continues its strategy of steady
organic growth outside of the fray of private equity ownership and the consolidations that occur
through mergers and acquisitions. Although sales were down in 2009, the company remains
strong and competitive after nearly 30 years in the marketplace.

Types:
! Innovative continues to attract large public, academic, and special libraries in many re-
gions of the world to Millennium, and increasingly these contracts also include Encore, the com-
pany's new-generation discovery platform. Innovative currently provides solutions for 4,500
libraries of all types worldwide.

Customers:
! In 2009, the company made 45 sales of its Millennium ILS, down from the 64 contracts
signed in 2008. The contracts signed this year included some very large sites such as a consor-
tium in Saskatchewan, which will be the largest Millennium installation. Millennium serves a va-
riety of library types, including academic, public, and special libraries; many new sales come from
international regions, especially in Europe and the Asia. Although sales figures and the number
of new customers were down, Millennium still enjoyed 1377 installations in 2009.

Costs:

! Vendor was contacted but no information was provided.

Services/Products/Enhancements under Development:!

-  April 16, 2010 - Innovative Launches Encore Synergy

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A new Encore product that was introduced this month provides single search box & deep article
integration. Encore Synergy fully integrates article discovery technology into a library discovery
platform.
-  In January 2010, Innovative released Encore Reporter as a tool for extracting, viewing, and
analyzing data.

Other Product News

! Innovative recently redeveloped its AirPAC clients, with versions for the iPhone and
BlackBerry and enhanced the Circa wireless Millennium staff client. Innovative released Content
Pro, a new platform for managing unique digital collections. In 2009, Innovative launched a re-
designed customer service web site, CSDirect, with improved tools for communication with staff
and users.
! The company also continues to focus on Encore. The release of Encore Harvesting Serv-
ices provides the ability for libraries to harvest any resource into Encore that supports OAI-
PMH.
! Other enhancements to Millennium include a web service to provide “My Millennium”
account information to a third-party application, SMS alerts allowing libraries to send patrons
SMS hold pickup messages, and volume holds.
Millennium and MPLS Specifications:
a. OPAC
    1. intuitive search capacity (one box search, e.g. Google, spell check, ‘Did you Mean’) - Millen-
nium Encore does include this feature.
    2. multilingual search capability - Millennium Encore does include this feature.
b. Cataloging
    1. bulk import MARC records from vendors - Millennium allows bulk importing of MARC re-
cords from vendors.
    2. automatic records update - Millennium allows for record creation and updates.
c. Circulation
    1. online initiation of holds, requests, and renewals by patron - Millennium does include this
feature.
    2. email notifications - Millennium does include this feature.
d. Acquisitions
    1. electronic transfer of records from vendors into system - Millennium does include this fea-
ture.
    2. manage accounts payable/invoices - Millennium does include this feature. 

General Evaluation
! Innovative Interfaces’ Millennium system appears to be a superb system in all respects.
The variety and number of modules available cover virtually any library need. All the four main
components of the ILS are replete with other add-ons that give nearly infinite possibilities to the
library environment and provide a variety of options in regard to operating system capability.
Innovative Interface has introduced two new additions into their product line in 2010, Encore
Synergy and Encore Reporter, so it is obvious the company is moving ahead even during difficult
economic times.

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! And although this year’s growth has been stunted in 2009, the company, in comparison
to its competitors, is still performing strong and serving customers worldwide after nearly 30
years in business. Without question, I was strongly impressed with the Innovative product line.

Evergreen

Evergreen
Georgia Public Library Service                                
1800 Century Place, Suite 150
Atlanta, GA  30345-4304 
Phone:    404-235-7200
E-mail: feedback@evergreen-ils.org 
URL: www.open-ils.org

Support for Evergreen can be purchased from Equinox Software, Inc.

Address:   Equinox Software, Inc.
3050 Business Park Drive Suite A1
Norcross, GA 30071
Phone: 877-673-6457
Email: sales@esilibrary.com
URL: esilibrary.com

Products Available:

! Evergreen is customizable open source library software with capabilities to help patrons
locate materials and to assist libraries in the managing, cataloging, and circulation of materials. It
is a free to download and adapt.

System Requirements: 

! Evergreen reports that any modern PC with at least 512mb of RAM should suffice for the
server while the staff client would also be well suited with a modern 512mb machine.  More RAM
is suggested if performing extensive cataloging. The system is cross-platform and can be run in
Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.  

Programming Language:

! There are a few different programming languages used in Evergreen.  The business logic
is written in Perl and PostgreSQL as well as C.  The catalog interface is written in JavaScript and
XHTML.  The other staff client modules are written in Mozilla XUL (XML and JavaScript).  

Available Components/Modules:

! Circulation, Cataloging, and OPAC, Acquisitions and Serials module forthcoming in

2010. 

Functionality:

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! Circulation Module: Evergreen stresses its flexible policy control enabling customiza-
ble rules for different patrons, items, bibliographical records, and patrons, provides at-a-glance
patron information, allows for the insertion of an unlimited number of notes in patron records,
allows for the linking of patron accounts, allows for the fine-grained billing control, provides
real-time accumulation of fines, and allows for the circulation of non-cataloged and pre-cataloged
items. Cataloging Module: Because Evergreen allows for customization, the cataloging module is
not limited to using the default fields Evergreen provides.  According the evergreen-ils.org,
library-defined statistical categories allows catalogers “to record item information at any level of
the organization hierarchy.” This module also provides mechanisms for the merging and moving
of records.  It also provides for the validation of MARC records for cross-referencing and the
monitoring of cataloging progress through RSS feeds. 
!

! OPAC: "Did You Mean" feature to correct misspellings, sorts results by relevance, web
browser, aggregator and search engine integration, plug-in availability for added content such as
covers and reviews, "Bookbag" feature for patrons and staff to create personalized lists. 

Support:

! Free support is available from the Evergreen volunteer community, but clients can also
purchase support from a vendor such as Equinox.  Equinox Software is a company formed by the
designers and developers of Evergreen to provide migration, project management, 24-hour sup-
port, consulting, system hosting, and customized software development.  Equinox would not
divulge a range of prices.  Pricing for support features is determined according to the needs of
the specific library.

Stability:

! In his April 14, 2010 article on the systems automation market in Library Journal Mar-
shall Breeding comments on the stability of Equinox and Evergreen by explaining, "Equinox
Software continues to exhibit steady growth as it attracts contracts to bring the open source Ev-
ergreen ILS to new consortia," as evidenced by various press releases. Breeding indicates that
open source automation "will be a growth sector for the industry" with steady, though not
"dramatic," upward growth.

Recommended types, sizes of library for product and rationale:

! Evergreen was designed for large consortium use, but is also suitable for single libraries
of any size.

Customers:

! A growing number of libraries are choosing Evergreen.  Both large consortiums compos-
ing a large number of participating libraries and single libraries choose Evergreen. Marshall
Breeding reports that 252 libraries/consortium and 607 facilities in lib-web-cats use Evergreen. 
Of this number, 226 are public libraries, 8 are academic libraries, and 2 are school media
centers.  None of the libraries have migrated away from Evergreen. Notable clients include
Georgia PINES, a consortium of over 275 public libraries in the state, for which Evergreen was

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first developed.  Evergreen is also used by Indiana libraries participating in the Indiana Open
Source ILS Initiative.  This is a shared-catalog project of the Indiana State Library.  Single clients
include Marshall Public Library in Missouri and Washington County Public Library in Kentucky. 

Costs:

! Since Evergreen is free to download and adapt, the cost for the project is going to stem
from employing and training a development team and purchasing the support services available
from a vendor such as Equinox Software.  The Georgia Public Library Service reports annual op-
erations cost for all of its 200+ PINES libraries and a development staff of nine members to be
1.6 million dollars.  This is a fraction of the price it would have paid for proprietary systems for all
its libraries. 

Services/Products/Enhancements under Development:

! The features promised for the coming 2010 Release 2.0 of Evergreen include an acquisi-
tions modules, extensive circulation and reserves enhancements, serials module with paper and
electronic serials prediction and check-in, recalls, and more language sets.  An upcoming feature
still in development is inter-ILS resource sharing (called fulfILLment).  

Evergreen and MPLS Specifications:

a. OPAC

    1. intuitive search capacity (one box search, e.g. Google, spell check, ‘Did you Mean’) - The
OPAC presents search results in rank of relevance and includes a "Did You Mean"" feature that
provides alternate search terms to correct misspellings.  

    2. multilingual search capability - The Evergreen OPAC has multilingual capability.

b. Cataloging

    1. bulk import MARC records from vendors - The cataloging module includes a Z39.50 client
for the retrieving bibliographic records from third-party sources and allows for the batch creation
of volumes/copies across multiple branches to facilitate central cataloging and reduce errors.

    2. automatic records update - Evergreen does not have this capability at this time but it does
allow for RSS feeds to monitor cataloging activities and updates.

c. Circulation

    1. online initiation of holds, requests, and renewals by patron - Evergreen does allow for the
inline initiation of holds, requests, and renewals by patrons.

    2. email notifications - Can send out “preminders” (courtesy notices of due items) by email.

d. Acquisitions - Acquisitions features to be announced

    1. electronic transfer of records from vendors into system

    2. manage accounts payable/invoices 

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General Evaluation of Evergreen:

! Evergreen is highly customizable software that provides optimal circulation, cataloging,

and statistical reporting capabilities (the forthcoming 2010 update with feature a new Acquisi-
tions and Serials module with features to be announced).  Since Evergreen was developed  for
use in a large consortium, it is equipped to meet the needs of a cooperative the size of MPLC.  As
free open source software, Evergreen is incredibly cost-effective.  Support is flexible as options
include an online volunteer community and vendors such as Equinox Software. Clients with their
own development teams may need less support.  Also, some clients have reported faster migra-
tion periods to open source software than to proprietary software.  A relative newcomer to the
automation market, the number of libraries using Evergreen is steadily growing.  The fact that no
libraries have migrated away from Evergreen is particularly impressive.

PRODUCT RECOMMENDATION

! All three systems the evaluation team reviewed satisfied most if not all of our required
specifications, however we recommend Evergreen open source ILS. We believe that Evergreen
is a more customizable, efficient, supported, and cost effective way to provide services to our di-
verse public. Open source allows for constant improvement by those who use it directly, in this
case librarians. Evergreen has had great success as evidenced by the Georgia Pines implementa-
tion and we feel that Evergreen is the best system to meet the evolving needs of our Cooperative.

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Breeding, M. “Equinox Software Company. Library Technology Guides: Key Resources in Li!
! brary Automation”. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from ! ! ! ! !
! http://www.librarytechnology.org/equinox.pl?SID=20100426532806396&code=vend

Breeding, M. (2010). “Automation Marketplace 2010: New Models, Core Systems”. Library !
! Journal, 134(6).

Breeding, M. "Urban Libraries Council members: Current Automation Systems" ! !

! http://www.librarytechnology.org/ulc.pl?SID=2010042826428222 
 
Breeding, M. “Company Directory: SirsiDynix”
!
http://www.librarytechnology.org/sirsidynix.pl?SID=2010042826428222&code=vend

Breeding, M. “Library Technology Guides,”

! http://www.librarytechnology.org/ [accessed April 20, 2010.

Capterra. “Library Automation Software Tools,”

! http://www.capterra.com/library-automation-software. [accessed April 21, 2010.

Equinox Software. (n.d.). Equinox Software. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from ! ! !
! http://www.esilibrary.com/esi/

Evergreen open source library system. (n.d.). Welcome: Evergreen open source library system. !
! Retrieved April 26, 2010, from http://www.open-ils.org/

Infoworks Technology Company. “Library Automated Systems,”

              http://www.itcompany.com/inforetriever/sys.htm [accessed April 22, 2010].

Innovative Interfaces. http://www.iii.com [accessed April 22, 2010]

SirsiDynix, SirsiDynix Unicorn Library Management System Techinical Overview.

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Overview.pdf

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