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University System of Georgia Employs Universal Catalog to Create Virtual Library
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Press release: DES PLAINES, ILLINOIS, USA Mar. 29, 2000:
Endeavor Information Systems announced today five libraries in the University System of Georgia
(USG) are installing Voyager's Universal Catalog. An optional module to Voyager, Endeavor's integrated library management system, the Universal Catalog provides multi-database library
consortia the ability to create a centralized union catalog. With the Universal Catalog, libraries provide quick and easy access to a larger world of research literature, have the resources to
develop complementary collections, and decrease the number of mediated interlibrary loan requests, saving money and staff time.
Participating in the initial implementation of the Universal Catalog are the Medical College of
Georgia, Columbus State University, Coastal Georgia Community College, Bainbridge College and the University of Georgia. The remaining USG libraries will join the Universal Catalog throughout the summer.
The Universal Catalog upholds Endeavor's corporate credo, "to provide access to information
regardless of location or content." Allowing a patron to execute a single search against the holdings of many libraries, the Universal Catalog eliminates the need for patrons to search the catalog of
each participating library individually. The Universal Catalog offers access to a de-duplicated database of bibliographic records, as well as detailed holdings and item information retrieved in
real-time from local libraries' databases.
A Perfect Fit with Universal Borrowing
Complementing Voyager's already prominent simultaneous search capabilities, the Universal
Catalog will be instrumental in Universal Borrowing, Endeavor's intra-consortium requesting and borrowing function, scheduled for release later in 2000. Universal Borrowing allows circulation of
library materials to patrons registered in other Voyager databases within a consortium setting. When coupled with Universal Borrowing, the Universal Catalog delivers a true interconnected
consortium-wide integrated library management system.
GIL's Commitment to Unified Resource Access
A statewide initiative to bring complete information to the citizens of Georgia, the GALILEO
Interconnected Library system (GIL) began Voyager integration in 1998 with the goal of uniting all USG collections. Voyager, with the Universal Catalog, completes the GIL initiatives of providing
simplified online patron access, patron initiated material requests, collection growth statistics and complimentary collection development for the USG libraries. The smart combination of the
Universal Catalog and Universal Borrowing extends the USG's joint borrowing privileges and provides statewide, unmediated intersystem lending.
"We're trying to make the Universal Catalog flexible to incorporate not only USG libraries, but other
libraries as well, so we realize our vision of one statewide Universal Catalog," explained Phil Williams, Director of Virtual Library Support for the GALILEO Interconnected Library System.
"Distance learning makes the Universal Catalog and the Universal Borrowing features essential—if you live in one corner of the state and are taking a class from a university across the
state, the course resources must be accessible."
"This is a revolutionary step forward in library automation. The Universal Catalog gives consortium
libraries the tools to export records from all participating institutions into the Universal Catalog database using Voyager's sophisticated record de-duping algorithm and quality hierarchy,"
explained Kathryn Harnish, Voyager Product Manager. "There is no other solution on the market that includes vital up-to-the-second status information like Endeavor's Universal Catalog."
"The Universal Catalog offers significant resource sharing benefits for cooperating libraries,"
commented Jane Burke, Endeavor's President and CEO. "For a large consortium like the University System of Georgia, the Universal Catalog provides what is needed in today's academic
and research libraries: complete access to information. The USG libraries are setting a trend toward united collections, cross-consortial borrowing and a unified USG catalog. We are proud to
partner with such a respected and forward thinking consortium as the University System of Georgia."
About GIL
United as the GALILEO Interconnected Libraries, the University System of Georgia includes 34
state college and university libraries, including the University of Georgia, Georgia State University and Georgia Institute of Technology, the state's three largest institutions. The University System of
Georgia is one of the leading educational consortia in the United States. Built on tradition and value, the USG libraries hold over 6 million volumes with 60 percent of the titles unique. The USG
libraries are available at: gil.peachnet.edu/
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