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1999 Issues |
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  This month’s stories
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DES PLAINES, ILLINOIS, June 16, 1999: Endeavor Information Systems Incorporated announced that The National Library of Scotland and the University of Edinburgh have selected Endeavor's Voyager integrated library system. A United Kingdom consortium - Cardiff University; University of Wales-Aberystwyth; University of Wales-Lampeter; University of Wales-Swansea and the Welsh College of Music & Drama-has also selected Voyager. Endeavor recently opened an office in the United Kingdom that provides a sales presence, product support, training and implementation support to Endeavor's European customers and prospects.
National Library of Scotland and University of Edinburgh
Voyager replaces the VTLS system at the National Library of Scotland and two GEAC systems (ADVANCE and Libs100+) at the University
of Edinburgh. Using a single hardware installation, the two institutions are acting in a cross-sectoral consortium. "With a history totalling over 700 years between the two libraries (National Library of
Scotland, founded in 1689 and University of Edinburgh, founded in 1580), Endeavor takes great pride in having Voyager selected as the integrated library system by these distinguished institutions." commented
Ken Chad, Endeavor's European Account Manager and head of Endeavor's office in the United Kingdom.
The National Library of Scotland holds 6.5 million printed and new media items and 100,000 volumes of manuscripts; it has 1.6 million maps; it
receives some 18,000 periodical titles; and every week an average of 6,000 printed items alone are added to its stock. Ian McGowan, Librarian of the National Library of Scotland, said "The National Library of
Scotland is delighted to be working in partnership with the University of Edinburgh to exploit the exciting opportunities provided by new technology to improve services to the Libraries' users and make its
collections more accessible than ever before. The collaboration between NLS and UoE is only a first step towards a possible wider collaboration within Scotland." Fred Guy, Director of Information and
Communications Technology at the National Library of Scotland stated, "It was crucial that the selected system was based upon modern system design principles and had the necessary flexibility to allow the
National Library to discharge its responsibilities in terms of providing access to the large and varied holdings of the Library, hosting of separate databases for such purposes as bibliographic control of Scottish
material and supplying records for the British National Bibliography. The evaluations, carried out by a wide range of NLS staff, showed very clearly that Voyager was the system which best met the requirements of the
Library."
Edinburgh University Library holds over 2.5 million printed and new media items, 197,000 metres of manuscripts; 106,000 maps; it receives 9600
printed periodical titles and provides access to over 500 electronic journals. Serving a decentralized University of 21,000 students, it operates on 22 separate sites in the City of Edinburgh. Ian Mowat, Librarian
to the University of Edinburgh said, "Edinburgh University Library has long wanted to work even more closely with the National Library of Scotland to provide the best possible services for the many researchers
who use both libraries. The two research collections complement and enhance each other, and the adoption of Voyager by both give a unique framework within which to develop common resources for research in
Scotland." Sheila Cannell, Senior Sub-Librarian at Edinburgh added, "Voyager will enable the University of Edinburgh to develop an integrative service which will bring together our print collections with
Internet resources and digital images to benefit learning, teaching and research."
Welsh Consortium
Five Welsh higher education institutions, all with existing LIBERTAS systems, have opted to purchase Voyager in a consortium deal. Breaking new
ground in the United Kingdom, Richard Mellowes, Assistant Director, Information Services, Cardiff University stated, "In the UK it's unusual for five institutions to form a consortium to choose a new library
system. This is a first for Wales. Voyager was the unanimous choice of all five consortium members, who were impressed by its architecture, responsiveness and flexibility." Over 3.5 million volumes complete the
collections of these five libraries. The collections will be accessible in both English and Welsh, the native language of Wales, through Voyager's online public access catalog (OPAC).
"Endeavor's ability to deliver real state-of-the-art technology combined with in-depth functionality make it stand out in a marketplace where
other suppliers are offering rebadged versions of their old legacy systems. Our proven record with hundreds of installed systems has meant Voyager is the low risk, sensible choice for any major academic and research
library in the UK." added Ken Chad.
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Endeavor reaches 500 with New Mexico State University
DES PLAINES, ILLINOIS, July 30, 1999: Endeavor Information Systems Incorporated announced today that New Mexico State University
is the 500th library to purchase Voyager as their integrated library system. Endeavor' Voyager replaces their VTLS system.
Located 50 miles north of the Mexican border, New Mexico State University is the only Carnegie I Research University to qualify for membership in
the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. With over 1.4 million volumes, they have a strong borderlands collection and house the Rio Grande Historical Collections. Their unique collections include the
papers of Clyde Tombaugh (discoverer of the planet Pluto), the Southwestern Children's Book Collection and the Western Women's Collection.
David Myers, Interim Dean of the University Library, sums up the feelings of the Library staff, "The NMSU Library chose the Endeavor system
because it offers the best opportunities to integrate our traditional book collections with our expanding electronic resources, and it also addresses the needs and contributions of our branch campuses. We are
excited by the enhanced services that we will be able to offer current and future library users with both the basic system and the optional modules. We look forward to a successful association with Endeavor for many
years to come."
Endeavor has over 260 contracts serving more than 500 libraries. Jane Burke, President and CEO stated, "Endeavor has experienced
tremendous market acceptance and growth since our inception in 1994. It's a testament to our ability to listen to our customers, then develop and deliver the rich functionality our customers require. We are more
than pleased to add New Mexico State University to our list of customers. Acquiring our 500th library site is indeed an exciting and rewarding time for our team of professionals who diligently put their hearts and souls into the Voyager product and our customer's needs."
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Cornell University selects Endeavor
Des Plaines, Illinois USA, June 29, 1999: Endeavor Information Systems Incorporated announced today that Cornell University has selected
Voyager to replace their current integrated library system NOTIS.
Today Cornell is one of the largest academic research libraries in the United States and comprises over 19 libraries across the Ithaca campus and in
New York City.
Cornell conducted an exhaustive search over a three year period for an integrated library system to manage its more than 6 million printed volumes,
7 million microforms, 74,500 sound recordings, 4000 computer files, more than 60,000 journals, and extensive unpublished holdings including more than 8 million manuscripts and another million photographs, paintings
and prints. Sarah Thomas, University Librarian at Cornell said, "Cornell's Library Management System Evaluation Team has exacting standards. Voyager impressed our staff as the best product to support both our
routine operations and our many cutting edge digital initiatives."
Pioneers in Digital Collection Creation and Access
Cornell University is a recognized leader in applied research and development in emerging technologies. Since 1990 they have focused on building
large collections of digital resources. Cornell developed nationally adopted standards for digitization quality, and has employed these standards to build many major image collections including the Making of America
project, developed in co-operation with the University of Michigan, and the Core Historical Literature of Agriculture collection. Current projects include the Making of America II project and the nearly 40 other
digital initiatives of the Cornell Institute for Digital Collections. The Institute focuses on integrated conversion for cultural and scientific collections campus-wide and nationally within common library access.
This rich array of digital collections is provided within an electronic gateway, a pioneering effort in resource discovery conceived in the mid 1990's by Cornell's biological sciences library.
Through its selection of the Voyager system, Cornell's leadership in the digital arena will expand to unite access to its vast array of print,
archival and digital resources and provide a vision for the evolving library of the new century.
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