August 28, 2013
University library users and staff members now enjoy the benefits of unified discovery and resource management
London, UK—August 28, 2013. Ex Libris® Group, a world leader in the provision of library automation solutions, is pleased to announce that the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom is now in production with the next-generation Alma library management solution. A member of Research Libraries UK (RLUK) and the Russell Group (an organization of 24 leading UK universities), the University of Sheffield participated in the Alma early adopter program, providing valuable input to Ex Libris on European and UK requirements. Alma has been selected by over 170 institutions worldwide to date.
The University of Sheffield Library, which had been using the Talis integrated library system (ILS) since 1996, has implemented two unified, Ex Libris solutions: Primo®, for the discovery and delivery of the library collections, and Alma, for resource management.
”We wanted to employ a unified resource management solution to replace our ILS, link resolver, e-resource management system, and other systems, thereby avoiding complicated upgrade paths and integrations. Alma offers us this exact solution and is a perfect fit for our institutional strategy of moving systems into the cloud,” stated Tracey Clarke, Assistant Director and Head of Collections and eStrategy at the University of Sheffield. ”As a cloud-based solution, Alma was implemented rapidly. With Ex Libris representatives collaborating closely with our staff during the migration, we were extremely satisfied with the ease of the implementation process and the support provided by the Professional Services team. In addition, by streamlining our workflows and enabling us to evaluate many of our processes, Alma will help us to work more efficiently and improve our productivity.”
Christoph Frech, regional sales director of Ex Libris Europe, commented: ”We are delighted to see another site join our ever-growing Alma family. Sheffield is the first member of RLUK and the Russell Group to go live with Alma. The Ex Libris team appreciates the contribution of such a renowned research institution during the early adopter phase; we look forward to continuing the collaboration with the University of Sheffield and seeing the rewards that Alma reaps for the library and the institution.”
About the University of Sheffield
In 1897, the Sheffield Medical School, Firth College, and Sheffield Technical School merged to form the University College of Sheffield, which became the University of Sheffield in 1905. The University now has over 25,000 students from over 130 countries, with a faculty and staff of about 6,000. Academic departments are grouped into five faculties: Arts and Humanities; Engineering; Medicine, Dentistry, and Health; Science; and Social Sciences. The University Library has a reputation for innovation and a strong focus on customer satisfaction. Its digital and print services are delivered from five sites, including the award-winning Information Commons, an integrated learning environment for students, which opened in 2007. For more information, see https://www.shef.ac.uk/.
About Ex Libris
Ex Libris is a leading provider of automation solutions for academic, national, and research libraries. Offering the only comprehensive product suite for electronic, digital, and print materials, Ex Libris provides efficient, user-friendly products that serve the needs of libraries today and will facilitate their transition into the future. Ex Libris maintains an impressive customer base consisting of thousands of sites in almost 90 countries on six continents.
Dedicated to developing creative solutions in close collaboration with customers, Ex Libris enables libraries to maximize productivity and efficiency and, at the same time, greatly enhance the user experience. By empowering users to discover and obtain the information they need, libraries ensure their position as the bridge to knowledge.
For more information about Ex Libris Group, see our website and join us on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
