November 19, 2015
User-focused, cloud-based solutions will streamline library operations, improve the student experience, and increase usage of resources
London, UK—November 19, 2015. Ex Libris® Group, a leading global provider of cloud-based solutions for higher education, is pleased to announce that Keele University is replacing its Innovative Interfaces Millennium and Encore systems with the Ex Libris Alma® library management service and Primo® discovery and delivery solution.
University Librarian, Paul Reynolds, commented; ”The Library’s existing integrated library system was approaching the end of its life and there were inevitably some weaknesses arising from an old design. This meant that some areas of our operations such as the management of electronic information resources were not as co-ordinated they could be, which was limiting our ability to improve the integrated delivery of resources to our users.”
”A library management system that readily enables our users to discover and make optimal use of both subscribed and Open Access content is essential to improving our users’ research experience,” Reynolds continued. ”Also very important is that it has to help the library’s processes. Having carefully examined our options for some time, we chose Alma for its proven ability to help us to achieve those goals. Since it is a cloud-based solution it will reduce local resource requirements and make upgrades easier. We also anticipate being able to provide enhanced access for library users to the full range of library resources, improved and updated workflows for library staff and better interoperability with other library and university systems.”
”The University wishes to maintain its outstanding National Student Satisfaction (NSS) score and build on its excellent outcome in the last Research Excellence Framework (REF) to continue to raise its profile as a research led university. We achieved top score nationally for the library question in the 2015 Times Higher Education student survey and we want to continue to improve the student experience which, along with supporting research, are the most important drivers in our plans” he continued.
” Keele University’s decision to select Alma and Primo is an endorsement of our continuing strategy of providing a unified solution that ensures that all resources, regardless of their content provider, are easy to discover, access and manage,” remarked Ofer Mosseri, corporate vice president and general manager of Ex Libris Europe. ”We look forward to working closely with the library team at Keele and to the contribution they will make to the Alma and Primo communities.”
About Keele University
Keele University, set in over 600 acres, is the largest campus university in the UK and has more than 10,000 students on its Staffordshire campus. Keele students are officially the most satisfied in the country with the University consistently placed among the top 10 universities in the UK for student satisfaction since 2011. For two years running, 2014 and 2015, Keele has been first for student satisfaction, as voted for by students in the National Student Survey.
The University is top 10 for graduate employment rates in the UK, with 96% of graduates in employment or further studies within 6 months of graduating. In the most recent national Research Excellence Framework (2014), 97% of Keele research was classified as world leading, or of international importance. The innovations and discoveries of Keele academics are key contributors to wider social and global issues. Keele is a leading world player in many research areas, including primary health care, especially around arthritis and muscular skeletal problems, secondary health care, including stroke medicine, and health related research on insect-borne diseases in the Tropics; in environmental science, astronomy and the life sciences; and in areas of the humanities and social sciences, including music, history and English Literature.
About Ex Libris
Ex Libris is a leading global provider of cloud-based and on-premises solutions for higher education. Offering SaaS implementations for the management and discovery of the full spectrum of library materials, as well as mobile campus services for driving student engagement and success, the Company serves over 5,600 customers in 90 countries. Ex Libris solutions are deployed at 43 of the top 50 universities worldwide and more than 40 national libraries.
With the Ex Libris Alma® resource management service and Primo® discovery and delivery solution, libraries lower operational costs, increase efficiency, and add value to their institution through diverse new services and collaboration with other libraries and organizations. The Ex Libris campusM™ mobile platform enables universities to deliver a unified digital experience, promoting student engagement while providing mobile access to campus-wide information and services.
