August 2, 2017
The new 21st-century public university in Texas integrates workflows and ”goes big” on their library solution
Chicago, IL—August 2, 2017. Ex Libris®, a ProQuest company, is pleased to announce that the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) has selected the Ex Libris Alma® library management service and Primo® discovery and delivery solution. Ex Libris Alma will replace the Innovative Sierra library system.
Established in 2013, UTRGV is now consolidating systems used by two former schools that are part of the new university. In making the move to Alma and Primo, the university’s goal is to streamline the differing workflows from each campus and adopt a standardized, more efficient approach.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley selected Alma and Primo for the superior functionality and interconnectivity they offer. The library’s top priority was finding an integrated library system that could serve as a universal tool to tie library functions together in a meaningful way. Library staff members are excited by the prospect of using interconnected workflows, as well as by the ease of generating meaningful analytics. Also, with the merging of two formerly separate libraries, the staff will have an opportunity to learn the new products together and share experiences as resource management becomes unified for a united institution.
With new data-driven capabilities, the library plans to simplify decision-making about de-selection, preferred formats, and how to improve cost efficiency. The university believes that the reports enabled by Alma analytics will make it easier for the library to demonstrate its impact on research, teaching, and learning.
”I feel we’re getting a 21st-century ILS, a product that is going to help us move into the future of libraries,” said University Librarian Paul Sharpe. ”Alma and Primo enable unified workflows that are crucial to the growth of our library and will significantly increase our efficiency.”
”Unifying the different approaches to library workflows that characterized the university’s two legacy systems was a challenge. By moving to Alma, UTRGV can introduce a consistent, streamlined, and efficient approach to serving patrons, faculty, and staff,” commented Eric Hines, president of Ex Libris North America. ”Now the libraries can start fresh with a new and unified purpose.”
About the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university founded in the 21st century in Texas. This initiative, including a new School of Medicine, is expanding educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley. Among the UTRGV sites in the Rio Grande Valley are Brownsville (formerly the University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly the University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City, and South Padre Island. A comprehensive academic institution, UTRGV enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016. For more information, visit the UTRGV University Library/Division of Academic Affairs website at https://www.utrgv.edu/library/index.htm.
About Ex Libris
Ex Libris, a ProQuest company, is a leading global provider of cloud-based solutions for higher education. Offering SaaS solutions for the management and discovery of the full spectrum of library and scholarly materials, as well as mobile campus solutions driving student engagement and success, Ex Libris serves thousands of customers in 90 countries. For more information about Ex Libris, see our website, and join us on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
