March 16, 2015
University of Kentucky, Western Kentucky University, and Murray State University will enjoy unified resource management and unified discovery through a cloud-based deployment of Alma and Primo
Chicago, IL—March 16, 2015. Ex Libris® Group, a global leader in library automation services, is pleased to announce that ARL-member University of Kentucky (UK), Western Kentucky University (WKU), and Murray State University have chosen the Ex Libris Alma® unified resource management service and the Ex Libris Primo® discovery and delivery solution. This integrated cloud-based SaaS platform will replace several systems used by each institution, including OCLC WorldCat Discovery Services, home-grown ERM systems, and the Ex Libris Voyager® ILS and SFX® OpenURL link resolver.
”Alma offers University of Kentucky Libraries the tools we need to be more efficient and to make more informed decisions through improved workflows and analytics,” commented Mary Beth Thomson, Senior Associate Dean of Libraries at the University of Kentucky. ”The design provides a truly integrated and unified, functional web-based layout. For the first time, we will be able to manage our print and electronic resources using one unified system.”
The University of Kentucky has used Ex Libris cloud services for the past three years as part of the Kentucky Voyager Consortium. Tari Keller, UK Libraries’ Systems Librarian noted that ”our past experience with the support from Ex Libris Cloud Services assures us that this migration will be seamless.”
Joining WKU and Murray State, University of Kentucky is now adopting the Ex Libris Primo® discovery solution. ”Primo will provide our users with a discovery system that supplies access to print, electronic and digital resources in a way that is easy to use,” Ms Keller remarked. ”Through Primo, we will make OAI-compliant digital resources available in a single system along with our electronic and print resources.”
Connie Foster, Dean of University Libraries at Western Kentucky University, added: ”As satisfied users of Primo since 2011, selecting Alma made sense for WKU. Alma was the next step to achieving full integration of all of our resources, allowing us to receive comprehensive usage analytics and extensive functionality. Alma incorporates some useful cataloguing tools directly into the user interface, and will save on moving in and out of resources to accomplish tasks. We are excited to embark on this implementation with Ex Libris.”
Eric Hines, President of Ex Libris North America, commented: ”We are delighted to welcome three institutions serving Kentucky’s academic community to the expanding family of Alma and Primo institutions in North America. I am pleased to see yet another ARL member recognizing Alma’s ability to empower libraries in supporting the scholarly objectives of their parent institution.”
About University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky (UK), founded in 1865, is the state’s flagship research- intensive, land-grant university dedicated to improving people’s lives through excellence in teaching, research, healthcare, cultural enrichment, and economic development. More than 30,000 students enrolled as graduate, undergraduate, or professional students in Fall 2014. As the premier research library system in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, University of Kentucky Libraries provide ever-expanding access to quality information resources, teaching and learning programs and services, and excellent learning spaces. UK Libraries plays an essential role in the University’s goal to elevate the quality of life and enhance the intellectual and economic capital within Kentucky, and is integral to teaching and learning, research, and outreach.
About Western Kentucky University
Established in 1906, Western Kentucky University today serves more than 20,100 students on its main campus in Bowling Green, Kentucky and its regional campuses in Glasgow, Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, and Owensboro, Kentucky. WKU offers more than 170 undergraduate degree programs and more than 50 graduate degree programs, including doctoral degrees in Educational Leadership, Nursing, and Physical Therapy. More than 75 degrees are available completely online. WKU is home to the state’s only independent Honors College with 1,300 students. WKU is guided by our vision to become A Leading American University with International Reach. That vision is achieved through nationally recognized programs such as Engineering, and Journalism & Broadcasting, and Accounting as well as the internationally renowned Forensics team.
For more information, see https://www.wku.edu/library/
About Murray State University
Murray State University is a regional public institution located in the Jackson Purchase region of Western Kentucky. Founded in 1922, the University serves just over 11,000 students through the main campus, regional campuses in Hopkinsville, Madisonville, Paducah, Henderson, and Fort Campbell, and through online programs. MSU offers more than 140 undergraduate degree programs, and more than 70 graduate degree programs including doctoral degree programs in Educational Leadership and Nursing. Murray State aims to be the University of Choice for prospective students by offering superior educational and co-curricular experiences. The University Libraries serve as the intellectual commons of the university by providing traditional and evolving services, resources and information literacy instruction in a space conducive to diverse learning needs. The Libraries prepare the university community to effectively navigate and apply a world of information, media and technology.
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 more than 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.
