June 3, 2015
Using the Alma Network Zone, the BSZ, GBV (VZG), and hbz consortia will be able to share library data and services
Hamburg, Germany—June 3, 2015. Ex Libris® Group, a global leader in library automation services, is pleased to announce that the Bibliotheksservice-Zentrum Baden-Württemberg (BSZ), the Verbundzentrale des Gemeinsamen Bibliotheksverbunds (VZG), and the Hochschulbibliothekszentrum des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (hbz) consortia have selected the Alma® resource management service as the technology infrastructure for their new Common Bibliographic Data Zone, which will be based on the advanced Alma Network Zone capabilities.
As part of the collaborative project, the three consortia will form a joint consortium to define, create, and maintain the Common Bibliographic Data Zone. This umbrella consortium will be providing the necessary technical and organizational infrastructure and will have control over data in the Common Bibliographic Data Zone.
Dr. Ralf Goebel, head of BSZ, commented: ”Striving to deliver high-quality, best-of-breed services for our member libraries, we chose the Alma Network Zone for its outstanding support for sophisticated collaboration between institutions, its advanced management of electronic resources, and its open interfaces. These features will provide us with exciting opportunities for developing innovative services for our Alma libraries.”
”During the implementation process,” explained Reiner Diedrichs, head of GBV (VZG), ”the databases of the three member consortia will continue to act as the primary cataloging databases and at the same time will be synchronized with the Common Bibliographic Data Zone database. Once the implementation phase has been concluded, libraries of other consortia will be invited to use this collaborative infrastructure. The project is also an important milestone in the reorganization of the national information infrastructure in Germany and is aligned with the recommendations of the German Council of Science and Humanities and the German Research Foundation (DFG).”
Dr. Silke Schomburg, head of hbz, added: ”The new infrastructure will serve as a starting point for libraries interested in deploying cloud-based systems to provide innovative services to their customers. Through the Common Bibliographic Data Zone, the joint consortium will support academic libraries in their mission.”
”We are honored to serve as the technology provider for this noteworthy collaboration among three major consortia,” commented Matti Shem Tov, president and CEO of Ex Libris. ”Having designed the Alma platform as a robust yet flexible infrastructure for varying models of sharing, we can help the consortium members transition into a true cooperative environment where the community gains from the expertise of its members.”
About Bibliotheksservice-Zentrum Baden-Württemberg (BSZ)
The Bibliotheksservice-Zentrum (Library Service Center) Baden-Württemberg (BSZ) is a German IT service provider for academic and public libraries, archives, and museums; it offers databases, portals, support, hosting, and other services.
Founded in 1996, the BSZ is based in the Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst Baden-Württemberg and is responsible for three major tasks: operating a database (”SWB”) that enables over 800 libraries in Germany (mainly in Baden-Württemberg, Sachsen, and Saarland) and outside the country to catalog their media holdings; administering various library management systems; and supporting all consortium members in electronic media and Internet-based services (discovery, web harvesting, long-term preservation, repositories, online inter-library loan, and more).
About Gemeinsamer Bibliotheksverbund and Verbundzentrale des GBV (VZG)
The Gemeinsamer Bibliotheksverbund (GBV) is the common cataloging and service-oriented network for scientific, research, and public libraries of the seven German federal states (Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thuringia) and the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. The head office of the GBV (Verbundzentrale des GBV, orVZG), situated in Göttingen, is responsible for library automation and the development of innovative library-specific services.
The fundamental tasks of the VZG are the provision of a shared cataloging service and support for the libraries in the operation of their library systems. The GBV is also responsible for online interlibrary loans and acts as a host for supraregional projects. These tasks are carried out in close cooperation with national and international partners.
About Hochschulbibliothekszentrum des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (hbz)
The Hochschulbibliothekszentrum des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (hbz), or University Library Service Center of North-Rhine Westphalia, is based in Cologne, Germany. The hbz functions as a central service and development body for university, college, and specialized libraries. The libraries and data processing centers that hbz serves are in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia—Germany’s largest state—and outside it.
The hbz offers a variety of products and services, the most important of which are the hbz-union catalog, DigiBib (The Digital Library), online inter-library loans (ILL), regional and national consortial management of electronic content, German and Austrian library statistics, the Digital Peer Publishing (DiPP) initiative, digitization, linked open data, and long-term preservation services.
About Ex Libris
Ex Libris 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 materials, as well as mobile campus solutions for driving student engagement and success, the Company serves over 5,600 customers in 90 countries. Ex Libris solutions have been deployed at 43 of the top 50 universities worldwide and more than 40 national libraries to create a unified platform for both the management and the discovery of library resources.
With Ex Libris Primo and Alma, 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.
