Archive 2006

Queen’s University Belfast integrates library services with their campus portal using Talis Keystone

27 October, 2006

Talis Keystone has enabled Queen’s University Belfast to expose rich functionality from their Talis Library Management System (LMS) and directly embed this into their bespoke PHP-based campus portal – Queen’s Online. Students have experienced immediate benefits, including the ability to access their library account information, together with email, shared networks and course information within a single student environment.

Jane O'Neill, Library Systems Manager, Queen’s University Belfast, commented “This has been an exciting initial integration of library services using Talis Keystone, which as well as being very straightforward, has met all of our expectations. In fact, we’re already working with the developers of Queen’s Online to define the next series of integration projects, specifically finance, student information systems and ePayments. We’re very positive about working with Talis on these projects in the future and will continue to make good use of the developer resources available on the Talis Developer Network as well as the considerable expertise within the University.”

For more information about Talis Keystone please visit www.talis.com/keystone or contact 0870 400 5090.

Libraries benefit from Talis and Medialab Solutions Strategic Partnership

25 October, 2006

Following the recent announcement of the platform partnership between Talis and Medialab Solutions, Islington Library and Cultural Services has been amongst the first to reap the rewards of this new opportunity.

The platform partnership allowed Medialab Solutions to take advantage of platform APIs to enable any library that contributes its holdings to the Talis Platform to see their catalogue via the AquaBrowser Online service.

The essence of the Talis Platform encourages a global community of users and developers to liberate their data, build and deliver new and innovative library services alongside their existing library management systems. Within hours, Islington Library and Cultural Services were able to showcase their library holdings they had shared with the Talis Platform within the rich interface of AquaBrowser Online.

University of Greenwich integrates library services with their Luminis based portal using Talis Keystone

18 October, 2006

Talis Keystone has enabled University of Greenwich to expose rich functionality from their Talis Library Management System (LMS) and directly embed this into their SunGard Luminus based campus portal. Students have experienced immediate benefits, including the ability to access their library account information, together with email, shared networks and course information within a single student environment – their university portal.

University of Greenwich went one step further with the integration than originally planned – searching Talis Prism (OPAC) from the portal by manipulating the Single Sign On feature of Talis Keystone. Consequently, when the search is performed in the portal, students are automatically signed-in to Talis Prism at the time the search results are delivered.

The Talis Developer Network, including various toolkits, a sandbox development environment, comprehensive documentation and discussion forums, enabled all development work to be completed in just one day – well ahead of the original three weeks that had been scheduled.

Talis celebrates the innovation of others

2 October, 2006

With the launch of a new 'Innovation Directory', Talis continues to celebrate and showcase innovative ideas from across the library domain.
Commenting on the launch, Talis Technology Evangelist Paul Miller said, "Groups and individuals around the world are engaged in rethinking the ways in which libraries deliver rich and meaningful services to their users. With the Innovation Directory, we add to the ways in which Talis supports their work by offering a place in which they can show what they have achieved, irrespective of the library system they did it with or the country from which they come."

The Innovation Directory already contains more than 50 examples, and Talis actively invites other contributors to come forward. Recent competitions offer a stimulus to new development, as Miller says; "Competitions like Mashing up the Library do seem to bring people out into the open, so we've listed all of the entries that we received, and will continue to do so as the competition continues. I have also approached OCLC to ask that they share information on the entrants to their recent software contest, adding to the three I already know about. I look forward to a response from them."

To find out more visit http://tdn.talis.com/ or contact Paul Miller by emailing paul.miller@talis.com or telephoning +44 (0)870 400 5000.

University College Dublin uses Talis Keystone to embed library functionality into the campus portal

28 September, 2006

Through an innovative Web Services based solution, University College Dublin (UCD) has successfully integrated their library services into the campus portal - UCD Connect.

The deployment of Talis Keystone has enabled University College Dublin to expose rich functionality from their Talis Library Management System (LMS) as a SOAP Web Service and directly embed this into the campus portal. Integration with SunGard's Luminis portal in conjunction with WebCT's (a Blackboard company) market leading e-learning platform offers students ease of Single Sign On, combined with the simplicity of viewing borrower account summary information. Students have experienced immediate benefits, including the ability to access their library account information, together with email, shared networks and course information within a single student environment - their university portal.

The Talis Keystone architecture leverages industry standards such as XML and SOAP to enable genuine interoperability between library and institutional systems, and is therefore not dependent on the underlying operating systems or databases employed by different applications. Talis' approach is to empower both institutions and the developer community to deploy Talis Keystone based integrations themselves, by providing the necessary tools and support via the Talis Developer Network.

Panlibus, Issue 4 is now available online

28 September, 2006

We are delighted to announce that Panlibus issue 4 has now been released and published online. In this issue Sarah Wilkie, Library Policies Advisor at MLA, explains the concepts behind their Community Engagement report and Damian Riley from PwC discusses the MLA's plans for a national library purchasing model. Antony Brewerton from Oxford Brookes University Library looks at marketing library services and we reveal the winners in Talis' 'Mashing up the Library' competition.

Panlibus issue 4 also includes customer case studies from the Rhondda-Cynon-Taf library and the University of Derby, product updates and news on the latest library domain developments.

We are inviting information professionals to engage with us, contribute articles and provide feedback on Panlibus. If you would like to contribute to Panlibus or provide feedback on this issue, please email marketing@talis.com. To subscribe to Panlibus email marketing@talis.com. To download Panlibus, Issue 4 click here.

Talis Advisory Board responds to MLA/PwC Stock Procurement Report

22 September, 2006

In August 2006, the Museums, Libraries and archives Council released a report in conjunction with PricewaterhouseCoopers entitled: “Better Stock, Better Libraries: Transforming Library Stock Procurement”. This report proposes fundamental changes to the way libraries procure their stock and discusses plans for a national library purchasing model. Since released, the report has generated mixed responses. A number of stakeholders are engaging in the debate, shaping the future of the library supply chain, but few are vocal and even less are actively responding.

Talis is actively engaging with the MLA and PwC, which is informing the future of our Talis Gateway service. Recent announcements from Amazon, coupled with this report, further reinforce the need for all suppliers and stakeholders to establish partnerships, engage in the debate and respond with agility.

The Talis Advisory Board, which includes (in addition to customers) leading representatives from within the library domain have communicated their impartial opinion, raised some questions to open the debate and challenge some assumptions that they believe have been encapsulated in the report. We are pleased to now publish the Talis Advisory Board’s response to the MLA/PwC Report.

We hope you find this a useful contribution to this important debate. If you have any comments or questions, we welcome you to contact David Errington, by email david.errington@talis.com.

Mashing Up The Library Competition 2006; Talis Awards $3,000 to Library Innovators

11 September, 2006

Today, Talis announced the winners of the first global competition intended to openly encourage innovation in the display, use and reuse of data from and about libraries - Mashing Up The Library 2006.

For all those users of libraries who have ever wished they could bring information from their library to life outside the virtual walls of its Web site, this competition presented an ideal opportunity to see some of what the future might hold.

The first prize of $2,000 was awarded to John Blyberg of Ann Arbor District Library in Ann Arbor , MI . His entry, Go-Go-Google-Gadget, shows how simply library information can be integrated into the personalised home page offered by Google, and is described by competition sponsor and member of the judging panel, Talis' Paul Miller , as "an excellent example of taking information previously locked inside the library catalogue and making it available to patrons in other contexts where they may spend more time than they do in their catalogue."

A close second prize of $1,000 was awarded to the Alliance Library System in East Peoria , IL , and their global partners in the Second Life Library. Their entry, the Alliance Second Life Library 2.0, was described by Talis' Miller as "both a testament to international co-operation amongst libraries and a compelling demonstration of the ways in which traditional library functions can be extended into cyberspace, reaching new audiences in ways exciting and relevant to them as they live their lives." Alliance Library System intends to use the funds to extend their work within Second Life.

The Mashing up the Library competition marks an important step forward in encouraging open and inclusive innovation from libraries around the world, regardless of their consortial memberships or vendor allegiance. Improved tools, improved access to data from and about libraries, and increased awareness mean that libraries are in for an exciting and challenging journey. Talis is committed to helping libraries to reach out to existing and new markets for their capabilities, and the ongoing support of this competition is one aspect of that strategy.

RedLightGreen Gang

7 September, 2006

In this Library 2.0 Gang discussion, a smaller than usual Gang discusses the recently announced demise of RedLightGreen, Amazon's launch of the Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), and touches upon ways in which social networking sites such as MySpace may fit alongside libraries.

Programme participants were drawn, as usual, from the full list of Gang members. A forum is available for discussion of issues raised during the recording, and we welcome your thoughts.

This podcast is distributed freely online as part of our Talking with Talis programme. If you require additional information about Library 2.0 or the Talking with Talis podcast initiative, please contact Paul Miller at Talis: paul.miller@talis.com

Talis welcomes Q2 the UK’s leading change management consultants to the Talis Additions Partner Programme – achieving business transformation within library services

17 August, 2006

Today Talis, the UK’s leading library management supplier announced a new partnership with change management specialists Q2.

Building on the success of change management projects with diverse libraries and local authorities, Talis and Q2 are joining forces with libraries to help gain process and workflow efficiencies, productivity improvements and enhance service delivery.

With continuous change and budgetary constraints facing all public sector organisations, many libraries are working in partnership with Q2 to not only leverage their expertise in business case assessment and project management, but also to establish the internal skills and capabilities necessary to successfully realise the business benefits themselves.

What is distinctive about Q2’s approach is that libraries are not charged for the initial business case analysis if the subsequent efficiency savings do not exceed the consultancy service fee. Efficiency improvements are achieved by adopting a pragmatic, objectives-focussed approach, by building trust, effective team working and most importantly, by delivering a consistently high quality service.

Library 2.0 Gang discusses DOPA

14 August, 2006

In the latest Library 2.0 Gang podcast, members discuss the implications of the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA), passed last month by the United States' Congress. Although a piece of US legislation, the implications are potentially far-reaching.

Programme participants were drawn, as usual, from the full list of Gang members, and this week we were joined by a number of special guests with expertise in this area. A forum is available for discussion of issues raised during the recording, and we welcome your thoughts.

This podcast is distributed freely online as part of our Talking with Talis programme. If you require additional information about Library 2.0 or the Talking with Talis podcast initiative, please contact Paul Miller at Talis: paul.miller@talis.com

Talis announces dates for Research Day 6

28 September, 2006

Talis is delighted to announce the dates for its 6th Research Day, to be held at our offices in Birmingham on Thursday 28th September, which has been changed from 19th September. This free, invitation only seminar titled: “Management Information for your Library” will bring together libraries and key regulatory bodies to discuss, debate and challenge the current status of management information for UK public and academic libraries. Today, Talis’ Reports and Decisions applications support Management Information and Performance Management tasks inside the institution.

This Research Day will explore a future vision with new possibilities for management information and performance benchmarking. The event will examine the changing landscape within the wider context of technological advancements in Web 2.0, Web Services and the Talis Platform. Talis will be unveiling the vision behind Project Memphis – a Research Project which will explore domain wide library reporting and opportunities for libraries to easily benchmark individual performance against libraries across the UK, through aggregated management information in the Talis Platform.

Talis Advisory Boards meets to shape the future of library technology

20 July, 2006

On 25th July the Talis Advisory Board (TAB) will meet with the Directors and Senior Management Team of Talis to help steer the strategic framework for the products and services that Talis will deliver in 2007 and beyond.

The topics will include the direction of the core library management system, new directions in search technologies and the growing demand for interoperability between the LMS and other institutional systems. An example of this includes Talis Keystone, pioneering the use of Web Services to embed library functionality onto portals and call centres.

“The Talis Advisory Board is a critical part of the close relationship with our customers and the wider library domain”, said Ken Chad, Executive Director and Chair of the TAB. “It is influential and supplements the engagement through our User Groups, Forums, Focus Groups and other channels by providing the strategic advice, validation and input that frames the context for what we do. Having experienced domain leaders on the Advisory Board helps identify changing and developing trends as well as potential constraints.”

Hear the Library 2.0 Gang talk about the importance of mashups to libraries

13 July, 2006

In the latest Library 2.0 Gang podcast, distributed freely online as part of our Talking with Talis programme, Gang members talk about the increasingly significant role played by 'mashups' of library data and services. These mashups, including those eligible for submission to the current Mashing up the Library competition, are being used by library vendors, staff, and members to present library resources in new and engaging ways. Third parties from beyond the library sector are also recognising the benefits offered by this access to rich library data, and new businesses such as LibraryThing are emerging.

If you require additional information about Library 2.0 or the Talking with Talis initiative, please contact Paul Miller at Talis: paul.miller@talis.com

The Mashing up the Library competition runs until 18 August 2006, with winners to be announced in September.

Talis strengthens its Strategic Advisory Board

6 July, 2006

Talis is delighted to welcome five new members to its strategic Advisory Board including, Professor Andrew McDonald, Professor Derek Law, John Wolstenholme, Melanie Keady and Stephanie Crossley. The Talis Advisory Board comprises a broad range of professionals with a wealth of experience and knowledge within the library domain.

Established in 2005, this group provides members with a unique opportunity to influence Talis’ strategy and, therefore, the future technology landscape for their organisations and the wider library domain. To date, members of the Advisory Board have provided a creative and informed strategic contribution, using their skills and experience to constructively challenge and thus further enhance Talis’ strategic direction.

Harnessing this strategic talent through an Advisory Board represents just one element of a wider approach at Talis to actively engage with both customers and influencers at all levels.

For additional information visit: www.talis.com/tab

Talis presents at Leicestershire Library Services 2006 Staff Conference

22 June, 2006

Richard Wallis, Technology Evangelist, Talis presented to Leicestershire Library Service Staff at Beaumanor Hall, Leicester on 13th June. Richard spoke about Web 2.0 and Library 2.0, provoking thoughts on ways in which libraries can work with Talis to shape the future of library services to 2015 and beyond.

Leicestershire Library Services Staff play a pivotal role in promoting library services to the community and library professionals, their main aim is to deliver excellent services through 54 community libraries and 8 mobile services. We would like to take this opportunity to thank them for inviting us to present at this event.

For more information visit: www.leics.gov.uk/libraries/

Coleg Llandrillo selects Talis and embarks on new partnership with the TalNet Welsh library consortium

15 June, 2006

Coleg Llandrillo is the largest college in North Wales and the latest library to join the Talis community.

Recently graded as outstanding by Government inspectors, Coleg Llandrillo is one of the UK’s top colleges, serving more than 27,000 students studying around 3,000 full and part-time courses. In a ground breaking cross-sector initiative the college Talis system will be hosted by the TalNet consortium, which presently consists of Gwynedd, Conwy and Anglesey public libraries. TalNet is also a member of the “Linc Y Gogledd” resource sharing and reciprocal borrowing scheme with the University of Wales in Bangor.

Coleg Llandrillo will take advantage of the Talis Library Management Suite to dramatically enhance the range and quality of services available to students. For the first time the library will be able to make its full catalogue of over 35,000 titles available on the Web. Their new Talis Prism web OPAC will provide students with all the benefits of seamless remote access to resources, as well as a range of self-service facilities. Behind the scenes, EDI services via Talis Gateway will streamline procurement, providing new stock for students more quickly and cost-effectively.

Talis sponsors global library 'mashup' competition

13 June, 2006

Talis is delighted to announce the launch of the first competition intended to encourage innovation in the display, use, and reuse of data from and about libraries - >Mashing Up The Library.

For all those users of libraries who have ever wished they could bring information from their library to life outside the virtual walls of its web site, this competition presents the ideal opportunity for those who have contemplated enriching their OPAC with maps, reviews, jacket images, or folksonomies.

From Jon Udell's early work with LibraryLookup to the current spate of Greasemonkey plug-ins and the structured exposure of Web Services by Talis, Amazon, Google and others, there are significant advances being made in the ways in which libraries offer their services to the outside world. At least as important is the revolution occurring outside the library, as those beyond the walls take and manipulate library data on their own.

This competition is for anyone in the community that has harboured a yearning to see information from or about libraries put to best use and displayed to best effect alongside information or services from other sources. The Mashing Up The Library competition is open to all, and includes a first prize of £1,000 for the best entry.

Talis delivers major new product releases in a continued commitment to the Lyra Programme

30 May, 2006

The Lyra Programme is enabling Talis LMS customers to adapt to both the MARC 21 and ISBN-13 formats, as well as delivering powerful new cataloguing tools and services, including multi-script support using Unicode. The flexible, phased approach of the programme is providing software and services that enable each library to accommodate the changes seamlessly, with minimal disruption.

Major product releases in March and early April 2006 represent delivery of the first phase of the Lyra Programme. Talis Alto 3.0 brings dual cataloguing in Talis MARC and MARC 21 to support libraries through the transition, as well as ISBN-13 compliance and multi-script capabilities with Unicode. The MARC 21 features in Talis Alto 3.0 include integrated access to Talis Base 2.0, offering a completely refreshed and extended source of bibliographic records. Consequently, Talis Prism 2.0 delivers the benefits of these standards and features to users through the catalogue.

If you require information about the Lyra Programme, please contact Terry Willan at Talis: terry.willan@talis.com

Hear the Library 2.0 Gang talk about introducing staff and users to new technologies

25 May, 2006

In the latest Library 2.0 Gang podcast, distributed freely online as part of our Talking with Talis programme, Gang members consider ways in which new technologies can be introduced to library staff and users, offering a non-threatening alternative to existing approaches within the institution.

We also include a report from this month's Medical Library Association conference in Arizona, and discussion of the proposed merger between OCLC and RLG.

If you require additional information about Library 2.0 or the Talking with Talis initiative, please contact Paul Miller at Talis: paul.miller@talis.com

Talis Library Platform powers new Library Portal for Wales

17 May, 2006

The portal is an exploration project, commissioned by CyMAL to support their Strategic Library Development Programme, called “@ Your Library Wales”. The Portal aims to provide unified access to both electronic reference resources and library book holdings throughout Wales over the next two years.

The application is being created by CASIS, a specialist software development company who are making use of the new Talis Library Platform and its Web Services. These include:-

A Search Service enabling a user to search the aggregated catalogues of Welsh Libraries
A Holdings Service, providing details of which library holds which particular items
A Directory Service providing information about Welsh libraries to enable “deep linking” from Search results into a local library catalogue, providing real time information on the loan status of particular items and enabling users to place requests for material.

Visit the library portal at www.library.wales.org

Talis and Endeavor Information Systems Form Strategic Partnership

25 April, 2006

Talis Information Limited, the leading provider of library management solutions for the U.K. and Ireland, announced today that Endeavor Information Systems (www.endinfosys.com), one of the leading worldwide providers of library management software, is the first company to join its new partnership programme, Talis Connexions.

Talis Connexions is a flexible framework that facilitates collaboration between like-minded organisations providing library management solutions to academic, research, corporate and government institutions. Members are encouraged to share knowledge and technical assets, support open standards and develop complementary product strategies. Building on the strengths of the existing solutions portfolio of participating companies, Talis Connexions offers a unique opportunity to leverage the benefits that open standards provide.

Talis shares a vision for Library 2.0 in D-Lib Magazine

24 April. 2006

The April issue of the North American digital libraries publication, D-Lib Magazine, carries an opinion piece by Talis’ Paul Miller on the relevance of Library 2.0 to the global digital library sector.

The article explores some of the ways in which Library 2.0 ideas will increase the visibility and utility of library services, and explores some of the ways in which libraries are changing in order to better meet the needs of their users. “Coming together around Library 2.0: a focus for discussion and a call to arms” is available from the D-Lib Magazine web site at www.dlib.org/dlib/april06/miller/04miller.html.

For more on Talis' views around Library 2.0 read our latest white paper, "Library 2.0: The challenge of disruptive innovation". Library 2.0 also features prominently in our ongoing blogging activity on Panlibus and in the Talking with Talis podcast series, most notably in the Library 2.0 Gang virtual round table discussions.

If you require additional information about Library 2.0, please contact Paul Miller at Talis: paul.miller@talis.com or +44 (0) 870 400 5000.

Panlibus, Issue 3 is now available online

21 April, 2006

We are delighted to announce that Panlibus issue 3 has now been released and published online. In this issue, we welcomed a new external contributor – Bill Oldroyd from the European Library who poses the question: Will a library ever be able to span an entire continent? Panlibus also introduces a new era of free resource discovery and Paul Miller unveils details of the Library 2.0 podcast gang.

As promised, Panlibus issue 3 includes customer case studies from the University College of Dublin and South Tyneside, product updates and news on the latest library domain developments.

Talis shares conversations on Library 2.0 and more

12 April, 2006

Building upon the successful formation of the Library 2.0 Gang, Talis has released two further conversations with the group as part of the wider Talking with Talis podcast series.

In these freely downloadable conversations the group discusses the future of the OPAC and reports on highlights from recent library conferences in North America.

Hosted by Talis' Technology Evangelist, Paul Miller, members of the Gang include Norwegian Thomas Brevik, and Americans Michael Casey, T. Scott Plutchak and Michael Stephens. Future programmes will see the Gang address topical issues related to the evolving discussion around Library 2.0, and explore changing practices as they emerge.

If you require additional information about Library 2.0 or the Talking with Talis initiative, please contact Paul Miller at Talis: paul.miller@talis.com

Talis bringing vendors together to review the way resource discovery and sharing applications are created or integrated with existing applications

10 April, 2006

In a clear statement of intent, Talis has informed libraries that contribution of holdings data to the Talis Platform will entitle them to free look-up of the complete holdings catalogue in Talis Source.

Talis has also indicated that they intend to make full use of the Platform architecture, in order to build new and innovative applications. And, because it is an open architecture they are inviting other software providers to do the same. To that end, every LMS vendor and provider of request management solutions in the UK has been invited to a Talis Research Day on 9th May to understand how data and services from the platform can be quickly integrated with their own solutions. Dave Errington, CEO, commented, “This event provides a stimulus for new and innovative library applications to emerge quickly. Building the types of relationship that make this kind of software development happen takes time. But we’re taking those first important steps with libraries by saying that entry-level discovery is free and will remain free.”

Any software developer interested in how the Talis Platform could be deployed in their own applications can contact trd@talis.com to register for the event on 9th May.

Talis Research Day 5

9 May, 2006

Talis is pleased to announce the dates of its 5th Research Day, to be held at our offices in Birmingham on Tuesday May 9th, 2006. This free, invitation only seminar will bring together those interested in commissioning, building, and using resource discovery and sharing systems, to hear about and discuss the latest exciting development in this area. This event will examine this changing landscape within the wider context of technological advancements in Web 2.0, Web Services and the Talis Platform.

This event will be of particular interest to two groups:

ILL and LMS vendors who need to understand how to make their applications interoperate services from the Talis Platform
Consortia and regional associations, whether you are considering a new shared resource discovery system, or refreshing an existing system.

If you are a consultant or developer involved in this field you will also find this seminar useful. This event is an opportunity to understand the possibilities of applying the Talis Platform to the challenges of resource discovery and sharing. During the day we will present some real applications that have been built on the Talis Platform, including the recently announced Talis Source national resource discovery and sharing solution. For further information, click here.

Reunite with Talis at the Library and Information Show, April 26th-27th

27 March, 2006

As a major sponsor of LiS, we are delighted to announce that we will be exhibiting and sponsoring the Reunion Bar at the centre of the exhibition hall.

At Booth 708, we will be showcasing a range of new services powered by the Talis Platform including a directory service, data aggregation, enrichments and transaction services. At LiS we will be unveiling details of Talis Source, our next generation resource discovery and resource sharing solution. For the first time ever, Talis Source offers a free route to resource discovery. No other service provides such a breadth of bibliographic and locations information as a free-to-view resource. Nor do we charge libraries for submitting their data.

Speaker session Ken Chad, Executive Director will be presenting on Web 2.0 and the impact on libraries on Wednesday 10:20 in Theatre 1. Join us in our celebration of recent product enhancements, new research developments and partner announcements. If you would like to find out more information about our next generation library solutions, visit booth 708 and engage with Talis representatives. Talis unviels new technology platform and new business model for Union Catalogues, Resource Discovery and Resource Sharing.

Talis Source is the first application of this new platform

20 March, 2006

Talis has a rich heritage in providing union catalogues for shared cataloguing, resource discovery and resource sharing since its formation in 1969. In that time we have been through many technology transitions. In 2005 we funded a review of resource discovery and resource sharing in the UK and announced that we would not seek to renew our contract to provide UnityWeb in conjunction with The Combined Regions. Instead we are pursuing a more visionary, inclusive, and longer term strategy to create a next generation software platform that will deliver many new benefits to all libraries, their users and the wider public over the next decade.

The use of modern, scalable and reusable software components, allows us to significantly reduce costs for our customers whilst also providing a platform for others to build applications, such as regional and national catalogues, services directories, and more. This 'next generation' approach changes the economics and landscape for shared catalogues and applications such as resource discovery and interlending.

As a direct result we will be offering our service, to be called Talis Source, in two forms. It will be FREE to use for those making data contributions to the platform, with FREE discovery for any library wishing to locate items. A simple £500 per annum charge is applicable for those using the interlending features of Talis Source.

Talis CEO to present vision for the future of union catalogues at The Forum for Interlending Conference at the British Library

13 March, 2006

The Forum for Interlending and Document Delivery are organising an event at the British Library Document Supply Centre on 17th March 2006. This event will include a series of talks, a panel discussion on union catalogues and a tour of the BLDSC.

Following on from last year’s FIL conference where Talis presented the report “A Review of the Future of Resource Sharing and Interlending Today”, Dave Errington, CEO, will be presenting Talis’ vision of “Resource Sharing and the Future of Union Catalogues, based on the Talis Platform”, as part of a panel discussion at FIL@BLDSC on 17th March. If you would like to find out more about Talis' vision please visit: www.talis.com/source or contact Grant White by email: grant.white@talis.com or call: 0870 400 5000.

Talis vision for Library 2.0 showcased in Information World Review

6 March, 2006

The March issue of Information World Review includes a comprehensive feature on the topic of Library 2.0. A number of Talis staff speak with IWR journalist David Tebbutt, and share their views on the ways in which new technologies and new attitudes promise to disrupt the industry.

The article discusses many of the ways in which Talis predicts that library services will evolve, and includes reference to one of our research demonstrators in this area, Whisper, available from research.talis.com/2005/whisper/.

For more on Talis' views around Library 2.0 read our latest white paper, "Library 2.0: The challenge of disruptive innovation", available from www.talis.com/resources/. Library 2.0 also features prominently in our ongoing blogging activity at blogs.talis.com/panlibus/ and in the Talking with Talis podcast series available at www.talis.com/podcasts, most notably in the new Library 2.0 Gang virtual round table discussions.

If you require additional information about Library 2.0, please contact Paul Miller at Talis: paul.miller@talis.com or +44 (0) 870 400 5000.

Talis introduces the Talis Connexions partner programme

2 March, 2006

Talis, the leading provider of library management solutions for the UK and Ireland, is proud to announce the launch of the Talis Connexions programme.

Thanks to emerging Web Services, Services Oriented Architectures and the adoption of open standards, monolithic library systems can now easily be separated into flexible components. Importantly, this allows libraries to easily assemble a unique multi-vendor solution to best suit their needs.

Through a certified partner programme, Talis Connexions will enable Talis to collaborate with other major LMS vendors, to share technical assets and develop highly interoperable solutions to provide libraries with greater freedom to choose best of breed solutions.

Consequently, through the Talis Connexions programme, Talis will be making its component solutions available to other vendors – and their existing customers. The programme ensures that Talis’ products and services can be seamlessly integrated with other library management systems, virtual learning environments or alternative complementary solutions, and made available either through Talis Connexions certified partners or direct to any libraries that wish to benefit from this new approach.

Thanks to this investment, libraries can buy solutions from any Talis Connexions accredited company, safe in the knowledge that the chosen vendors will fully support seamless product integration, deliver improved customer service and enrich the end users experience.

South Tyneside becomes the latest major public library authority to switch to Talis

27 February, 2006

Talis is delighted to announce that South Tyneside Council has chosen Talis to supply its suite of applications and services to the borough’s 8 libraries. Talis was chosen as the best solution, beating alternatives from DS, SirsiDynix, Geac and Innovative and will be seamlessly replacing the incumbent supplier, Bibliomondo.

South Tyneside’s 8 libraries serve 100,000 borrowers, hold a catalogue of 330,000 items and issue over 1m items per year. The borough joins other Talis customers in the North East of England, including public authorities in North Tyneside and Gateshead as well as universities at Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside.

South Tyneside’s Library Service will be using Talis Alto for managing circulation, acquisitions, cataloguing and interlending. The Talis Gateway service will provide managed EDI integration with book suppliers and a cataloguing service for shelf-ready books, leveraging the power of the Talis Base database of over 22 million titles.

Improved service to customers is provided by Talis Prism, which provides a web-based catalogue and wider resource discovery services and a range of self-service features for borrowers. Talis Message provides 24/7 automated telephony for self-service renewals, together with a new SMS- based notification service. Talis Mobile will provide an improved service for mobile library / housebound customers, including full access to the catalogue and reservations functions. Additional self-service facilities will include fully integrated self-issue terminals and PC booking products provided by Talis Additions partners 3M and Lorensbergs.

Talis plays host to international 'Library 2.0 Gang'

20 February, 2006

In an exciting evolution of the popular Talking with Talis podcast series, Talis is delighted to announce that our latest podcast marks the formation of the 'Library 2.0 Gang', and cements Talis' place at the heart of debates to shape the future of library services around the world.

Edited highlights of the first Gang gathering are available in podcast form at talk.talis.com, and includes an exploration of definitions for Library 2.0, as well as some discussion of the changes that may already be seen influencing the wider library community.

If you require additional information about Library 2.0 or the Talking with Talis initiative, please contact Paul Miller at Talis: paul.miller@talis.com

Talis welcomes Bibliotheca to the Talis Additions partner programme – integrating award winning RFID solutions with Talis Alto

1 February, 2006

As the winner of the 2005 Swiss Technology Award, Talis is delighted to welcome Bibliotheca to the Talis Additions partner programme.

Today, there are approximately 120 million audiovisual items being attached with RFID labels across circa 500 libraries worldwide. With such remarkable growth in the adoption of RFID technologies and self issue, it seems that the advantages of helping people help themselves are too compelling to ignore.

Talis and Bibliotheca share an understanding of the importance of RFID standards and the need to seamlessly integrate RFID technologies with existing library systems. Through the Talis Additions partner programme, Talis and Bibliotheca will develop seamless integration between BiblioChip® RFID technologies and the Talis Alto library management system.

Emerald leads new JISC RSS project to push table of contents in to library catalogues

30 January, 2006

Emerald Group Publishing Ltd announces that it is leading a Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) project: ‘Table of Contents by Really Simple Syndication’ (TOCRoSS). The project team will develop an RSS news feed service that automatically pushes publisher and e-journal information into library catalogues. Started in October 2005, the project will run for 10 months, completing in July 2006.

Emerald, a leading publisher of journals in management, and library & information services, is leading the project. Emerald’s head of web services, Paul Evans, is the project manager. Market-leading library systems and services supplier to the UK and Ireland academic and public library market, Talis, is the project’s technology partner. Talis is working with Emerald to develop the publisher RSS and will develop the open source software environment to manage the service at educational establishments. The University of Derby, pioneer in the use of open URL for linking to electronic journals, is working as the test bed and evaluation partner. JISC is backing the project with £15,000, and all partners have committed to match the funding, making a total of £60,000.

Talis Research Group's Richard Wallis sees this as an example of the bringing together of new Internet Web Services technology and real business requirements. "RSS has, up until now, been used to deliver news-feeds or alerts of blog postings to individuals' desktops. This simple, yet powerful, technology has many potential applications in machine-to-machine communications. TOCRoSS will demonstrate how the innovative application of simple technologies enables the delivery of services that previously would not have been viable."

New podcast released – Lawrence Lessig on Creative Commons and the Remix Culture

27 January, 2006

In an interview with Paul Miller, Professor Lawrence Lessig, a leading figure in the ‘remix culture’ movement and Chair of the Creative Commons initiative, talks about the Remix Culture, Creative Commons, the changing perceptions of Copyright and some of the ways in which these topics impact upon libraries.

Paul Miller explores what the Remix Culture is, some of the ways in which it is being constrained, and the way in which efforts such as the Creative Commons seek to offer an alternative to the increasingly restrictive ‘permission culture’ growing up around us.

The Remix Culture is an important part of our everyday lives, and it is challenged by the ways in which existing laws are interpreted in the digital age. This podcast is now live at www.talis.com/podcasts, download and find out more.

Talis' Paul Miller discusses Web 2.0 on BBC Radio 4 and in Information World Review

10 January, 2006

Talis' Technology Evangelist, Paul Miller, spoke on BBC Radio 4's Shop Talk programme this week, discussing the emergence of Web 2.0 as part of a panel of industry experts. The programme is available online from the BBC for the next seven days, at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/shoptalk/.

Also this week, Information World Review covered the growing importance of Web 2.0 in a piece on the front page of their January issue, entitled 'Libraries urged to embrace Web 2.0'.

Through work around the emerging Talis Platform, the company is actively engaged in realising the benefits of Web 2.0 approaches, and in delivering enhanced services for current and future audiences.

In moving forward, Talis has adopted the concept of Library 2.0; a notion that embraces aspects of Web 2.0 whilst emphasising the importance of traditional library values, refocused for the environment in which libraries increasingly operate. A white paper, Do Libraries Matter: the rise of Library 2.0, is available from www.talis.com/resources.

Talis' podcast series, Talking with Talis, is also available at www.talis.com/podcasts and includes conversations with key figures relevant to Web 2.0 and Library 2.0. Later this month, we shall be recording a round-table podcast exploring Library 2.0.

If you would like to engage in this future round-table podcast or require additional information, please contact Paul Miller at Talis: paul.miller@talis.com.

Talis welcomes Plescon and Optical Solutions to the Talis Additions partner programme – integrating innovative security and RFID solutions with Talis Alto

9 January, 2006

Talis is delighted to announce that Plescon, one of the most innovative and reliable security specialists in the UK and Optical Solutions a software company specialising in library solutions, have now joined the Talis Additions partner programme.

With over 25 years experience of working with libraries, Plescon delivers security systems in either radio frequency or electromagnetic technology, and in partnership with Optical Solutions, RFID and self-service solutions to libraries across the UK.

Through the Talis Additions partner programme, Talis welcomes Plescon and Optical Solutions to share best practice and develop seamless integration between their security and RFID solutions and the Talis Alto Library Management System.

With over 11 certified partners, the Talis Additions programme comprises a broad network of library suppliers, many of which specialise in RFID solutions, working together to deliver joined-up solutions.

If you would like to receive more information about the Talis Additions partner programme visit: www.talis.com/additions or contact Lee Cox 0870 400 5000