December 18, 2014
The ten libraries in the Wales Higher Education Libraries Forum (WHELF) Consortium choose Alma and Primo to facilitate deeper collaboration
London, UK—December 18, 2014. Ex Libris® Group, a world leader in the provision of library automation solutions, is delighted to announce that WHELF—a consortium of all the Welsh University Libraries, as well as the National Library of Wales and the Welsh NHS Libraries—has selected the Ex Libris Alma® unified resource management service and the Ex Libris Primo® discovery and delivery solution to deliver a new bilingual shared library system for Wales.
Members of the WHELF consortium currently employ a variety of standalone library management systems and several different discovery systems. With the selection of Ex Libris as a single provider, the Consortium will have the opportunity to deliver a single cloud-based next-generation library system, delivered on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) basis.
Aled Gruffydd Jones, Chief Executive of the National Library of Wales and Chair of WHELF, commented: ”All WHELF members are looking forward to realizing transformational benefits from our collaboration on a shared Library system, including the provision of a single bilingual search interface for Wales Higher Education and research, plus the potential for deeper collaboration around collection development and management.”
The WHELF Consortium adopted the Alma and Primo next-generation solutions following a rigorous selection and assessment process. Provided as a cloud-based SaaS solution, Alma automates and streamlines library operations across all workflows and resource types, from acquisitions and metadata management to digitization, cataloguing, and advanced fulfillment services.
The sophisticated Primo search and ranking technology, intuitive browsing options, and support for serendipitous discovery enable users to easily find and seamlessly access the resources they need. Content neutral and flexible, Primo empowers libraries to tailor the discovery experience to their own user community.
The 10 member libraries of WHELF are Aberystwyth University, Bangor University, Swansea University, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Glyndwr University, the National Library of Wales, Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, the University of South Wales and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, plus the Welsh NHS Libraries represented through the AWHILES Consortium.
Christoph Frech, Regional Sales Director at Ex Libris commented, ”We are delighted to welcome the members of the WHELF consortium to the ever-growing family of Alma and Primo users. Their decision to use our solutions clearly demonstrates the growing momentum for delivering next-generation library services via SaaS.”
About WHELF
WHELF (Wales Higher Education Libraries Forum) is a collaborative group of all the higher education libraries in Wales, together with the National Library of Wales and the Open University. It is chaired by the Chief Executive and Librarian of the National Library of Wales and its members include Directors of Information Services and Heads of Library Services. WHELF actively promotes the work of higher education libraries in Wales and provides a focus for the development of new ideas and services.
For more information about WHELF see our website www.whelf.ac.uk, or join us on Twitter @WHELFed
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.
