LSSL 5396 Group Presentation

1. Evaluation of Automation Systems
By: Alexandra Carrizales, Olivia Garcia,
Lisa Robinson, Victoria Sumera, and
Pamela Zimmerman

2. HISTORY
By: Pamela Zimmerman

3. History:
• SirsiDynix is a privately-held company that produces software
solutions and services for libraries. SirsiDynix is a world leading
provider of library managing software’s services consisting of
search and discovery tools for libraries and users.
• SirsiDynix systems can be used to link numerous libraries and
provide access through a single portal.
• Sirsi creates more industry-leading tools, for libraries than any
other vendor in the world. The company employs technology that
allows librarians to do more than just keep track of their collection
but work with their collections on individual bases. Today, more
than 23,000 library facilities in more than 70 countries use Sirsi
products and services to more than 300 million users worldwide.

4. History (cont.)
• Background-
– With the beginning of MARC standards in the 1960s, and the growth of
computer technology, library automation was created. Libraries began
experimenting with computers and eventually online technology and the
new MARC vocabulary became a common language amongst libraries.
– The idea of Sirsi began when Northwestern University developed a
system to automate its own library card catalogs in the 1960s.
– By 1979, the Sirsi Corporation was created in Huntsville, Alabama by
Jim Young, Jacky Young, and Mike Murdock. In 1982, the Unicorn
system was developed and installed at Georgia Tech. The main product
inherited from Sirsi is the Unicorn integrated library system (ILS). The
ILS serves libraries in various functions: cataloging, circulation,
acquisitions, reserves, outreach, etc.

5. History (cont.)
• The original Dynix ILS traces its history to about 1983. The earliest versions
of Dynix ran on the Pick operating system, then under Unix. The system
became well known and was one of the most-widely utilized integrated library
systems in public, and academic libraries. Today it is considered a founding
father of automated systems with a small user base.
• SirsiDynix was formed by the merger of the Sirsi and Dynix corporations in
June 2005.
• Headquartered in Provo, Utah, SirsiDynix is responsible for the Symphony,
Horizon, Unicorn ILS products.
• SirsiDynix’s Symphony is a comprehensive, integrated library and consortium
management system, blending the best of the Unicorn GL3 and Horizon
8/Corinthian systems. SirsiDynix Symphony is a total solution for managing
all technical and public services – enabling libraries and consortia to cut costs
while providing the highest quality of service.

6. History (cont.)
• SirsiDynix provides the Horizon Information Portal for
patron searching and services, subscription services to
Overdrive's ebooks and audio books, and federated
searching capabilities for thousands of licensed
databases.
• The SirsiDynix company was bought out by Vista
Equity Partners in December 2006, a private equity
firm based in San Francisco, CA.
• The current CEO as of October 2011 of SirsiDynix is
Bill Davison.

7. STRONG POINTS OF THE SYSTEM
By: Victoria Sumera

8. Strong Points (cont.)
• MISSION:
– “At SirsiDynix, we are committed to our library
customers and the communities they serve.
Together, with libraries, we help communities
thrive by connecting people with library
resources that educate and inspire.” -
www.sirsidynix.com

9. Strong Points:
• SirsiDynix has created and implemented Bookshelf at no additional
cost across its major public-facing products for patrons. It provides a
graphical interface for users to place items of interest and then they
are able to share those items with other users.
• In January 2012, SirsiDynix launched "Social Library," an application
that adds catalog search and other features to its Facebook page.
• Two tiers of patron-oriented interfaces make up BLUEcloud Discovery.
BLUEcloud PAC and BookMyne mobile application are free to two
tiers of patrons as BLUEcloud Disvovery.

10. Strong Points (cont.)
• The new BLUEcloud Staff components are a major benefit for
all of the major modules of the SirsiDynix system. System
administration, circulation, cataloging, serials, and
acquisitions are available at no additional cost to patrons. As
these BLUEcloud Staff modules are completed, they will be
made available with optional added-cost modules.
• MobileCirc is another benefit available for Android or iOS
based devices which provides services for circulation,
inventory, and shelving tasks/weeding.

11. Strong Points:
• BLUEcloud Marketplace also includes eResource
Central, which provides capabilities to manage and
provide access to eBooks and other electronic
resources.
– eResource - is a single point of search and discovery of a
library's collection, including both the print and e-book
collections. Patrons will be able to request holds, download, and
view e-books.

12. REASONS TO RECOMMEND
By: Olivia Garcia

13. Reasons to Recommend
• Provides an application service provider (ASP) library service
• Offers tools to support day-to-day operations, including
circulation, cataloging, acquisitions, serials, academic reserves,
outreach and media booking.
• Customizable platform. It can be as complex or as simple as
you need it to be.

14. Reasons to Recommend
• Gives libraries extreme control over viewing privileges,
polices and more.
• Built-in offline mode kicks in to handle those power and
network outages.
• Vendor Information Port for interactive searching of vendor
databases including single-click receiving and invoicing.
• More than 600 built-in reports and utilities

15. Reasons to Recommend
(cont.)
• Policy-driven demand management to promote resource
sharing and NCIP support for interlibrary loan
participation.
• Libraries can serve their users with books by mail, self-
service holds, mobile circulation, purchase, manage
account, discovery portal and SMS messaging

16. Reasons to Recommend
(cont.)
• Support for multilingual MARC record holdings,
• Transfers maintenance and upgrade routines to the ASP,
• Accommodates for rural libraries with limited technical
expertise and the absence of the Internet connections.
• Provides technical resource to deliver your library solution to a
project manager who assures the project goals.

17. SIRSIDYNIX – SYMPHONY
WEAKNESSES/ DISADVANTAGES
By: Alexandra Carrizales

18. Weaknesses:
• Talin Bingham, SirsiDynix CTO, indicated they had heard loud
and clear from the user community emphasizing that the
company needed to pay more attention to the end-user
experience, particularly with online catalog products.
• In terms of communication, SirsiDynix sees the need for more
ways to provide information to users. They are developing
communication tools that will allow libraries to provide
information to users based on their preference—whether it is
text messages, Facebook or e-mail messages, snail-mail, or
phone.

19. Weaknesses (cont.)
The table below shows the major weaknesses in Symphony:
SirsiDynix Symphony
to pay more attention to the end-user experience, particularly with
online catalog products (1st article)
sorely lacking in flexibility/functionality
(http://www.librarytechnology.org/survey-2011-product-
report.pl?CurrentILS=Symphony+(Unicorn)
does not offer any ERM modules or software en suite (JTL) Symphony is a complex system to set up and install
(JTL)
In 2006, they contracted with Serials Solutions to offer
their customers ERM functionality but this requires clients to
take on another vendor
relationship, which is something that not all libraries want to
do. (JTL)
It is difficult to get a sufficient sense of how their
acquisitions module functions in Symphony. They
deemphasize it in comparison to other functionalities; there
is almost no mention of it in the product descriptions on
their Web site and there is the
possibility that it may not be robust enough for our
needs.(JTL)
The user interface/OPAC options
are not as thoroughly discussed on the vendor’s website,
which could be a concern
(http://davidgwynn.com/pdf/631_ils.pdf)

20. Weaknesses (cont.)
• An additional session was devoted to working with Resource
Description & Access (RDA). Though this new cataloging
standard hasn’t yet been formally accepted by the cataloging
community in the United States, SirsiDynix has started working
on it.
• Symphony Version 3.4.1
– Version 3.4.1 is more of a maintenance release that will fix
the issue with the item group editor and some display
updates that include tabbed windows for open wizards and
expandable windows or areas to view various pieces of
information.

21. References:
• Presentation assembled by Lisa Robinson
• Cunetto, S., & Winger, A. (2011). Customers of SirsiDynix User Group (COSUGI) Meeting, Phoenix, AZ April 19–21, 2011. Journal of
Electronic Resources Librarianship, 23(3), 290-294.
• Gwynn, D. (2009). Integrated Library System Selection Plan for a Small Academic Library. Retrieved June 19, 2014 from,
http://davidgwynn.com/pdf/631_ils.pdf.
• Keogh, J. (2010).ILS Vendor Assessment. Retrieved June 19, 2014, from http://johnthelibrarian.com/portfolio/wp-
content/uploads/2010/11/Readwell-Vendor-Assessment.pdf.
• Library Technology Guides: Key Resources in the Field of Library Automation: Statistical Report for Symphony. (2013). Retrieved June 19,
2014, from http://www.librarytechnology.org/survey-2013-product-report.pl?CurrentILS=Symphony+(Unicorn).
• "SirsiDynix Symphony® Integrated Library System." SirsiDynix Symphony Integrated Library System. Web.
• Sirsidynix Symphony 3.4.1 Service Pack 3. "SirsiDynix Symphony 3.4.1 Service Pack 3 Client/Server Requirements June 2013." Client/Server
Requirements. Web.
• "Symphony/SirsiDynix.com." Symphony/SirsiDynix.com. 2013. Web. 21 June 2014.
• Images:
– www.sites.lib.byu.edu
– www.sirsidynix.com
– www.naseej.com
– www.ideachampions.com
– www.craigfuhr.com
– www.sms2cms.com