Civica wins Hampshire council library contract
Reseller claims its Spydus library management system wll support new customer-lending channels
Civica has claimed that library-based projects are becoming a growing public-sector cash-cow after the software and services VAR landed a deal with Hampshire County Council to supply its library management system.
The reseller claimed its Spydus library management system will support new customer-lending channels, such as web-based, individual borrowing profiles.
Simon Parks, business development director at Civica, told CRN: “The library market is ready for change and it is looking for new systems and innovation on technology.
“Libraries are under the pressures that all local-government departments are, which is to improve the delivery of services and ensure they have the technology that can make what they do quicker, cheaper and easier.”
Parks added that Civica will provide the council with traditional library systems, such as book issuing and ordering, plus the back-office functionality, but it will also integrate the latest web technology.
“The use of technology fits in with government agenda and acts as a means to provide a more efficient and cost-effective system,” he said. “These developments are part of improvements to the whole of the library system to offer a broader service to users.”
Parks added that Civica has been providing library systems for 20 years, but has only recently expanded with library projects in the UK.
“We are gearing up for more of these type of projects,” Parks said. “We will make some significant announcements over the coming months.”
Steve Knighton, head of enterprise services at rival Northgate Information Solutions, said: “The library market is interesting because it is an access point to citizens. Where you have access to citizens, there is an opportunity to exploit that and deliver a range of services.”