Contact: Sarah Lapshan, Library of chigan, (517) 241-1736, SLapshan@michigan.gov; or Darrell S. Pressley, University Relations, (517) 355-2281, pressley@ur.msu.edu

5/10/2004

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Library of Michigan and Michigan State University Libraries today announced a partnership designed to maximize service for patrons, enhance the collections of both agencies and maintain cost and time efficiencies over the next five years.

“By creating a unified catalog of both our collections, the patrons of MSU and the Library of Michigan will have seamless access to the materials no matter where the materials are housed,” said State Librarian Christie Brandau. “A student at MSU will soon be able to enter a search query and get results not only from MSU’s holdings, but from the entire collection within the Library of Michigan. Similarly, a genealogy buff doing research at our facility, in effect, has ‘one-stop shopping’ access to MSU’s diverse knowledge base at the same time.”

The partnership actually extends beyond the Library of Michigan and MSU and will be carried out in phases. First, the Library of Michigan has contracted with Innovative Interfaces Inc. to oversee the data migration from the Library of Michigan server to MSU’s server. The migration is expected to begin this month and be completed in August, just in time for the MSU’s fall semester.

To maintain the merged collection, the Library of Michigan has contracted with MSU for actual hosting of the merged catalog and administration and continued upgrades of the Innovative Millennium software, a higher-end product than the old Innovative software the library has used for years.

“MSU has been a leader in using Innovative technology to its fullest capabilities,” Brandau said. “By merging our catalogs, the Library of Michigan will also be able to take advantage of the most current upgrades and products available from Innovative. This not only helps our patrons search the catalog more effectively, but allows our staff to take advantage of enhanced capabilities in tasks related to cataloging, acquisitions and circulation.”

Brandau estimated that costs savings to the Library of Michigan would approach $165,000; $75,000 initially by not having to upgrade hardware and software to Innovative’s Millennium, and approximately $18,000 per year over a five-year period in reduced maintenance expenses.

Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm praised the partnership as a strong example of the collaboration she hopes will become the model between the state and other public entities.

“For Michigan to successfully build a 21^st century economy, it is critical that we find new ways to share resources and meet technology challenges head on,” Granholm said. “The Library of Michigan, MSU Libraries and the Department of Information Technology – for its excellent guidance in laying the framework for the migration – should all be commended for their forward thinking and commitment to cost savings.”

“State agencies and universities are continually asked to do more with less,” said Clifford H. Haka, director of MSU Libraries, “so it makes good sense for MSU to work side by side with the Library of Michigan on this venture to leverage the utilization of both collections. It’s an ideal situation for the state, the university and, most importantly, our patrons.”

The Library of Michigan is part of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL). Dedicated to enriching the quality of life for Michigan residents by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan’s heritage and fostering cultural creativity, the department also includes the Michigan Historical Center, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Michigan Film Office. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/hal

The MSU Libraries’ collection of more than 4.5 million volumes is held in the Main Library and nine branches. The libraries have a long tradition of leadership and commitment to cooperative library programs, including a recent pilot project that will form the basis of MeLCat, the statewide resource-sharing system. For more information on MSU Libraries, visit www.lib.msu.edu

Known internationally as a major U.S. public university with global reach, MSU has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching, research and outreach for nearly 150 years. MSU is a member of the Association of American Universities, the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, and the Big Ten athletic conference.

Celebrating 25 years of partnership with the library community, Innovative Interfaces (www.iii.com) is a leader in providing Web-powered, Java-based automated library systems. Its flagship product offering, Millennium, is an acknowledged market leader installed in thousands of libraries in 40 countries around the world. The company is headquartered in Emeryville, Calif., with offices in Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Korea, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom.