Atlanta, GA. As the NISO working group prepares to meet and respond to feedback about the Draft NISO Revised Recommended Practice for RFID in U.S. Libraries, EnvisionWare prepares for release of a new RFID Encoding and Tag Query Solution.
According to Mike Monk, EnvisionWare Vice President, “the new software is built on our open API‐based RFID suite and offers a completely redesigned encoding and validation experience. As in the past we remain committed to customer choice, and our new system offers versatile support for ISO‐28560‐2, ISO‐28560‐3, and the most widely deployed open model, the Danish Data Model. Our customers around the globe will be able to adopt a profile that is specific to their needs, and our supplier partners and RFID encoding vendors will be able to select from an unlimited list of library‐specific profiles. As in the past, the new system will continue to measure productivity.”
Monk also explained that EnvisionWare’s system would continue to support the open database model implemented in many of EnvisionWare’s products and will write encoding history to a central database, which is often used to reconcile inventory as part of an encoding project. Customers can set a preference to use MSSQL, MySQL, Postgre, Oracle and other platforms.
Incorporating feedback from EnvisionWare RFID‐enabled libraries around the globe, the system offers an improved workflow, real‐time onscreen encoding results, and enhancements to leverage the touch screen supplied as part of the EnvisionWare Mobile Station.
Customers currently using the Danish Data Model can continue to encode with that model. Those libraries selecting ISO‐28560‐2 in the US and Asia Pacific can adapt templates to create a library‐specific encoding profile. According to the Draft US Recommended Practice, libraries can select from twenty‐four fields in the US “‐2 Profile.” Many Australian libraries have adopted specific profiles by region. Libraries choosing to encode with ISO‐28560‐3 can adopt fields beyond those originally available in the Danish Data Model.
As in the past, EnvisionWare RFID circulation solutions will continue to concurrently support most of the vendor‐proprietary models as well as the new ISO standards and the Danish model. “Because of the installed base and the need for interoperability of materials, we envision a continued need to support multiple models for the foreseeable future,” said Monk. “To that end, we have again improved the performance of our RFID software and worked with our suppliers to enhance hardware performance so that we can continue to offer stellar performance regardless of the number of models in use at any given library,” he added.
Libraries were encouraged to read the document posted by NISO and to ask questions and make comments in order to get broad feedback and to ensure widespread appeal of a US Profile. Now that the comment period has closed, the Working Group will convene to address all of the comments and then compile a final Recommended Practice for publication. The final product release will occur after the adoption of the Recommended Practice.
EnvisionWare is a leading supplier of self service and library efficiency solutions and serves more than 10,000 libraries around the globe. The Company operates headquarters near Atlanta, GA and in Adelaide, South Australia as well as from regional locations around the US.
Visit EnvisionWare at Booth #3132 or contact the Company for more information:
Michael J. Monk
Vice President
EnvisionWare, Inc.
2855 Premiere Parkway | Suite A
Duluth, GA 30097‐5201
800‐216‐8370
marketing@envisionware.com
Monday, June 27, 2011
EnvisionWare at ALA 2011
NEWS FLASH: EnvisionWare is in the magnificent city of New Orleans as we speak, unveiling a number of exciting new products for the annual ALA (American Library Association) conference. Below are some tasty selections from our recent press release:
The Company will demonstrate EnvisionWare 1Pad, a new, integrated RFID Reader and Unidirectional Pad that looks like a large iPad. The new design provides detection only directly above the pad surface and features an integrated and more powerful RFID reader, which improves media detection and circulation. The All‐In‐One design eliminates messy cables and ferrite shields and dramatically simplifies installation and support. In an upcoming software update, the new diagnostic system in the 1‐Pad will provide an onscreen alert to staff such as an Environmental Alert that indicates a user may have detuned the system by placing a keyboard on the pad surface. The 1‐Pad offers a new price point that is lower than the former, separately priced components.
A new RFID LTag will be deliverable at ALA that brings the highest quality performance at a remarkable new price. EnvisionWare’s standard tag has measured performance at up to 15% greater distances when compared to many tags in use at libraries, which translates to higher detection rates through the gates. In the past that performance came at a slight premium. A new, library‐specific engineering design results in identical 2X*GEN performance at a price that’s hard to beat. EnvisionWare is accepting orders for delivery in two weeks.
Earlier this year members of the Sonoma County Library staff collaborated with EnvisionWare on a comprehensive list of workflow and interface improvements for the EnvisionWare RFID Software Suite™. The Company will release a new generation of the Suite at the conference that is faster and more intuitive, and which features a host of usability improvements designed by circulation and cataloging staff. New updates for the Innovative Item Status API are incorporated, as are new features for the EnvisionWare Media Case Controller™, a system that checks out and unlocks media in Clear‐Vu and Kwik Case media cases in one step.
EnvisionWare will also demonstrate EnvisionWare eCommerce Services™ Version 3.0 fine payment and account revalue software, which expands the global list of credit card acquirers and adds new customer options for processing architecture. Four different architectural implementations will be available along with more than thirty choices for card processing.
The Company will also release a new product for delivery this month that will couple the new eCommerce Services release and EnvisionWare’s Staff Transaction Station (STS)™, a library point of sale software system, to the Innovative Millennium platform.
Visit EnvisionWare at Booth #3132 or contact the Company for more information:
Michael J. Monk
Vice President
EnvisionWare, Inc.
2855 Premiere Parkway | Suite A
Duluth, GA 30097‐5201
800‐216‐8370
marketing@envisionware.com
The Company will demonstrate EnvisionWare 1Pad, a new, integrated RFID Reader and Unidirectional Pad that looks like a large iPad. The new design provides detection only directly above the pad surface and features an integrated and more powerful RFID reader, which improves media detection and circulation. The All‐In‐One design eliminates messy cables and ferrite shields and dramatically simplifies installation and support. In an upcoming software update, the new diagnostic system in the 1‐Pad will provide an onscreen alert to staff such as an Environmental Alert that indicates a user may have detuned the system by placing a keyboard on the pad surface. The 1‐Pad offers a new price point that is lower than the former, separately priced components.
A new RFID LTag will be deliverable at ALA that brings the highest quality performance at a remarkable new price. EnvisionWare’s standard tag has measured performance at up to 15% greater distances when compared to many tags in use at libraries, which translates to higher detection rates through the gates. In the past that performance came at a slight premium. A new, library‐specific engineering design results in identical 2X*GEN performance at a price that’s hard to beat. EnvisionWare is accepting orders for delivery in two weeks.
Earlier this year members of the Sonoma County Library staff collaborated with EnvisionWare on a comprehensive list of workflow and interface improvements for the EnvisionWare RFID Software Suite™. The Company will release a new generation of the Suite at the conference that is faster and more intuitive, and which features a host of usability improvements designed by circulation and cataloging staff. New updates for the Innovative Item Status API are incorporated, as are new features for the EnvisionWare Media Case Controller™, a system that checks out and unlocks media in Clear‐Vu and Kwik Case media cases in one step.
EnvisionWare will also demonstrate EnvisionWare eCommerce Services™ Version 3.0 fine payment and account revalue software, which expands the global list of credit card acquirers and adds new customer options for processing architecture. Four different architectural implementations will be available along with more than thirty choices for card processing.
The Company will also release a new product for delivery this month that will couple the new eCommerce Services release and EnvisionWare’s Staff Transaction Station (STS)™, a library point of sale software system, to the Innovative Millennium platform.
Visit EnvisionWare at Booth #3132 or contact the Company for more information:
Michael J. Monk
Vice President
EnvisionWare, Inc.
2855 Premiere Parkway | Suite A
Duluth, GA 30097‐5201
800‐216‐8370
marketing@envisionware.com
Friday, May 27, 2011
The Ghosts of Libraries Past, Present, and Future; Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the New Technology
It's a closely guarded secret that your humble scribe--The Man in the Purple Shirt--is a bit of a Luddite in his personal life. You have probably already read in this blog about EnvisionWare's forthcoming Library of the Future, but did you know about the Library of the Past?
That's the edifice I've had constructed in my home that houses my record and book collections (which happen to include more than a few items picked up at Friends of the Library sales around the country). Officially, my wife and I have declared a moratorium on the collection as our shelves are now full, but...if you work at a library and are currently weeding any old volumes of Faulkner or Hemingway from your stacks, I'd like to hear from you!
Yes, I'm a fan of old-fashioned, handsomely made books. They're my way of unplugging after working with computers all day. But I hasten to add here that I speak only for myself in this matter, not EnvisionWare, Inc. One of my colleagues at the company acquired an Amazon Kindle a few years ago; like me, he travels often and reads often, but in his case he has found the e-reader to be quite conducive to his on-the-go lifestyle. I, on the hand, seem to always be lugging several heavy books wherever I go. Which of us is wiser?
It goes without saying that this is an interesting time for public libraries. The general population is only now beginning to catch on to the fact that libraries are no longer the quiet, nearly empty book-stuffed mausoleums they once were. Several times in recent years, I've encountered families who, due to the recession, have turned to the library as a cheap way to meet their entertainment needs. They are always astonished to see the number of DVDs and CDs on offer, not to mention the banks of computers available for public internet use. "Wow," their expressions seem to say, "the library is actually...cool."
So where is this world of libraries ultimately headed, and what place do physical books have in it? EnvisionWare is officially neutral on that question. We offer top-to-bottom RFID solutions that enable more efficient circulation of physical media--which include books. But if all physical media where to go away tomorrow, we would no doubt be equally involved in whatever would take its place. We respond to the needs of libraries, plain and simple.
You'll hear lots of pundits predicting the imminent end of the book as we know it, but their words are meaningless; the survival or demise of physical books is determined solely by the public's needs. If you want to "save" physical books (as I do), keep reading them, keep buying them, and keep checking them out from your library. E-readers are not the enemy; I've come to believe that they can peacefully coexist with my beloved books. The real enemy is--and has always been--not reading at all. That is the real sign of the decline of the world as we know it.
It's useful to remember that books themselves are technology. The famed Library of Alexandria was filled floor-to-ceiling with scrolls. And before that people used animal skins, and before that it was cave walls. We move and adapt. It's what we're good at. And we choose what we wish to keep and what we wish to discard.
I have observed exciting and profound changes at public libraries over the past decade. They have become thriving community centers, outstanding resources for job seekers, and safe and enriching environments for teenagers who might otherwise be getting in trouble. Your local library is a cost-effective alternative to Netflix, a great place to peruse magazines and discover new music, and still the best place in town to load up on books for the rainy weekend.
EnvisionWare is committed to these institutions that do so much to put knowledge in the hands of the people. We serve the libraries and the libraries serve you. So, ultimately, it is you who will map their, and our, future.
I've already got my "Library of the Past"; in fact, I'm sitting across from it as I write these words. But now I'm genuinely excited about the Library of the Future. Are you?
 |
| The Man in the Purple Shirt's "Library of the Past" (Yes, those are vinyl records) |
Yes, I'm a fan of old-fashioned, handsomely made books. They're my way of unplugging after working with computers all day. But I hasten to add here that I speak only for myself in this matter, not EnvisionWare, Inc. One of my colleagues at the company acquired an Amazon Kindle a few years ago; like me, he travels often and reads often, but in his case he has found the e-reader to be quite conducive to his on-the-go lifestyle. I, on the hand, seem to always be lugging several heavy books wherever I go. Which of us is wiser?
It goes without saying that this is an interesting time for public libraries. The general population is only now beginning to catch on to the fact that libraries are no longer the quiet, nearly empty book-stuffed mausoleums they once were. Several times in recent years, I've encountered families who, due to the recession, have turned to the library as a cheap way to meet their entertainment needs. They are always astonished to see the number of DVDs and CDs on offer, not to mention the banks of computers available for public internet use. "Wow," their expressions seem to say, "the library is actually...cool."
So where is this world of libraries ultimately headed, and what place do physical books have in it? EnvisionWare is officially neutral on that question. We offer top-to-bottom RFID solutions that enable more efficient circulation of physical media--which include books. But if all physical media where to go away tomorrow, we would no doubt be equally involved in whatever would take its place. We respond to the needs of libraries, plain and simple.
You'll hear lots of pundits predicting the imminent end of the book as we know it, but their words are meaningless; the survival or demise of physical books is determined solely by the public's needs. If you want to "save" physical books (as I do), keep reading them, keep buying them, and keep checking them out from your library. E-readers are not the enemy; I've come to believe that they can peacefully coexist with my beloved books. The real enemy is--and has always been--not reading at all. That is the real sign of the decline of the world as we know it.
It's useful to remember that books themselves are technology. The famed Library of Alexandria was filled floor-to-ceiling with scrolls. And before that people used animal skins, and before that it was cave walls. We move and adapt. It's what we're good at. And we choose what we wish to keep and what we wish to discard.
I have observed exciting and profound changes at public libraries over the past decade. They have become thriving community centers, outstanding resources for job seekers, and safe and enriching environments for teenagers who might otherwise be getting in trouble. Your local library is a cost-effective alternative to Netflix, a great place to peruse magazines and discover new music, and still the best place in town to load up on books for the rainy weekend.
EnvisionWare is committed to these institutions that do so much to put knowledge in the hands of the people. We serve the libraries and the libraries serve you. So, ultimately, it is you who will map their, and our, future.
I've already got my "Library of the Past"; in fact, I'm sitting across from it as I write these words. But now I'm genuinely excited about the Library of the Future. Are you?
Monday, April 25, 2011
On Giving and Random Acts of Kindness
Regular readers of this blog will by now have surmised that The Man in the Purple Shirt can sometimes play rather...ah....fast and loose with the term "weekly." Well, a lot has been going on at EnvisionWare, Inc. over these last few months. In March we moved into a beautiful new facility which will eventually house--in addition to our offices--the Library of the Future (more on this in upcoming posts). In April, we released eagerly anticipated updates of our PC Reservation® software. As for me personally, I have been traveling on behalf of the company and have recently visited/worked in some beautiful libraries on both the east and west coasts. So--that's why you haven't heard from me in a while.
But that's all beside the point of today's blog. The following was originally published in our internal newsletter by someone I work with whom I will call a "Voice of EnvisionWare." I was quite moved by the piece and asked the individual if I might edit and present it to a larger audience via The Weekly EnvisionWare. It does not pertain to our company per se but rather to larger concerns of love, giving, and taking care of one another. I present it to you in the spirit of the season, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I'm proud to work for a company that harbors these ideals.
But that's all beside the point of today's blog. The following was originally published in our internal newsletter by someone I work with whom I will call a "Voice of EnvisionWare." I was quite moved by the piece and asked the individual if I might edit and present it to a larger audience via The Weekly EnvisionWare. It does not pertain to our company per se but rather to larger concerns of love, giving, and taking care of one another. I present it to you in the spirit of the season, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I'm proud to work for a company that harbors these ideals.
The Gift
About a month ago I was eating at a fast food restaurant in an area that was not like the area around our office in Duluth. Someone crept up quietly behind me and asked for money to buy food. I had no extra change. In fact, I didn't have any cash on me other than an emergency large bill I carry at all times. So I said, "Sorry, I don't have anything on me." I never looked directly at her. I had been taught while living in New York that you're not supposed to look at people on the street and you are definitely not to make eye contact.
She moved by quietly and the clerk behind the counter caught a glimpse of her at which time she was asked to leave. I sat there feeling really bad about myself. I have so much to be thankful for and this person simply needed some food. I quickly finished and headed to the nearest Quik Trip to get cash from the ATM. I drove back to the area to look for her. I noticed another fast food place just up the street and headed for the lot. Looking through the glass I could see her hovering near the back of the restaurant. I parked and walked in. Her eyes met mine and she quickly fled out the side door, hurrying as quickly as she could to get away from me. Did she think I was with the police? I ran after her and she ran faster. I said quite loudly "Maam, I want to help you." She stopped in her tracks and I handed her a $20. She went directly back into the restaurant and I watched as she ordered food and then sat down to eat.
I did a retrospective. I realized that many times before I've said, "Sorry, I have no extra cash." Looking back, that's not really true. Whether or not I had cash on me, I had access to money. I also thought about the desperation that must exist for people who must hide in the shadows, hoping for a handout. She was nowhere near a shelter. I thought about the fear she must have felt when she thought I might harm her. I promised myself that day that I would never turn away from someone that approached me on the street. Even as little as a dollar can buy someone a hamburger and while I may not be rich, I eat well, live well, and fear not for my safety, next meal, or my employment. I have it good. Quite good. I would make it a point to look a homeless person in the eye, and keep sufficient bills accessible so that I could offer a handout when asked.
Then I went to San Francisco. SFO has the highest per capita homeless population in the United States. In the tourist areas you may be asked 5 - 10 times for a handout in about a block or two of walking. Some homeless people gather together on corners. If you walk later in the evening, you'll see people crawled into corners, covered by torn cardboard and huddling plastic bags of their worldly possessions. It's heartbreaking.
Keeping to my personal commitment, I had bills in my pocket. As I walked from Bart to the conference hotel I was asked for help. I gave a man a dollar. I walked another hundred feet and did the same thing again. I did it twice more in two blocks. Each time I looked the person squarely in the face, smiled, and without reservation gave a handout. The last man asked for more. I gave him more. Not one of these people said thank you. I arrived at the hotel and at first thought, how ungrateful. And after pondering this for a while I realized that they've probably run out of gratitude. Whatever caused these people to be homeless, whether mental issues, drug or alcohol abuse, or the inability to get a job, they were at the bottom rung of their lives. I then imagined how many times each day they must look for help and I wondered how many people look away or simply refuse to acknowledge their presence.
Then I realized that I had somehow decided that I was exchanging handouts. I wanted to help someone, but I wanted an affirmation in return, a simple thank you. That did not define selfless giving. That defined barter. I lowered my expectations and continued my week at the conference. I looked people in the eye, gave them a dollar or few dollars depending on what I had available, and did not wait for anything in return. I felt sad each time it happened -- and it happened a lot. After a few days in the city, a lady asked for money to buy food. She had a small child with her, probably about four or five. I reached into my pocket and gave her all the bills I had; I'm guessing it was around $35. She started crying, grabbed my hand, knelt down and thanked God, and ran away with her child into a market to buy food.
I felt good. I was still sad about the thought of so many people suffering and I soon realized that these were not the least fortunate people in the world. At least they were in an environment where they might get a handout. The city will care for them when it gets cold. Charities are available to provide some assistance. But I felt good that in some very small way these people had made me a better person.
I realized that I've lied in the past. I've said that I had nothing when I did. I've ignored people because I thought that was the best way to deal with it. The fact that I am so fortunate and failed to act makes me feel like I've let people down. I've heard the stories and the statements - "Let 'em get a job." Or, "They did it to themselves." But I know that this is not always the case. I know that there are real people in trouble that may be suffering through no fault of their own.
These people gave me a gift. They taught me that genuine charity expects nothing in return. That even the smallest help can make a difference in someone's life. That it's just plain indecent to ignore people. And that I cannot use my perspective on life to judge the perspective others have.
How does this relate to the industry we work in? I'm not here to preach or necessarily encourage charity. But I am here to explain that there are things that can change our perspective. We cannot be so egotistical as to believe that our viewpoint about eating, money, the world, charity, kindness or anything else is the same for others. My personal empathy has grown and I just hope that I can keep it up and that I can continue to translate that empathy into personal growth. The library industry is one of service; and caring about those we serve, whether customers or people we help on the street, translates to unexpected growth and rewards --- as long as you don't do it for those reasons.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
EnvisionWare is Moving!
We've outgrown our US Home of the past six years so we are moving to a new, larger high tech facility later this month.
Once we get all of the trolls unpacked and the books cataloged and on the shelves, we'll be opening the Library of the Future along with our new seventy-five seat auditorium. Inside the new space there's plenty of room for guests as well as lots of space to support our continued growth. We hope you'll plan on visiting with us in the coming weeks to see the latest in self service and library efficiency solutions.
All NEW contact information effective 28 March 2011:
New Address:EnvisionWare, Inc.
2855 Premiere Parkway
Suite A
Duluth, GA 30097-5201
New Telephone Numbers:678-382-6500 Main Voice
678-382-6600 Direct Support Line
800-216-8370 Toll Free
678-382-6501 Fax
All of our extension numbers will change as we adopt direct dialing for all US offices and employees.
Direct Dial Departments:
800-216-8370 Ext. 6530 toll free to Operations (Accounting and Logistics)
800-216-8370 Ext. 6550 toll free to Sales
800-216-8370 Ext. 6600 toll free to Support
800-216-8370 Ext. 6650 toll free to Professional Services
Direct Dial Sales Team:
678-382-6551 or 800-216-8370 Ext. 6551 Al Coalla
678-382-6552 or 800-216-8370 Ext. 6552 John Himes
678-382-6553 or 800-216-8370 Ext. 6553 Kristen Artines
678-382-6554 or 800-216-8370 Ext. 6554 Wendy Bratcher
678-382-6555 or 800-216-8370 Ext. 6555 Steve Kraus
678-382-6556 or 800-216-8370 Ext. 6556 Bryan Pasteryk
Possible Service Disruptions:
The move begins Thursday, 24 March and continues through Tuesday, 29 March. Response times from all departments may be slow all day Friday, 25 March and Monday, 28 March.
Customer Center - Normal operation throughout the move
Telephone system - Possible telephone interruptions March 25: 5:00pm - 7:00pm (24x7 service unaffected)
Special Support Request: Please defer upgrades on 25 March and 28 March if possible since resumption of computing and other services may be erratic during this period. We will accommodate critical customer needs during all normal support hours and will provide 24x7 SLA response times for Platinum and PlatinumPlus subscribers.
Note to vendors: Inside delivery is no longer required. The new facilities have several loading docks to accept large pallets of RFID tags and equipment deliveries. Receiving will be closed on Friday, 25 March.
If you anticipate any special needs for the period during the move please contact the department in advance using the current telephone numbers: 678-584-5911 or 800-216-8370.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
EnvisionWare Unveils Plans for New North American Headquarters
EnvisionWare, a leading provider of self service and library efficiency solutions, announced today that construction is under way on a new, larger, high tech headquarters facility.
The new facility, one block from the current location, provides expanded office space for the growing Company that provides advanced technology solutions to libraries around the world. In addition to more offices, the facility features a seventy-five seat auditorium that can accommodate large groups of users for training and other events, a large warehouse with multiple loading docks, climate controlled storage facilities for RFID tags and system staging and additional group meeting rooms.
At the heart of the building is a new Library of the Future. Mike Monk, Company Vice President said, “Our new library will feature the latest technology in use by libraries today as well as leading edge technologies for tomorrow. We are creating an environment for testing, learning and sharing. The facility will be a fully functional, RFID-enabled corporate library that will also serve as a public or academic environment where we can replicate the current and future plans of our customers. The facility will be ever ready to deliver an end-to-end self service and library efficiency experience for employees, customers and partners.” EnvisionWare is working with library vendors to create a showcase and with librarians and consultants to discover the direction libraries will take in the future.
This is the Company’s fourth move in a decade. Each move has represented a significant increase in space. This move more than doubles the size of the Company’s facilities. “This time we have built-in expansion room to accommodate future growth,” said Rob Walsh, President. “By securing more warehouse space than is necessary for us today, we have areas that can be easily converted to additional offices and work spaces. It has been difficult to plan for growth because we continue to exceed our goals. While we work continuously to operate more efficiently, we need sufficient office space to ensure that we remain responsive to all of our customers' needs.”
“Employees are anxious to have more workspace and all of us look forward to having new customer meeting spaces,” offered Scott Fothergill, Executive Director. “During my career at Columbus Metropolitan Library I worked as part of the management team to plan the relocation of several library branches as well as a new administration building. That background will help us minimize any downtime or interruption of services to our customers. We are using those experiences to create a customer-focused facility that inspires innovation, learning and outreach.”
EnvisionWare is the publisher of PC Reservation®, the world’s leading public computer management software, as well as systems for print and copy control, RFID library management, and financial control systems. Over 10,000 libraries around the world use EnvisionWare products.
For more information:
Michael J Monk
Vice President
800-216-8370 Ext 201
mmonk@envisionware.com
The new facility, one block from the current location, provides expanded office space for the growing Company that provides advanced technology solutions to libraries around the world. In addition to more offices, the facility features a seventy-five seat auditorium that can accommodate large groups of users for training and other events, a large warehouse with multiple loading docks, climate controlled storage facilities for RFID tags and system staging and additional group meeting rooms.
At the heart of the building is a new Library of the Future. Mike Monk, Company Vice President said, “Our new library will feature the latest technology in use by libraries today as well as leading edge technologies for tomorrow. We are creating an environment for testing, learning and sharing. The facility will be a fully functional, RFID-enabled corporate library that will also serve as a public or academic environment where we can replicate the current and future plans of our customers. The facility will be ever ready to deliver an end-to-end self service and library efficiency experience for employees, customers and partners.” EnvisionWare is working with library vendors to create a showcase and with librarians and consultants to discover the direction libraries will take in the future.
This is the Company’s fourth move in a decade. Each move has represented a significant increase in space. This move more than doubles the size of the Company’s facilities. “This time we have built-in expansion room to accommodate future growth,” said Rob Walsh, President. “By securing more warehouse space than is necessary for us today, we have areas that can be easily converted to additional offices and work spaces. It has been difficult to plan for growth because we continue to exceed our goals. While we work continuously to operate more efficiently, we need sufficient office space to ensure that we remain responsive to all of our customers' needs.”
“Employees are anxious to have more workspace and all of us look forward to having new customer meeting spaces,” offered Scott Fothergill, Executive Director. “During my career at Columbus Metropolitan Library I worked as part of the management team to plan the relocation of several library branches as well as a new administration building. That background will help us minimize any downtime or interruption of services to our customers. We are using those experiences to create a customer-focused facility that inspires innovation, learning and outreach.”
EnvisionWare is the publisher of PC Reservation®, the world’s leading public computer management software, as well as systems for print and copy control, RFID library management, and financial control systems. Over 10,000 libraries around the world use EnvisionWare products.
For more information:
Michael J Monk
Vice President
800-216-8370 Ext 201
mmonk@envisionware.com
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The EnvisionWare Decade
It is a little-known fact that decades and centuries begin with the number one, not zero. Think about it: when you count to ten, do you start with zero? For that matter, does anyone ever ask you to count from zero to nine?
I know what you’re thinking: “Okay, Man In The Purple Shirt, are you saying that when I was partying to the ubiquitous Prince song ‘1999’ on December 31st, 1999, I was not in fact saying goodbye to the 20th Century?”
That’s exactly what I’m saying. The real event came the following year. Did you miss it? Sorry…I’m just the messenger. Perhaps, though, it is some small consolation to know that we now stand poised at the turn of a new decade. And I’d like to capitalize on this momentous occasion by reflecting on how the library industry has changed in the last 10 years, and how EnvisionWare® has had a hand in all that. Scraping the cobwebs from my brain, I recall that the libraries of 2001 loaned out scrolls rather than books, were populated by bespectacled old ladies in long black dresses, and were powered by complex generators that used a hybrid of steam, coal, and a hamster running around on a treadmill.
…Welllll, not really. But when we contemplate the seismic shifts that have occurred in technology since 2001, my parody really isn’t that far off. Consider that in 2001 the preferred medium for viewing films at home was still videocassette, and that the most common method of accessing the internet (at least for home users) was dial-up. The inevitable introduction of networked computers to the library environment posed many questions for staff: Should anyone visiting the library be able to use a PC and access the internet, or just cardholders? Should there be time limits on usage? And how would these be enforced? What about printing? What if someone printed a 500-page PDF? Would they be required to pay for that print job, even if it was a mistake?
EnvisionWare was already there with the answers. In 2001, our LPT:One™ printing solution had been available for nearly three years, and PC Reservation® was spreading across the land like kudzu. The company rapidly expanded, adding solutions for online fines payment, self-service circulation, copier payment control, and printing via deposit account. Service centers opened around the country. In 2006, EnvisionWare seized the cutting edge and dove headfirst into the RFID/AMH market, bringing the concept of OPEN STANDARD RFID to the United States, and not too long after that, we partnered in the creation of EnvisionWare Pty Ltd in Adelaide, Australia, effectively broadening our global reach. Back at home, we began the deployment of the largest RFID/AMH library project in North America. Those are just a few highlights. Not bad, not bad at all.
What can we expect in the next decade? Well, I’m not going to give away any company secrets, but it seems fitting that we have gone “back to the future”—updating our classic PC Reservation® product to meet the demands of the new era. We also have a new version of EnvisionWare® eCommerce Services™ on deck that conforms to the most current PCI standards and, as RFID continues to sweep the land, we continue to innovate in that field. The key to the company’s success is no secret. As per our website:
“We make ‘software that works the way you want it to.’ Making incremental decisions and commitments with an eye on the longer term vision, the Company can turn on a dime and adapt to changing market conditions and new requirements from its customers. It is the Customer, not developers, that makes decisions about development.”
Suffice it to say, wherever libraries go, EnvisionWare goes. It’s an exciting ride.
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