FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Elizabeth Kelley
Marketing Communications Manager
Auto-Graphics, Inc.
430 Vineyard Ave., Ste. 100
Ontario, CA 91764
909-569-1544
eak@auto-graphics.com
Auto-Graphics’ Continues Growth in Mid-Tier Public Library Market
The Auto-Graphics’ VERSO® ILS era begins in La Porte County, Indiana
ONTARIO, Calif. — June 5, 2015 — Auto-Graphics, Inc., a leading provider of tools, technologies, and software developed to power libraries, and La Porte County Public Library, proudly announce the selection of Auto-Graphics’ VERSO®, as the new Integrated Library System.
Fonda Owens, Director of La Porte County Public Library, is anxious to use the software. “For the first time, we are able to add school libraries to the database. This is tremendously exciting. We think this will be a great collaboration for the public library and school systems in our community.”
After a competitive RFP process, Auto-Graphics was selected by La Porte County Public Library as the vendor of choice with their latest iteration of ILS software. VERSO is a leading edge ILS software designed to help libraries manage their resources while enhancing information discovery and improving staff work‑flow and service delivery. VERSO is intended for library systems ranging in size from a single branch library up to diverse and complex multi-branch locations such as La Porte.
“The primary reason we chose VERSO is the user friendly interface for our customers. VERSO has features that many of our customers have been asking for, which is the ability to keep their reading history on their accounts, pre-overdue notices, weekly account status updates, the ability to keep custom lists on my account, etc” said Ms. Owens, who is “impressed” with the way that Auto-Graphics integrated 3rd party products. She went on to say that, “Auto-Graphics integration of Overdrive into the catalog, which allows our customers one-click downloading of e-materials, was a huge deciding factor for us and the way A-G integrated Zinio was another bonus in our decision process.”
VERSO is delivered via the Cloud in a hosted Software as a Service (SaaS) delivery model to assist in cost control or address budget or staffing constraints. All system upgrades are provided at no additional cost. Auto-Graphics was the first ILS vendor to utilize the SaaS deployment and installation with a WEB based staff module. With the web based application, all upgrades and fixes or enhancements are immediately available to all users. There is no client software to load and maintain, freeing up valuable IT or technical staff to support additional projects for the library.
Albert Flores, V.P. of Sales at Auto-Graphics is thrilled with La Porte’s decision and selection of VERSO. “La Porte Public continues our expansion into the multi-branch public library market segment. A-G is pleased VERSO was selected as we feel it reflects on our continued effort to provide large public libraries cost effective ILS services using our SaaS model. Further, our continued leadership in the 3rd party ILS market will provide La Porte with truly patron centric services from home or in the library.”
About La Porte County Public Library
La Porte County Public Library is the center of community life with a focus on reading, lifelong learning and public involvement. With eight locations, an average circulation of nearly 800,000 items and approximately 43,000 borrowers the Library exceeds their community’s needs and expectations through innovative services and partnerships. They are known for exceptional customer service. Their locations, both physical and virtual, are centers of excellence, serving as gathering places, and providing high quality materials. The Library recognizes the diversity of the community, and creates an accessible, friendly environment for all. They support initiatives and efforts that positively impact the quality of life for all people in La Porte County.
About Auto-Graphics, Inc.
Auto-Graphics is the only publicly-traded library software vendor to provide software solutions along with full financial transparency. The company’s nearly seven (7) decades of providing solutions to the markets it serves reflects how well Auto-Graphics has listened to their customer base and stayed abreast of new technologies, continuously reinventing their products and services to help libraries of all sizes become more efficient and patron-centric. The Auto-Graphics browser-based Library Management Platform for patrons and staff – currently used by more than 11,000 libraries in North America – is comprised of SHAREit®, a Web-based resource sharing solution providing patron-initiated sharing, circulation-based interlibrary loan (ILL) using NCIP and consortial borrowing solutions; VERSO®, an integrated public library system (ILS); SEARCHit®, a federated search and discovery module; SLIMS™, a small library information management system, and MONTAGEdc®, a digital asset management (DAM) solution. All products are fully Web and cloud-based products which are compliant with ISO and NISO standards, and are available via a Software as a Service (SaaS) subscription. For more information, please visit please visit www.auto-graphics.com, Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter. Auto-Graphics trades under the stock symbol AIFS.
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© Auto-Graphics, Inc. All rights reserved.
VERSO®, SHAREit®, SEARCHit®, MONTAGEdc®, & SLIMS™ are trademarks of Auto-Graphics, Inc and part of their AGent Library Platform.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
President
Customer Service Manager
Product Manager – VERSO
Product Manager, SHAREit
Chief Technology Officer
Chief Operations Officer
Mr. Hicks, CPA, has been a director since February 2012. Mr. Hicks is Chairman of the Audit Committee. Mr. Hicks has been a practicing certified public accountant for over twenty-five years in addition to partnering and managing both an underground construction company and real estate development business. Currently, Mr. Hicks is a founder and senior partner of Hicks & Williams, LLP a certified public accounting firm providing tax, audit and management consulting services to small and medium size clients across the nation.
Vice President of Sales
Mr. Heath has been a director since December 2012. Mr. Heath immigrated to California from Canada during the Internet commerce boom in 1999. Mr. Heath was formerly Vice President, Secondary Markets at Best Buy (2008-2010) and founded Dealtree.com in 1999, where he was CTO & COO from (2001-2010). Mr. Heath has developed expert system technologies for managing online sales channels and created several online marketplaces supporting secondary market sales. Mr. Heath is an Internet technology and business operations consultant and serves as President of Heath Investment Properties LLC. Mr. Heath is an active member of Rotary, and currently serves a Technology Director for District 5320 in Southern California.
Dr. Murphy has been a director since December 2012. He has over 20 years experience as a successful software executive specializing in high-growth SaaS companies. He currently is CEO of GVNG Technology and Practitioner of Strategy at the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School. Dr. Murphy is an active member on the board of directors for several early-stage and private equity owned companies. He received his MBA from Pepperdine University and his Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from the Alliance Manchester Business School at The University of Manchester.
Ken Kerr has been a director since April 2020. During his career, he served in a variety of leadership positions in sales, marketing, and operations with companies in startup, turnaround, and expansion. Most recently he was CEO/CFO of Advisys, Inc., a SaaS company providing financial planning solutions to Fortune 100 banks, brokerages and insurance companies, and thousands of independent financial advisers. He retired from Advisys in 2018 and now consults with businesses to improve profits and productivity through effective employee engagement strategies. Ken graduated Cum Laude from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and has an MBA with an emphasis in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix.
Director of Customer Service and Quality Assurance
Controller
Product Manager, SHAREit – Customer Services
Product Manager, VERSO – Technical Services
Director of Information Technology