Newly-Released Endeavor Meridian Already in Various Stages of Implementation at 16 Libraries.

DES PLAINES, Ill. -- Major University Libraries, Global Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Leader Will Use Endeavor Meridian to Reduce Administrative Burdens, More Easily Control Electronic Collections

Endeavor Information Systems, the leading provider of library management software, is pleased to announce that 16 libraries are currently in the process of implementing Endeavor Meridian, the electronic resource management system which entered general release on June 1st. Furthermore, two libraries - Princeton University and the London School of Economics - are currently in production mode.

The Endeavor Meridian database is a single, cost-effective means to view and control a library's electronic collections, thus reducing staff effort traditionally required to manage, deliver and analyze e-content while providing improved service to patrons.

In addition to being purchased by a leading global pharmaceutical manufacturer to support growing corporate library needs, Endeavor Meridian also has been purchased by a variety of leading educational institutions, some of which include:

--The University of British Columbia Library, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

--Ithaca College Library, Ithaca College, Ithaca, N.Y.

--Kansas State University Libraries, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Ka.

--Library and Learning Resources, University of the Arts London, Eng.

--Monash University Library, Monash University, Victoria, Aust.

--Z. Smith Reynolds Library, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, N.C.

--Syracuse University Library, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.

--Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans, La.

Simon Huggard, systems manager within Monash University's Information Systems Division, said his library "will look to Endeavor Meridian's license and subscription management functionality and its vendor contact database to help us bring together all of the details we require to manage the library's vast array of electronic information, which currently covers over 90,000 e-books, over 40,000 ejournals, and over 650 electronic databases."

At the Ithaca College Library, Jennifer Hoover, Library Systems Technology Specialist, said Meridian "was purchased to facilitate the management and delivery of our growing electronic resource collections." And in an earlier statement, Lewis Cartee, head of the Tulane University Library Systems Department, had noted that Endeavor Meridian "will be intuitive for staff, thanks to the user-centered design of the product and the usability testing done by Endeavor."

Kathryn Harnish, Meridian product manager at Endeavor, said today's announcement of Meridian purchasers "demonstrates how libraries are eager to embrace software that reduces the chaos associated with e-content management. What is especially appealing to libraries is that fact that it was designed, tested and delivered into meet the real world needs of the modern library. We are pleased that this group of buyers has seen how Meridian provides total control over all aspects of the e-resource lifecycle."

Harnish also added that Endeavor Meridian:

--Enables library's to more effectively manage their growing electronic resources by supporting the complex relationships between resources, packages through which they are acquired, and the licenses that govern their use.

--Provides staff throughout the library with easy access to the information they need in order to manage their electronic resources, from initial trial evaluations through selection, license negotiation and access management.

--Dynamically integrates with Endeavor's Voyager ILS to present bibliographic, holdings and acquisitions data often critical to e-resource management.

--Improves a library's ability to support of a wide range of patron activities and needs, while giving enabling staff greater control over electronic resources which boosts their productivity and efficiency.

About Endeavor Meridian

Endeavor Meridian is an enterprise-level system that provides a single, cost-effective database for information about a library's electronic resources. Meridian reduces the staff effort traditionally required to manage, deliver and analyze e-content while providing improved service to information consumers. Meridian dynamically integrates with Voyager and Cognos ReportNet to create a unified solution that is cost-effective and practical for any research library with active, growing electronic resource collections.

Endeavor Information Systems

Endeavor Information Systems, based in Des Plaines, IL, produces advanced library management systems for research and public librarians seeking to integrate ever-increasing electronic resources within their collections. Since 1994, Endeavor has pioneered library management systems by offering enhanced functionality coupled with intuitive interfaces that increase usability and efficiency. Its heritage of technological innovation and service to libraries as well as its significant financial strength as a wholly owned subsidiary of Elsevier combine to make Endeavor Information Systems an industry leader. Visit Endeavor at www.endinfosys.com for more information about Endeavor Meridian, Voyager, ENCompass or LinkFinderPlus.