Michigan eLibrary Hits One Million Requests In 2010
The Michigan eLibrary announced last week that its online catalog, MeLCat, reached a new milestone in 2010 by handling more than one million user requests in a single calendar year.
MeLCat allows users to order from more than 43 million items in the online catalog ranging from books, audio books, music, movies and more and have them delivered to participating libraries.
MeLCat uses the INN-Reach one-touch fulfillment system from the Emeryville, Calif.-based library technology provider Innovative Interfaces Inc.
Said Tom Jacobson, director of North American strategic accounts for Innovative Interfaces: "We are very proud of our success with the Library of Michigan in reaching this milestone. The ability for INN-Reach to scale along with MeLCat's phenomenal growth underscores the architecture and philosophy that are key to INN-Reach. We look forward to continued success with our Michigan partners."
Since going live in 2005, the Michigan eLibrary has grown to over 400 libraries with new libraries continuing to join.
INN-Reach allows MeL to connect its disparate members and their various library systems into a state-wide resource sharing network by providing libraries with real-time, patron-initiated requesting and the ability to stream-line resource sharing between libraries of all types and sizes.
"Our world is driven more and more by online services and applications," said state superintendent of public instruction Mike Flanagan. "MeLCat is responding to this shift as an extraordinary resource for Michigan residents."
The Michigan eLibrary (http://mel.org) is a long standing project of the Library of Michigan, an agency of the Michigan Department of Education. MeL is supported by federal Library Services and Technology Act funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, enhancing library service to all residents of the state. The Library of Michigan contracts with the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services and partners with a number of Michigan organizations and institutions to provide the MeL service. MeL provides all Michigan residents with no cost access to online full-text articles, full-text books, digital images, and other valuable research information at any time via the Internet; and provides an easy-to-use interlibrary loan system to allow Michigan residents to borrow books and other library materials for free from participating Michigan libraries.
More about Innovative Interfaces at www.iii.com.
