Accelerating innovation and advancing services for libraries worldwide
Frequently Asked Questions
On December 5, 2019, Ex Libris, a ProQuest company, announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Innovative, a leading provider of library automation and discovery solutions.
Innovative’s products, which customers have been using and relying on for many years, will continue to be supported and enhanced.
General Information
About Ex Libris, a ProQuest company
Ex Libris, a ProQuest company, is a leading global provider of cloud-based solutions that enable academic institutions to create, manage, and share knowledge. In close collaboration with its customers, Ex Libris develops creative solutions that help institutions increase library productivity, maximize the impact of research activities, enhance teaching and learning, and drive student mobile engagement.
The company has offices in 12 countries and development centers in many locations around the world, serving more than 7,500 institutions in over 90 countries. Ex Libris provides a vast range of solutions for library management, discovery, resource sharing, research services, course resource lists, mobile campus engagement, and digital preservation. The solutions are built on the Ex Libris higher-ed cloud platform.
The Ex Libris cloud-based solutions are serviced through eight data centers in the United States, Canada, China, the Netherlands, Germany, Singapore, and Australia.
Ex Libris is part of ProQuest, a global industry leader that supports the important work taking place in the world’s research and learning communities.
Click here to learn more about Ex Libris.
About Innovative
Founded in 1978, Innovative has over 40 years of expertise in library automation and discovery software for public, academic, national, corporate, and special libraries. Innovative’s solutions create efficiencies that significantly reduce workloads, enabling librarians to focus on their most important responsibilities.
Innovative provides end-to-end software solutions, including integrated library management systems, resource sharing, discovery, digital asset management, and metadata management, serving thousands of libraries in 66 countries and offices worldwide.
To learn more about Innovative, see https://www.iii.com/.
What is the rationale behind this acquisition?
Libraries of all types are facing increased pressure to innovate and demonstrate value to their communities. In the era of cloud-based solutions, organizations that serve libraries must provide greater value realization to their customers. We are confident that the combination of Ex Libris and Innovative will lead to new and better choices for all customers. Bringing together the complementary resources and expertise of Ex Libris and Innovative will provide opportunities to accelerate existing and new initiatives in the areas of library management, discovery, teaching, learning, and research solutions, and will enable customers to unlock even greater value from their solutions.
By combining Innovative’s library domain experience in all types of libraries and the proven record of Ex Libris in innovation and the provision of robust cloud services, we will be able to enrich our solutions for academic, public, and specialty libraries.
Ex Libris is committed to continuing to offer, support, and enhance Innovative’s solutions for libraries, solutions that Innovative’s customers have relied on for many years.
Customers
How will this acquisition benefit Innovative customers?
As an Ex Libris business unit, Innovative becomes part of a cutting-edge company with the financial resources to invest in Innovative’s products, people, and a proven commitment to serving libraries’ changing needs. Together, we will continue to enhance Innovative’s products, extend its reach to new markets, and improve services for its customers.
Innovative’s customers will benefit from the robust Ex Libris cloud services and world-class support infrastructure, including local support staff in many countries.
How will this acquisition benefit Ex Libris customers?
Ex Libris customers will gain from Innovative’s decades of library domain experience, as well as from the greater combined resources that the acquisition will make available.
Innovative’s experience in library management, discovery, and resource sharing solutions complements the Ex Libris offering. Together, we will be able to increase investment and accelerate the development of solutions that help customers thrive in today’s changing library environment. For example, Ex Libris will be better able to serve consortium customers that have a mix of academic, special, and public libraries and to advance our recently announced resource sharing initiative.
At the same time, Ex Libris remains focused on the execution of its vision for academic institutions, with no change to our product roadmap plans. We will continue investing in connecting libraries to teaching, learning, and research through our broad range of higher-ed cloud solutions.
Ex Libris will keep building on its Alma® library services platform for academic libraries, as well as its range of library-led solutions for teaching, learning, and research support. The Alma roadmap will be enhanced with advanced features from Innovative’s vision.
Working together with our user community has always been a key part of our culture and our mutual success. We remain fully committed to continuing our close partnership with our user groups, to receive input and guidance as we move forward on this exciting path.
Organization and Management
How will Innovative be integrated into Ex Libris?
Innovative will become a business unit within Ex Libris, reporting to Ex Libris President Bar Veinstein. As part of Ex Libris, Innovative will continue to support and enhance its solutions and deliver innovation to the market. The combined organization will have the vision and resources to increase investment in cutting-edge services and accelerate the development of academic and public library solutions.
Will products or services change as a result of the acquisition?
No. Innovative customers will continue to benefit from the products and services that they know, trust, and have used for many years. Over time, we intend to enhance products and services, leveraging our joint assets and expertise.
When will the actual acquisition take place?
Ex Libris has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Innovative. The acquisition is expected to close in early 2020. In the interim, the two companies remain separate and will continue to operate exactly as they have been operating until now.
Business Continuity
Will Innovative user groups continue to operate?
Yes. Innovative has strong, active user groups that have been key contributors to its success over the years. Ex Libris and Innovative plan to continue this important partnership with user groups and customer communities.
Will there be any change to Innovative integrations with third-party products and services?
No. Ex Libris and Innovative share a common belief in openness and collaboration and remain committed to working with partners and vendors in the library and academic ecosystem, to the benefit of customers.
Ex Libris and Innovative solutions will continue to be integrated with a wide variety of tools and products in the library and academic domains. The solutions will continue to support industry standards, facilitate interoperability with other systems, and be integrated via open APIs. This approach will help universities choose the solutions that are right for them and avoid vendor lock-in.
Will the acquisition affect current service contracts, support, or upcoming renewals?
No. All agreements, as well as products and service offerings, will remain in effect without interruption.
Will there be a change in the location of the Innovative offices?
No change is anticipated in the location of Innovative offices worldwide. The Innovative offices will operate under the Ex Libris business unit. Innovative’s support and development centers will continue to operate from Emeryville, California; Syracuse, New York; Blacksburg, Virginia; Dublin, Ireland; Melbourne, Australia; and Selangor, Malaysia.
Should Innovative customers continue to use the same tools to open support cases?
Yes. Innovative customers will continue to use the same systems to open and track their support cases.
Will there be any changes in contact people at Innovative?
Customers should continue to communicate with their current contact people for support and professional services and use the same support processes and tools as you have up to now.