Automation System Marketplace published by Library Journal

In a year when a difficult economy presented fewer opportunities for immediate gains, the major industry players have defined their business strategies with fundamentally different concepts of library automation. This is no longer an industry where companies compete on the basis of the best or the most features in similar products but one where companies distinguish themselves through products and services that define different futures for their library customers.New models of automation are beginning to take shape, challenging the traditional integrated library system (ILS) in an industry that has long favored incremental evolution. Some new products and projects remain poised to break free from traditional models, particularly discovery products that can deliver immediate improvement to library users.