Innovative Interfaces
Innovative Interfaces, Inc. (abbreviated III and called "Innovative" or "Triple I" in the industry) is a software company specializing in integrated systems for library management. Their key products include Sierra, Polaris, Millennium, and Virtua, with customers in 66 countries. Innovative was acquired by Ex Libris (a ProQuest company) in January 2020. On December 1, 2021, Clarivate completed their acquisition of ProQuest and, by extension, Innovative. The company's software is used by various types of libraries including academic, public, school, medical, law, and special libraries as well as consortia. In September 2014 Sierra was installed at 1494 libraries (with 3435 facilities), Polaris at 1339 (with 2808 facilities), Millennium at 1316 (with 2640 facilities), and Virtua at 224 (with 490 facilities). Founded in 1978 by Jerry Kline and Steve Silberstein in Berkeley, California, the initial product was a system to interface OCLC data with a library's cataloging system. Huntsman Gay Global Capital and JMI Equity invested in the company in 2012, the same year Kim Massana, formerly president of Thomson Reuters Elite, was appointed CEO. The equity firms purchased the company outright the next year. The company also made several acquisitions within the next two years: SkyRiver Technology Solutions (which maintains partnerships with 3M, EBSCO Information Services, OverDrive, Inc., and Bibliotheca), Polaris Library Systems, and VTLS Inc. Bert Winemiller took over as CEO for a brief period in 2015 before the company named James Tallman as their new CEO in January 2016. During May 2019, Shaheen Javadizadeh was appointed CEO, and Jim Tallman was appointed to the role of executive chairman. In December 2019, Innovative was acquired by Ex Libris. When acquired by ProQuest/Ex Libris, Yariv Kursh was named general manager.
 | |
 Innovative Interfaces headquarters in Emeryville | |
Company type | Private; subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software |
| Founded | 1978 (Berkeley, California) |
| Founders | Jerry Kline, Steve Silberstein |
| Fate | acquired by the Ex Libris Group within ProQuest (Jan. 2020), which was acquired by Clarivate in the following year (Dec. 1 2021) |
| Headquarters | Emeryville, California, U.S. |
Key people | Yariv Kursh, General Manager |
| Products | Library automation software |
| Owner | Clarivate |
| Website | www.iii.com |
Innovative Interfaces, Inc. (abbreviated III and called "Innovative" or "Triple I" in the industry) is a software company specializing in integrated systems for library management. Their key products include Sierra, Polaris, Millennium, and Virtua,[1] with customers in 66 countries.[2] Innovative was acquired by Ex Libris (a ProQuest company) in January 2020.[3] On December 1, 2021, Clarivate completed their acquisition of ProQuest and, by extension, Innovative.[4]
The company's software is used by various types of libraries including academic, public, school, medical, law, and special libraries as well as consortia. In September 2014 Sierra was installed at 1494 libraries (with 3435 facilities),[5] Polaris at 1339 (with 2808 facilities),[6] Millennium at 1316 (with 2640 facilities),[5] and Virtua at 224 (with 490 facilities).[7]
Founded in 1978 by Jerry Kline and Steve Silberstein in Berkeley, California, the initial product was a system to interface OCLC data with a library's cataloging system.[8] Huntsman Gay Global Capital and JMI Equity invested in the company in 2012,[9] the same year Kim Massana, formerly president of Thomson Reuters Elite, was appointed CEO.[10] The equity firms purchased the company outright the next year.[11] The company also made several acquisitions within the next two years: SkyRiver Technology Solutions (which maintains partnerships with 3M, EBSCO Information Services, OverDrive, Inc., and Bibliotheca),[12][13] Polaris Library Systems,[14] and VTLS Inc.[15] Bert Winemiller took over as CEO for a brief period in 2015[16] before the company named James Tallman as their new CEO in January 2016.[17] During May 2019, Shaheen Javadizadeh was appointed CEO, and Jim Tallman was appointed to the role of executive chairman.[18] In December 2019, Innovative was acquired by Ex Libris.[19] When acquired by ProQuest/Ex Libris, Yariv Kursh was named general manager.[20]
Vega Platform
[edit]In April 2019, Innovative launched a new platform Inspire.[21] The first product on this platform was Discovery.[22] It was architected on a cloud-based platform. MARC records are converted to the BIBFRAME model which are made searchable in a proprietary Context Engine. Search results were then shown in a Context Wheel that represents the relationships between resources, people, and concepts.[22] Later the platform was renamed to Vega and made publicly available in December 2020.[23]
Innovative Users Group
[edit]Formed in 1991 as an independent organization, the Innovative Users Group serves the libraries that use the company's software. The Innovative Users Group organizes an annual conference, organizes ballots for user-submitted enhancements, and maintains the IUG Clearinghouse for users to share tutorials, scripts, guides, and other resources created to better use the software.[24]
References
[edit]- ^ "Innovative Interfaces - Our Products". Retrieved September 18, 2014.
- ^ "Innovative Acquires VTLS and Now Serves Libraries in 66 Countries". Innovative Interfaces website. Archived from the original on April 7, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
- ^ "Ex Libris Completes the Acquisition of Innovative". Innovative website. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ "Clarivate completes acquisition of ProQuest". ProQuest website. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ a b "Innovative Interfaces, Inc. company profile". Library Technology Guides. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
- ^ "Polaris company profile". Library Technology Guides. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
- ^ "VTLS company profile". Library Technology Guides. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
- ^ "Celebrating its silver anniversary, Innovative Interfaces, Inc. is both elder and edgy". Library Journal. 1 September 2004. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
- ^ "Two Equity Firms Make Investment in Innovative Interfaces No Management Changes". Library Journal. Archived from the original on April 7, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
- ^ "Innovative Interfaces Names Kim Massana CEO". Library Journal. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
- ^ "IIIs New CEO Calls for Greater Collaboration/". Library Journal. Archived from the original on August 20, 2014. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
- ^ "Innovative Interfaces, Bibliotheca Announce Strategic Partnership". Library Journal. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
- ^ Enis, Matt. "Innovative Acquires Polaris Library Systems". The Digital Shift. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
- ^ Enis, Matt. "Innovative Acquires VTLS". The Digital Shift. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
- ^ "Kim Massana No Longer CEO at Innovative Interfaces". infoDOCKET. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- ^ Price, Gary. "Innovative Names James Tallman New Chief Executive Officer". LJ INFOdocket. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
- ^ "Innovative Appoints Shaheen Javadizadeh as CEO". Innovative Interfaces Inc. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
- ^ "Ex Libris Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Innovative". Innovative Interfaces Inc. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
- ^ "A Note from the New Innovative General Manager". Innovative website. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ "Innovative Launches Inspire™ Discovery for Academic Libraries". Innovative Interfaces Inc. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
- ^ a b "Innovative Inspire Discovery | iii.com". Innovative Interfaces Inc. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
- ^ "Innovative Announces Vega Discover Release | iii.com". Innovative Interfaces Inc.
- ^ "IUG history". IUG. Archived from the original on February 22, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
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External links
[edit]- Innovative Interfaces, Inc. Home Page
- Home Page of the Innovative Users Group, an independent organization of users of the Innovative software
- List of current Encore libraries
- “Automation Marketplace 2013: The Rush to Innovate.” Library Journal. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
- “Automation Marketplace 2012: Agents of Change.” Library Journal. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
- “Investing in The Future: Automation Marketplace 2009.” Library Journal Retrieved September 21, 2011.
- “Automation System Marketplace 2008: Opportunity Out of Turmoil.” Library Journal Retrieved September 21, 2011.
