SIRSI: History and “vizion” of an integrated information systems vendor
| Pages | 35-57 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb047936 |
| Published date | 01 April 1994 |
| Date | 01 April 1994 |
| Author | Jacky Young,Debbie Collins,Kerry Keel |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
SIRSI:
HISTORY AND "VIZION" OF AN INTEGRATED
INFORMATION SYSTEMS VENDOR
Jacky Young, with Debbie Collins and Kerry Keel
with sidebars by Russell Fries, Diane Hudson,
Sylvia FitzGerald, John Flanagan, Karen Drake,
Rene Jordan, Lydia Bivens, Elizabeth Polk, and Darlene Morris
Unicorn and STILAS are multiuser client/server
systems developed in and for the Unix environ-
ment to automate all aspects of information
management, from cataloging and authority
control to intelligent access of non-SIRSI data-
bases.
In keeping with the client/server concept,
SIRSI has introduced a graphical user interface
(GUI) to Unicorn and STILAS. The SIRSI
system provides a path to information both
inside and outside the library. SIRSI provides a
standard interface, an "Intelligent Interface"
client to diverse database systems and other
vendors' library automation systems. SIRSI's
Reference Database Managers provide an intelli-
gent connection to locally mounted reference
databases. SIRSI's VIZION, a stand-alone
desktop client, provides an automatic graphical
user interface to hundreds of online sources of
information and services available through the
Internet and via modem. Furthermore, SIRSI
has recently introduced WebCat, which facili-
tates mounting and access to the complete cata-
logs and other services of libraries over the
Internet's World Wide Web.
INTRODUCTION
SIRSI Corporation was founded in 1979 by Mike
Murdock, Jacky Young, and Jim Young. All three
founders still play a major role in the company today:
Mike Murdock is chief technical officer, Jacky Young
is chief operating officer, and Jim Young is SIRSI's
chief software designer and CEO.
The founders met at the Georgia Institute of
Technology, and later worked together in Huntsville,
Alabama, home of SIRSI's headquarters. With strong
backgrounds in software design and development and
library information management, the founders originally
intended to provide technical consultation services in
library automation and information management.
However, a year spent examining available library
automation products brought them the realization that
much had yet to be accomplished, and forced the young
company to reconsider its focus.
In the early 1980s, automation in libraries took
the form of separate systems that automated specific
areas of library work, such as cataloging or serials.
Library automation systems ran on proprietary comput-
ers,
specific to only one manufacturer. These computers
were mainframes and minicomputers, which only the
largest libraries could afford to buy and maintain. The
systems themselves were unreliable, costly, inflexible,
and inconvenient.
SIRSI Corporation's new focus produced a vision
of an "ideal" information automation system. The ideal
system:
Young is a SIRSI founder and vice president,
Collins
is in human services, and Keel is in written communica-
tions,
SIRSI Corporation, Huntsville, Alabama.
-SIRSI- ISSUE 48 —11:4(1994) 35
• could perform all library functions, while retaining
common databases and a common user interface;
in other words, it would be an integrated system;
• did not require proprietary hardware or a propri-
etary operating system; it would be an open
system;
• worked intuitively, with consistent user and
systems interfaces, using the same command
language for all work areas; it would be a friendly
client/server system;
• worked well for a wide variety of libraries by
parameterization without programming; it would
be a flexible system; and
• did not require a mainframe or a minicomputer,
but could just as easily run on emerging super-
micro and, later, RISC-based systems; it would
be an affordable system.
In 1981, the founders began development of their
ideal system, with one firm promise of a future
customer, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Price
Gilbert Memorial Library, which participated in writing
functional specifications. The founders supported the
company with software consulting projects while
development took place. The ideal was realized in
SIRSI's Unicorn and STILAS Information Automation
Systems, which embody all of the above design
principles.
The Price Gilbert Memorial Library indeed
became SIRSI's first customer. Unwilling to begin
marketing before development was complete, only after
the system was successfully installed at Georgia Tech
did SIRSI embark on the challenging mission to gain
acceptance for the open systems concept in the tradi-
tional proprietary systems environment. By this time,
1983,
supermicros, the forerunners of today's RISC-
based systems, had become available. SIRSI's sales
demonstrations were a testament to the company's
belief in the new technology, since a Zilog/EXXON
supermicro was taken to every demonstration site and
set up for the demonstration. Today, we associate small
size and powerful computer resources quite naturally.
In 1983, it was hard for SIRSI to convince a market
accustomed to minis and mainframes that a waist-high
computer could do the job of the older technology—and
more. However, by 1984, there were enough early
believers in SIRSI's new concept in automated library
systems to allow the company to completely discontinue
other software consulting efforts, and devote itself
exclusively to information automation, a focus the
company retains.
SIDEBAR
1: SIRSI
TIME
LINE
1982 1st client/server system
1st Unix-based system
Multiformat bibliographic database
Cataloging
Circulation
Term catalog
Academic Reserves Module
MARC record import/export
Receipt printers
Question & Answer parameterization
1983 Unicorn available as turnkey system
Online OCLC Interface (Datatap)
1984 Report Module
Online Marcive Interface
1985 Integrated Acquisitions Module
Integrated Serials Control Module
Unicorner
newsletter established
1986 Complete full-text catalog
OPAC dial-in/dial-out
CD-ROM interface
1987 RIM—simultaneous database searching;
information upload and download
COSATI and CENDI data format
supported
Electronic Bulletin Board
1988 RIM—Intelligent Interfaces
Authority Control Module
MARC authority import/export
STILAS released
1989 Color workstation
Hand-held workstation
Satellite systems
Button EPAC
Hypertext searching
1990 SIRSI Limited (England) established
Intelligent Reference Database Managers
1991 International SIRSI Users Group founded
SICI checkin
Unicorn/STILAS Version 4.7
1992 Unicorn/STILAS Version 5.0
1993 Accountability Module
Request Module
Internet Navigator
SIRSI Canada established
Unicorn/STILAS Version 6.0
Z39.50 server
1994 GUI client for all modules
Z39.50 server delivered to all customers
Z39.50 Intelligent client
Z39.50 Windowing Client
X12 Support development
VIZION
Imaging/Archiving System development
SIRSI Australia established
36 LIBRARY HI TECH —
JACKY
YOUNG/OTHERS —
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