NEWS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE               DATE: 08/11/06 CONTACT : LESLIE SCHALER, COMMUNICATIONS ASST., (413) 545-0162 NEW LIBRARY CATALOG TO DEBUT THE WEEK OF AUGUST 28 Amherst, MA – A new Five College Library Catalog will debut the week of August 28, 2006, providing improved access to the millions of resources at the UMass Amherst Libraries and those of the Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith College Libraries. After a detailed market review, the libraries chose ALEPH® by Ex Libris to replace Innopac by Innovative Interfaces, the existing library software system.  The software will make searching for information easier.  For example, it will permit online searching of all libraries simultaneously, foreign language searches, focusing searches on specific research areas, and limiting searches to a particular collection or format (i.e. book, CD, journal, etc.).  It will now be possible for users to set up personal accounts to receive email notifications of new arrivals in designated subject areas, and to review personal searches and borrowing histories.  As part of the transition, the Five-college request function and self- renewal features will be temporarily suspended from August 19 until the week of August 28, 2006 and the virtual catalog request function has been suspended through January 2007. Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery will continue to operate normally and users can continue to submit requests.  “There should be little to no disruption in service,” said Leslie Horner Button, Associate Director for Collection Services.  “There will only be a brief hiatus while we switch from Innopac to ALEPH for about 24 hours and that will be on the weekend.” ALEPH was created by a team of librarians, systems analysts, and programmers to provide an automated library system that was efficient, user-friendly, and multilingual. Ex Libris is a leading worldwide developer and provider of high-performance applications for the world’s leading libraries, including four of the five largest.  With the largest global presence in its market, it has installations in 62 countries.  These include 70 of the top 100 universities worldwide and 45 of the top 50 universities in North America.  Other libraries using the ALEPH software include Harvard, Duke University, MIT, State University of New York (SUNY), University of California at Santa Barbara, University of Maryland, University of Notre Dame, and many others. For more information contact Leslie Horner Button at button@library.umass.edu or 545-6845.