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,[1] with customers in 66 countries.[2] Innovative was acquired by ProQuest in January 2020.[3]

Innovative Interfaces, Inc
TypePrivate
IndustrySoftware
Founded1978 (Berkeley, California)
FoundersJerry Kline, Steve Silberstein
HeadquartersEmeryville, California, USA
Key people
Yariv Kursh, General Manager
ProductsLibrary automation software
Websitewww.iii.com

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),[4] Polaris at 1339 (with 2808 facilities),[5] Millennium at 1316 (with 2640 facilities),[4] and Virtua at 224 (with 490 facilities).[6]

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.[7] Huntsman Gay Global Capital and JMI Equity invested in the company in 2012,[8] the same year Kim Massana, formerly president of Thomson Reuters Elite, was appointed CEO.[9] The equity firms purchased the company outright the next year.[10] 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),[11][12] Polaris Library Systems,[13] and VTLS Inc.[14] Bert Winemiller took over as CEO for a brief period in 2015[15] before the company named James Tallman as their new CEO in January 2016.[16] During May 2019, Shaheen Javadizadeh was appointed CEO, and Jim Tallman was appointed to the role of Executive Chairman.[17] In December 2019, Innovative was acquired by Ex Libris.[18] When acquired by ProQuest/Ex Libris, Yariv Kursh was named General Manager.[19]

Vega Platform

In April 2019, Innovative launched a new platform Inspire.[20] The first product on this platform was Discovery.[21] 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

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
  1. "Innovative Interfaces - Our Products". Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  2. "Innovative Acquires VTLS and Now Serves Libraries in 66 Countries". Innovative Interfaces website. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  3. "Ex Libris Completes the Acquisition of Innovative". Innovative website. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  4. "Innovative Interfaces, Inc. company profile". Library Technology Guides. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  5. "Polaris company profile". Library Technology Guides. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  6. "VTLS company profile". Library Technology Guides. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  7. "Celebrating its silver anniversary, Innovative Interfaces, Inc. is both elder and edgy". Library Journal. 1 September 2004. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  8. "Two Equity Firms Make Investment in Innovative Interfaces No Management Changes". Library Journal. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  9. "Innovative Interfaces Names Kim Massana CEO". Library Journal. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  10. "Innovative Interfaces Founder Sells Remaining Interest in Company to Private Equity". Library Journal. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  11. "IIIs New CEO Calls for Greater Collaboration/". Library Journal. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  12. "Innovative Interfaces, Bibliotheca Announce Strategic Partnership". Library Journal. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  13. Enis, Matt. "Innovative Acquires Polaris Library Systems". The Digital Shift. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  14. Enis, Matt. "Innovative Acquires VTLS". The Digital Shift. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  15. "Kim Massana No Longer CEO at Innovative Interfaces". infoDOCKET. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  16. Price, Gary. "Innovative Names James Tallman New Chief Executive Officer". LJ INFOdocket. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  17. "Innovative Appoints Shaheen Javadizadeh as CEO". Innovative Interfaces Inc. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  18. "Ex Libris Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Innovative". Innovative Interfaces Inc. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  19. "A Note from the New Innovative General Manager". Innovative website. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  20. "Innovative Launches Inspire™ Discovery for Academic Libraries". Innovative Interfaces Inc. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  21. "Innovative Inspire Discovery | iii.com". Innovative Interfaces Inc. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  22. "Innovative Inspire Discovery | iii.com". Innovative Interfaces Inc. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  23. "Innovative Announces Vega Discover Release | iii.com". Innovative Interfaces Inc.
  24. "IUG history". IUG. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
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