12:59 p.m., Oct. 19, 2009----Three librarians from the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) recently visited the University of Delaware Library to learn about the library's successful implementation of the Ex Libris ALEPH 500 integrated library system for acquisitions.

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Joseph C. McClane, manager of GPO content acquisitions, Linda Resler, manager of GPO library technical services support, and Linda Nainis of GPO acquisitions met with Jan Siar, head of the UD Library's Acquisitions Department, John Stevenson, associate librarian in the Acquisitions Department, and other Library staff to explore how Ex Libris ALEPH 500 supports acquisitions functions in an academic research library setting.

GPO administers the Federal Depository Library Program in which the University of Delaware Library has been a Congressionally-designated federal depository library since 1897.

GPO staff wanted to use the Ex Libris ALEPH 500 for acquisitions to replace their mainframe-based legacy system that had been in place for years for the acquisition and distribution of items for depository libraries. GPO staff looked to the University of Delaware Library because Ex Libris ALEPH 500, the software that underlies DELCAT, the online catalog of the University of Delaware Library, was implemented at the library in July, 2002, and library staff have developed considerable expertise in exploiting the capabilities of the system.

“The challenges that GPO faces in adapting an integrated library system for our unique operations are daunting,” McClane said. “Your staff's expertise in both the ALEPH system and Government documents, plus John Stevenson's knowledge of the internal operations of GPO, make the University of Delaware Library staff the most useful mentors for GPO in its implementation for acquisitions and serials. We were especially impressed with the depth of their knowledge and their willingness to share their expertise with us.”

Acquisitions Department staff members who also participated in the sessions were Jeffrey Boys, Glenn Ferrell, Maggie Ferris, Joan Parker, and Marie Seymour-Green.