Georgia's 250 PINES Libraries To Create an ILS Their Way.

This article looks at the development of a integrated library system by Georgia's Office of Public Library Services. Claiming that no integrated library system (ILS) meets its needs, the Public Information Network for Electronic Services (PINES) Consortium is developing its own. PINES includes 250 public libraries in 44 systems (out of Georgia's 58 library systems). It has over 1.3 million active users and includes nearly eight million items. "We're unique among consortia in that we are more centralized, with one single database on one server," explained Julie Walker, PINES systems administrator. "So we have more issues on all levels when looking for a solution." Walker reports that there are no products designed for a large consortia, nor were any vendors concentrating on this market in the near future. The goal is to have an alpha version of the cataloging, circulation, and OPAC modules by June 2005. "We'll take this to our members and the PINES executive committee for confirmation that we're headed in the right direction," Walker said. It is intended that all modules are live by the end of 2006.