Last week the Bibliotheca Group announced they have acquired the 3M Cloud Library. Many libraries were wondering how this would affect them and what would change going forward. Today, at the Frannkfurt Book Fair, Bibliotheca outlined their strategy going forward.
Important for existing customers and new prospects alike is that the Cloud Library will now become the primary digital product from Bibliotheca. The unique features of the opus platform (previously only available in the UK) will be incorporated into the Cloud Library product to create an all-encompassing digital experience for library users. The vision for Cloud Library is to create a fully integrated patron experience combining innovative mobile apps, unique touch points inside the library, and deep integrations with third parties to ensure patrons are fully engaged with all of the services their library offers.
“We are delighted to announce today that Cloud Library will become the focus of our digital strategy moving forward. Bibliotheca has invested heavily in the opus™ platform over the last 18 months, but Cloud Library is the right choice for our customers moving forward,” said Andy Chadbourne, president of Global Marketing. “The unique features that we had built into opus™ will now be ported directly into the Cloud Library, allowing us to focus on a single digital product line to provide powerful, meaningful integrations between self-service kiosks and digital content – ultimately creating a seamless and enriched patron experience.”
“Although it’s only a few days following the acquisition announcement, we’re excited to show our customers our commitment to continuing with the development of the Cloud Library,” said Matt Tempelis, who joins Bibliotheca in an executive leadership role and previously served as 3M Library Systems business leader. “Cloud Library remains the platform that will uniquely connect with patrons at home, at the library and on the go.”
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
