AUTO-GRAPHICS LAUNCHES THE NEXT GENERATION OF AGENT VERSO Public libraries benefit from full-featured ILS system

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:

Mona Klausing
Blue Mine Group for Auto-Graphics, Inc.
(858) 792-2633 ext. 107
mklausing@blueminegroup.com

Kim Freeman
Blue Mine Group for Auto-Graphics, Inc.
(858) 792-2633 ext. 112
kfreeman@blueminegroup.com



AUTO-GRAPHICS LAUNCHES THE NEXT GENERATION OF AGENT VERSOTM
Public libraries benefit from full-featured ILS system

POMONA, CA. — Auto-Graphics, Inc. (AUGR.PK), a pioneer and leading provider of customized information management solutions for the library market for over 45 years, today announced the launch of the latest version of AGent VERSOTM a complete integrated library system (ILS), which it will showcase at next week’s 2006 ALA Midwinter Meeting in San Antonio, TX (Booth #448). Interacting seamlessly with all modules in the AGentTM platform, AGent VERSO significantly expands patron service offerings to libraries and provides a fully integrated federated search portal, digital collections, and interlibrary loan (ILL) solution. The new product release provides a simple upgrade path for existing AGent VERSO customers to inherit all the enhanced features, functionality, and multi-language capabilities consistent with the AGent platform used in both large consortial applications and single libraries.

“We are proud to offer the next generation of AGent VERSO ILS technology, which is completely integrated into our AGent platform to our library partners,” said Paul Cope, president of Auto-Graphics. “The newest version was designed with public libraries of all sizes in mind. Many of our library customers needed an ILS solution with the ability to turn off the ‘bells and whistles’, so we created one that offered a high level of customization to meet the specific needs of their library today, while allowing the flexibility to scale the solution as they add new technology in the future.”

AGent VERSO provides patrons with Google-like search functionality to quickly find results and access their accounts. AGent VERSO and AGent Portal share a common OPAC, providing a single solution for the library patron at home or in the library. The flexibility and scalability of the application allows libraries of any size to customize their ILS solution and deliver a tailored system, equipped with specialized search functionality including searches by reading level.

AGent VERSO is offered to libraries in three flexible pricing models: as a hosted ASP solution, through a license agreement, or through Auto-Graphics’ unique hosted license model. The hosted license model allows libraries to make an initial capital investment to purchase the solution while avoiding the IT and administrative support required to run the system locally on an ongoing basis.

"AGent VERSO is easy-to-use and so flexible,” remarked Ryan Wieber, Director of the Otsego District Library in Otsego, MI. “Our patrons now have unique options for viewing their accounts, renewing items, and placing holds from anywhere. AGent VERSO has truly brought us up to speed with the larger public libraries. We look forward to implementing the latest version of AGent VERSO and providing the enhanced features to our patrons.”

Paul Cope, Auto-Graphics’ President, will discuss AGent VERSO at the RMG Sixteenth Annual Presidents' Seminar: The View from the Top, a panel discussion exploring "The State of the ILS Industry: Consolidation, Competition, and Technology Challenges," at the ALA Midwinter Conference on Friday, January 20, 2006, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Registration is not required for attendees of the ALA conference for this free seminar.

About Auto-Graphics, Inc.
Founded in 1950, Auto-Graphics provides a wide variety of library software services to clients who create, manage, publish, and access information using the Internet. Auto-Graphics has been a technology innovator for over 55 years, playing a leading role in translating the rapid developments in computer and data processing technology into advanced products and services used by more than 5,000 libraries in North America. For more information, please visit www.auto-graphics.com