UnityWeb

Citation

(2001), "UnityWeb", Interlending & Document Supply, Vol. 29 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ilds.2001.12229dab.004

UnityWeb

UnityWeb

UnityWeb, the successor to the Unity service, went live at the end of May. UnityWeb, provided by Talis Information Ltd in partnership with The Combined Regions, demonstrates library co-operation and resource sharing in action on a regional and national scale. UnityWeb offers networked access to a rich source of bibliographic and location information covering the holdings of over 450 libraries across the UK and Ireland, including the British Library. The database has over 10 million bibliographic records and more than 35 million locations. Updates are continuously applied and available immediately.

Flexible options for display mean that each subscribing institution can configure its own view of the locations. Efficient, time-saving electronic requesting facilities are provided for library staff, including the ability to build rotas into requests. Online configuration options and the ability to contribute holdings updates online put the librarian in control and ensure that changes are made quickly and efficiently.

UnityWeb can be made available directly to library users. Powerful but easy-to-use search facilities enable users to discover and locate the materials they require in library collections nation-wide, supporting research and lifelong learning.

The clear interface has been designed to enable accessibility for visually impaired users and has "Bobby" approval. This is an important part of the inclusive approach in UnityWeb, supported by Share the Vision as a member of The Combined Regions.

UnityWeb can be accessed from any PC connected to the Internet and running version 4 or higher of Internet Explorer or Netscape.

UnityWeb has been enthusiastically welcomed by the 100 subscribing institutions that have gone live so far and is available at www.unityweb.org

The Combined Regions consists of five of the seven English Regional Library Systems (RLSs) and five national services: North Western RLS, NEMLAC (North East Museums Libraries and Archives Council), Yorkshire Libraries and Information, East Midlands RLS, South Western RLS, The British Library, the National Library of Scotland, An Chomhairle Leabharlanna (The Library Council of Ireland), Cydfenthyca Cymru/Interlending Wales and Share the Vision. The purpose of The Combined Regions is to support inter-library lending, co-operation and access by merging the catalogues of its members into a single database, creating a unique and valuable information resource. The database is maintained and services are provided through a contractual partnership with Talis Information Limited, the leading supplier of library and information systems and services in the UK.

UnityWeb is available to any library or information service but the subscription is cheaper for members of a region in The Combined Regions. To subscribe, or for more information, contact sales@talis.com

Source: Press release