The Lehigh University Library has selected Index Data as its hosting and support vendor for its adoption of the FOLIO Library Services Platform, planned for Summer 2020. The library’s technical staff at Lehigh will manage the FOLIO install in Index Data’s cloud environment with secondary support from Index Data.

FOLIO (an acronym for the Future Of Libraries Is Open) is an open source project that reimagines library software through a unique collaboration of libraries, developers and vendors. It moves beyond the traditional library management system to a new paradigm, where apps are built on an open platform, providing libraries more choice and delivering new services to users. The FOLIO platform includes core functionality found in current library management systems and is extensible, allowing libraries to meet ever-changing needs over time.

Boaz Nadav-Manes, Lehigh’s University Librarian, discussed the partnership with Index Data: “We are very excited to be able to work with Index Data, who were able to customize a service specifically for what we need at the Lehigh University Library.” He went on to add “Staff at Lehigh Libraries are very experienced with technology—and in many ways we are well equipped to be totally self sufficient, partnering with Index Data provides added expertise and really bolsters our team’s capabilities in new and innovative ways, particularly given Index Data’s experience with cloud computing and their role in FOLIO and other community based projects.”

Lynn Bailey, CEO of Index Data acknowledged the partnership’s significance for Index Data. “We are honored to work with the Lehigh University Library and happy to be able to apply our team’s expertise.” She continued, “As we build out our services business, it has been important to us to remain true to our roots – agile, nimble and able to adapt to a customer’s specific needs, all while delivering top notch services.”

Bruce M. Taggart Vice Provost, Library & Technology Services at Lehigh University said: “Lehigh University, established in 1865, has been actively involved since the inception of the Open Library Environment (OLE) initiative and the professional library staff at Lehigh have been contributing to the FOLIO system since the project’s inception, working collaboratively with leading research libraries across the globe. The experience has changed how the libraries at Lehigh think about building and enhancing software that improves overall operational efficiencies and effectiveness of information flow to users of library resources. The libraries at Lehigh see FOLIO as an exciting and strategic open source library ecosystem technology pivot, where they can leverage a platform to build solutions across multiple domains.”

Index Data has been the lead architect and developer for FOLIO since its inception. As a software company specializing in creating innovative products and tools for the library ecosystem for 25 years, it prides itself on delivering, hosting and supporting manageable, scalable, high-performing software to address complex challenges. Index Data offers a range of FOLIO services from software support to hosting to migration services to custom app development. Learn more at www.indexdata.com/folio, or contact us at folio@indexdata.com.