Press Release


Sirsi Adds Bestselling Author Clips to iBistro DataStream

NEW ORLEANS - Jan. 18, 2002 - Sirsi Corporation announced today that it is adding author interview videos to the wide range of content already available in its iBistro Electronic Library. BookstreamInc., a leading supplier of Web-based multimedia book promotion products to publishers, authors, agents and e-retailers, will provide Syndetics with approximately 300m video clip interviews with authors of current bestsellers. Syndetics is the leading provider of bibliographic content information for libraries, and will integrate the video clips into the other content it supplies to Sirsi.

According to Laura Dawson, Sirsi's director of content development, "We're very excited to be the first electronic library supplier to incorporate video clips supplied by BookstreamInc. The video interviews will add yet another dimension to iBistro bibliographic records - the ability to hear and see the author of the book an iBistro user is considering. It's another step forward in Sirsi's mission to provide electronic library users with access to an entire universe of bibliographic content from a single online location."

Syndetics currently supplies Sirsi with 100,000 tables of contents, with 800 new records added weekly; 350,000 book summaries, with 1,200 new records added weekly; 50,000 author notes, with 300 new added weekly; 150,000 annotations for academic titles, with 500 new added weekly; 12,000 book excerpts or first chapters, with 50 new added weekly, and more than 600,000 cover images, with 2,000 new added weekly. Sirsi takes care of maintaining and updating all content for each iBistro e-Library.

Charles Halpin, director of operations for BookstreamInc., commented, "I'm pleased that Sirsi technology makes it possible to deliver Bookstream content to libraries worldwide, a market that is vitally important to content providers." Allan Graham, director of marketing and business relations for Syndetics, said, "As the first electronic library to integrate video clips into online bibliographic records, Sirsi's iBistro provides users with a unique connection to the authors of the books they select."


About BookstreamInc.
BookstreamInc. Is the maker of Bookwraps, multimedia book promotions featuring streaming video and audio in an information-rich electronic frame for use on the Web, in e-mails, and on CD ROM.

About Syndetic Solutions
Syndetic Solutions, Inc. is the leading supplier of descriptive content designed exclusively for library catalogs. Syndetics offers over 2,500,000 catalog enrichment elements including enhanced fiction descriptors, tables of contents, reviews, summaries, annotations, cover images, excerpts and author notes. Separate enrichment options are available for public, academic, school, and special libraries, and include formats applicable to any local system. The company is located in Portland, Oregon.

About Sirsi
Sirsi (www.sirsi.com) recognizes that today's librarians are on a mission to break down walls - barriers that limit the knowledge and resources accessible to library users. A partner with leading libraries around the globe since 1979, Sirsi provides software and services that assist libraries in breaking down walls, thereby promoting learning, empowerment, and opportunity for diverse user communities.