Baker & Taylor Adds Collection Performance Improvement Software to Library Portfolio

GLASGOW, Scotland and CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, December 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Purchase of smartsm® Software from U.K. Firm to Improve Library Collection Performance -

Bridgeall Libraries Ltd., the Glasgow-based technology company that supplies collection performance improvement software for libraries, announced today that it has been acquired by U.S.-based book distributor Baker & Taylor.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090529/CL24290LOGO )

The agreement unites two companies that provide critical services to libraries: Baker & Taylor, the leading supplier of products and services for libraries worldwide; and Bridgeall Libraries, developer of innovative software that helps libraries manage their collections more efficiently. Together, the companies empower libraries to provide the best and most appropriate content to the communities they serve.

"This partnership with Bridgeall Libraries is the perfect complement to the innovative and integrated products and services Baker & Taylor is known for. It strengthens the breadth of products and services we offer libraries worldwide and ensures that we can provide the most innovative workflow solutions in the industry. smartsm gives libraries the information and analytical tools they need to put the most relevant content in the hands of their patrons," said George Coe, President, Baker & Taylor's Library & Education division.

"As evidenced by the rapid growth of smartsm over the past four years, we are very proud to have delivered a tool that is hugely popular to libraries. Baker & Taylor has the global reach, vision and expertise to deliver smartsm - as well as new developments - to further benefit of libraries worldwide.  We are very pleased that Baker & Taylor can take our very exciting technology to the next level," said Stephen Beer, Managing Director of Bridgeall Libraries. 

Bridgeall Libraries' popular software, known as smartsm in the U.K. and collectionHQ in the rest of the world, empowers libraries to more efficiently manage their holdings and allows them to assess and improve the performance of their collections. With smartsm libraries can better select, acquire and manage printed and digital content, and ultimately serve their patrons better.

In just four years since it was introduced, more than half of the U.K. libraries have subscribed to the service.  In the U.S. and Canada, many top library systems have subscribed since the software was introduced there in 2010. 

Software development, sales and customer support will remain headquartered in Glasgow, and the office there is poised to grow as Baker & Taylor helps introduce the technology to library systems in North America and around the world. The Glasgow office will work closely with Baker & Taylor's U.S. headquarters for customer support operations and future development.  

About Baker & Taylor

Baker & Taylor Inc. (http://www.baker-taylor.com) is the world's largest distributor of books, digital content and entertainment products. The company leverages its unsurpassed worldwide distribution network to deliver rich content in multiple formats, anytime and anywhere. Baker & Taylor offers cutting-edge digital media services and innovative technology platforms to thousands of publishers, libraries and retailers worldwide.  Baker & Taylor also offers industry-leading customized library services and retail merchandising solutions. Baker & Taylor is proud to power Blio (blioreader.com), the world's most flexible, engaging and revolutionary e-reading application. Charlotte, N.C.-based Baker & Taylor is majority owned by Castle Harlan Partners IV, L.P., an institutional private equity fund managed by Castle Harlan, Inc., a leading private equity investment firm.

Baker & Taylor and the Baker & Taylor logo are trademarks of Baker & Taylor, Inc. Blio is a trademark of K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc. Other company and product names mentioned for identification purposes may be trademarks of their respective owners.

About Bridgeall Libraries Ltd.

Based in Glasgow, U.K., Bridgeall Libraries Ltd. has developed smartsm® and collectionHQ®, the world leading Evidence Based Stock Management (EBSM®) solutions. EBSM® is the complete library stock improvement methodology, which analyses historic and current information about stock use, to help librarians save time and eliminate waste, improve stock performance and align stock with local demand. smartsm and collectionHQ are the software applications that implement the EBSM® methodology to help libraries achieve stock performance excellence. It is implemented using the Software as a Service model of application deployment. For more information, see http://www.smartsm.com or http://www.collectionHQ.com.