Civica selected by Association of Greater Manchester Authorities to provide comprehensive shared library services New partnership will allow

multiple local authorities to cut costs, increase efficiency and improve the experience of library customers 12th December 2012, London: Civica, a market leader in specialist systems and business process services that help organisations transform the way they work, has formed multiple partnerships within the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) to provide a library management system shared across a number of local authorities. After an initial tender exercise with Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council, Civica has been selected to help cut costs, increase efficiency and provide a better quality library experience for over 1.5 million citizens. Initially five authorities: Rochdale, Stockport, Oldham, Salford and Trafford are implementing the new system. Through these multiple agreements, Civica will provide a comprehensive library management system for the authorities to share. This lays the platform for one area-wide catalogue of library resources and one library card in the future. The local authorities have already dramatically reduced costs by sharing Civicas service and transferring, some of the maintenance and administration of the system. Having a single shared system will also improve efficiency and communication, improve access for citizens and open up opportunities for broader shared services in the future. Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council initially selected Civica as the provider of its new library management system in support of its new Central Library opening in 2013.This procurement exercise provided a framework for the rest of the AGMA consortium to share. Each of the five local authorities has appointed Civica, allowing them to share core services without compromising local individuality. Civica is one of the foremost library system suppliers, working with libraries around the world to develop improved services for the benefit of the community. The Civica Group has developed a strong position as prime contractor for IT-based modernisation programmes with an excellent record of large scale service delivery, including shared services for consortia such as the South East Library Management (SELMS) group. AGMA libraries will use Civicas Spydus software, a web-based, automated management solution, to boost the functionality and efficiency of library processes. The software automates the full range of library functions including circulation, cataloguing, public access and acquisitions, inter-library loans, stock rotation, home lending, and requests. The software will deliver enhanced online lending and search capabilities, while improving customer access to library resources and simplifying inter-library loans. Janet Wood, Head of Libraries, Advice and Information, Stockport Council, explains: This new shared services partnership has already helped all the local authorities involved to significantly reduce costs related to library systems and will improve the quality of library services. It lays the blueprint to realise our goal of one catalogue and library card across Greater Manchester, a step that is vital to broadening and simplifying library access. From here we are best placed to explore wider shared library services. Philip Cooke, Operations Manager :Customer Access, Rochdale Metropolitan Council, continues: We decided to work with Civica because of its expertise in library management systems and other systems used in local authorities. It has an outstanding reputation for its work

with library consortia, and this knowledge opens up the opportunity to connect further services within the wider area. Were looking forward to seeing how our partnership develops.

Simon Parkes, Director of Library and Learning, at Civica said: We are delighted to be supporting the AGMA consortium to develop an environment of greater collaboration, and to help local authorities to maintain and improve services, including widening both the reach and services provided, while achieving savings. END

About Civica The Civica Group (www.civica.co.uk) is an international market leader in specialist IT systems and business process services for the public sector. Through experienced people who understand service delivery, the Group applies software, managed services and outsourcing to help customers streamline their activities. Civica supplies more than 2,000 organisations in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada and the USA, including more than 90% of the UKs local authorities. About AGMA The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) is the local government association for Greater Manchester. AGMA develops policy, lobbies government and others, and runs a range of services designed to make strategic and tangible advances in the standard of living across Greater Manchester. Its Policy and Research Unit is based in Wigan, and its European Union office in Brussels, Belgium. Press contacts Sarah Ryan/Will Painter Brands2Life Civica@brands2life.com +44 (0)20 7592 1200