COMPanion Corp. announced today at the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) in Chicago that Alexandria 5.43 for Mac OS X is available. This new release will be a free upgrade for current customers.
Alexandria offers built-in library, Web and e-mail servers. The integrated servers allow users to instantly access online and network tools without having to configure a server. Alexandria 5’s client/server technology also gives librarians faster network speed by eliminating file sharing.
“Since we announced Alexandria for Mac OS X, the response has been very positive and enthusiastic,” said Bill Schjelderup, founder and president of COMPanion. “The Macintosh community is very important to us and we are committed to continue producing the best library automation solution for the Mac platform.”
Alexandria is the first library automation program that’s Carbonized to run natively on the Mac OS X. It’s cross-platform for both client and server. Many library automation programs have a cross-platform interface but require the server to be on a Windows platform.
On-line features give Alexandria users the ability to receive instant online upgrades, without having to visit COMPanion’s Web site or wait for the upgrade to arrive in the mail. Updates and upgrades are easy to load and keep librarians current on versions that make it easier to use and support, COMPanion spokesperson Matt Moore said.
As part of the integrated system, users can access the Full MARC Editor, which gives librarians the flexibility needed to keep records accurate and easily changeable, he added. Many librarians currently use the EZ MARC Template to create and edit bibliographic records. Alexandria’s MARC Template caters to the MARC Cataloger, giving users a format to add MARC records.