Purdue News

July 17, 1998 Purdue libraries' Voyager improves information access WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue University has unveiled the Voyager system for THe Online Resource (THOR), the university's on-line library information system. The system developed by Endeavor, an information management company, was chosen because "it puts more power into the hands of users, allowing them to have better control over information access and to manage that information," said Emily Mobley, dean of libraries. "The libraries are meeting the needs of Purdue students and faculty with the implementation of this cutting-edge information system." Voyager replaces a system that was installed in 1989. Voyager features include a graphical, Web-based interface, powerful and responsive search tools, and extensive linking and export capabilities. Purdue students, faculty and staff can use Voyager to find the location of books, journals and other information sources. Voyager also will allow members of the Purdue community to directly access images, citation indices and research abstracts using Internet Web browsers. The new system also will allow users to know which items have been checked out and provide on-line renewals. While some features will be available only to members of the Purdue community, all users can continue to use THOR to check if Purdue libraries hold particular books, journals or other media. "Voyager is a perfect fit with the university's current technology as well as our plans for the future," Mobley said. "It puts us in the position to take advantage of the changes in scholarly communication and distributed computing. We not only see Voyager as a library system but also as a university information system. For example, Purdue owns the largest collection of Amelia Earhart artifacts -- flight suits, photographs, flight diaries and even one of her airplanes. I envision using Voyager to manage this collection and to make these resources and others available to the public through the Internet. " Sheila Curl, engineering librarian and team leader for the Voyager project, said, "The new THOR system means that users will spend less time looking for information and more time synthesizing and applying it. Artificial barriers between different types of information have been diminished, creating a more productive learning environment." The Purdue libraries on-line system is available at http://www.lib.purdue.edu CONTACTS: Mobley, (765) 494-2900; Curl, (765) 494-2871 Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page