About

About PaILS

Pennsylvania Integrated Library System (PaILS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing an integrated library system (ILS) for Pennsylvania libraries and library systems.

PaILS strives for results-focused customer support and building personal relationships with all our clients, who are together known as the “SPARK” consortium

PAILS MISSION & VISION

PaILS provides access to information resources by offering a collaborative, high quality, open-source integrated library system that is equitable, cost-effective, and promotes resource sharing among libraries statewide.

PaILS offers Pennsylvanians a sustainable network of integrated library services and access to a community of libraries and information resources across the Commonwealth.

What is SPARK?

SPARK is the name for the Evergreen ILS managed by PaILS on behalf of its members to manage their online public catalog and library operations, including cataloging, circulation, and acquisitions.

Evergreen is an open-source ILS that is currently used by over 1,300 libraries both in the US and internationally, and has an active and growing community of developers and users. Evergreen is unique in that it was developed for libraries by librarians, and continues to be managed and developed by its users.

SPARK pricing is competitive and currently offers zero migration fees through a Library Services & Technology (LSTA) grant from the Pennsylvania Office of Commonwealth Libraries.

History

With the guidance and financial support of the Pennsylvania Office of Commonwealth Libraries, the Pennsylvania Integrated Library System was founded in June 2011 as a non-profit organization to provide a collaborative, high-quality, open source integrated library system that is equitable, cost-effective and promotes resource sharing among libraries statewide.