Patrick Sommers, chief executive officer of SirsiDynix, sits down with OneSource for a rapid-fire series of questions on the company:

Question 1: SirsiDynix recently launched a new campaign centered on the company’s new slogan: “Bringing Knowledge to Life.” Why is SirsiDynix launching this campaign?

Pat: Over the last couple of months, we’ve had many discussions both internally and with customers about exactly what SirsiDynix offers the library market — and, in turn, what libraries offer the world. The campaign is designed to increase awareness of the answers to both.

Question 2: What are the answers? What do SirsiDynix and libraries offer our world today?

Pat: Let’s cover the second part first, because we’re talking about a vision for libraries that includes more than SirsiDynix. We live in a world on information overload… it’s a world in which people and entire communities are seeking information for their jobs, their educations, and even their entertainment. While the Internet is a powerful resource, it is a double-edged sword. While there is a ton of content out there, there’s no way to judge if that content is valuable or useful. Nor is there anyone stepping up to help people make sense of all that content. No one, that is, except for libraries and librarians.

If you think about it, since their establishment, the role of libraries has been to collect information, assess its value, organize it, and present it for use. Sure, the definition of libraries has expanded beyond “bricks-and-mortar” in our Web-oriented world. But the library’s role remains that of gatekeepers and guarantors of access to knowledge. This is an invaluable and central role for librarians and libraries, as they work to help people make sense of all the information now available.

This is what we mean by “Bringing Knowledge to Life.” The library’s expertise in validating information creates knowledge in the environment where people expect to be served — in the real world where they live, work, and learn.

Question 3: So what is SirsiDynix’s role?

Pat: We are a technology partner to whom our clients turn for solutions that help them create a future where libraries play the more strategic role I just talked about. Sure, these are solutions that make libraries run more productively and efficiently, but ultimately they’re designed to support libraries’ strategic objectives for bringing knowledge to people when, where, and how they need it.

Question 4: You’re talking about more than just “nuts-and-bolts” automation here, aren’t you?

Pat: Absolutely. Traditional “automation” remains important, but the technologies now available or under development are helping libraries blaze entirely new trails in meeting the needs of information consumers … from innovative information portals that are pushing library “customer service” to new heights to business intelligence tools that enable library leaders to make better informed decisions and everything in between.

And it’s all the result of a powerful vision that our customers are motivated by… a vision that’s pushing these forward-thinking libraries to do some pretty amazing things with technology.

Question 5: Doesn’t the future for libraries seem a bit challenging?

Pat: Sure, there are lots of challenges. But I’m persuaded that we’re now in the midst of an exciting new chapter in the history of libraries. But it’s not enough simply to watch the future unfold. We should remember what computer pioneer Alan Kay once said, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”

There’s a lot of work to do. But it’s going to be worth it. Because in the end, libraries will be stronger and better positioned to carry out their mission of bringing knowledge to people in our information-centric world.

And if libraries don’t do this, who will?