Innovative Interfaces

Innovative Interfaces, Inc
Company typePrivate; subsidiary
IndustrySoftware
Founded1978 (Berkeley, California)
FoundersJerry Kline, Steve Silberstein
Fateacquired by the Ex Libris Group within ProQuest (Jan. 2020), which was acquired by Clarivate in the following year (Dec. 1 2021)
HeadquartersEmeryville, California, U.S.
Key people
Yariv Kursh, General Manager
ProductsLibrary automation software
OwnerClarivate
Websitewww.iii.com

Innovative Interfaces, Inc. (abbreviated III and called "Innovative" or "Triple I" in the industry) is a software company specializing in integrated systems for library management. Their key products include Sierra, Polaris, Millennium, and Virtua,[1] with customers in 66 countries.[2] Innovative was acquired by Ex Libris (a ProQuest company) in January 2020.[3] On December 1, 2021, Clarivate completed their acquisition of ProQuest and, by extension, Innovative.[4]

The company's software is used by various types of libraries including academic, public, school, medical, law, and special libraries as well as consortia. In September 2014 Sierra was installed at 1494 libraries (with 3435 facilities),[5] Polaris at 1339 (with 2808 facilities),[6] Millennium at 1316 (with 2640 facilities),[5] and Virtua at 224 (with 490 facilities).[7]

Founded in 1978 by Jerry Kline and Steve Silberstein in Berkeley, California, the initial product was a system to interface OCLC data with a library's cataloging system.[8] Huntsman Gay Global Capital and JMI Equity invested in the company in 2012,[9] the same year Kim Massana, formerly president of Thomson Reuters Elite, was appointed CEO.[10] The equity firms purchased the company outright the next year.[11] The company also made several acquisitions within the next two years: SkyRiver Technology Solutions (which maintains partnerships with 3M, EBSCO Information Services, OverDrive, Inc., and Bibliotheca),[12][13] Polaris Library Systems,[14] and VTLS Inc.[15] Bert Winemiller took over as CEO for a brief period in 2015[16] before the company named James Tallman as their new CEO in January 2016.[17] During May 2019, Shaheen Javadizadeh was appointed CEO, and Jim Tallman was appointed to the role of executive chairman.[18] In December 2019, Innovative was acquired by Ex Libris.[19] When acquired by ProQuest/Ex Libris, Yariv Kursh was named general manager.[20]

  1. ^ "Innovative Interfaces - Our Products". Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  2. ^ "Innovative Acquires VTLS and Now Serves Libraries in 66 Countries". Innovative Interfaces website. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  3. ^ "Ex Libris Completes the Acquisition of Innovative". Innovative website. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  4. ^ "Clarivate completes acquisition of ProQuest". ProQuest website. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Innovative Interfaces, Inc. company profile". Library Technology Guides. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  6. ^ "Polaris company profile". Library Technology Guides. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  7. ^ "VTLS company profile". Library Technology Guides. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  8. ^ "Celebrating its silver anniversary, Innovative Interfaces, Inc. is both elder and edgy". Library Journal. 1 September 2004. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  9. ^ "Two Equity Firms Make Investment in Innovative Interfaces No Management Changes". Library Journal. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  10. ^ "Innovative Interfaces Names Kim Massana CEO". Library Journal. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  11. ^ "Innovative Interfaces Founder Sells Remaining Interest in Company to Private Equity". Library Journal. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  12. ^ "IIIs New CEO Calls for Greater Collaboration/". Library Journal. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  13. ^ "Innovative Interfaces, Bibliotheca Announce Strategic Partnership". Library Journal. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  14. ^ Enis, Matt. "Innovative Acquires Polaris Library Systems". The Digital Shift. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  15. ^ Enis, Matt. "Innovative Acquires VTLS". The Digital Shift. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  16. ^ "Kim Massana No Longer CEO at Innovative Interfaces". infoDOCKET. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  17. ^ Price, Gary. "Innovative Names James Tallman New Chief Executive Officer". LJ INFOdocket. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  18. ^ "Innovative Appoints Shaheen Javadizadeh as CEO". Innovative Interfaces Inc. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  19. ^ "Ex Libris Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Innovative". Innovative Interfaces Inc. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
  20. ^ "A Note from the New Innovative General Manager". Innovative website. Retrieved March 3, 2020.