We are pleased to announce the General Availability of Bridge 3.0.

This release of Bridge is a reimplementation using technologies which allow us to plan for the future of Bridge development. We have chosen to migrate Bridge to the Java platform to provide the flexibility required for the next library integration standard for self service, whether that is SIP3, BIC Library Communication Framework or another industry supported standard.

This reimplementation continues to provide the solid performance that has been experienced with previous releases, and continues to support the customisations chosen in your system.

The Features document for this release is available on our website, and the customer portal.

Please raise a service request through the My Support Portal to schedule your upgrade.

Bridge Pro 2.0 was released on the 10 Dec 2012, following a successful beta test. Some of the new features include:

• Display of message if item has been borrowed before
• Display of warning for cards about to expire
• Allow renewals when loan limit is exceeded
• Allow log in for expired cards
• Use the self service machines for automating book sales

Please refer to what’s new in Bridge Pro 2.0  on the website, for a full list of new functionality. To learn more about these features join us for a webinar on 31 January at 11:00.

If you are interested in the Bridge Pro 2.0 release please raise a support case and Capita will schedule the upgrade with you in the New Year.

The Unversity of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has been crowned the winner of the 2011 BIC/CILIP RFID Innovation Award for their extended use of the sorter. UCLan has adapted their 3M FX Sorter, using Capita’s Bridge Pro to sort item into the correct bins, and upload acquisitions to the LMS.

Using the sorter in this way will allow UCLan to get items on to shelves and available to students within a couple of hours of delivery – a process that previously could take up to a week. As Jeremy Andrew, Head of Library and Training Services at UCLan, explains, this will significantly improve the student experience.

Watch a video of the sorter, in which Jeremy also talks about how the sorter was adapted, and the full benefits it will bring the library.

For more information about Bridge Pro and extending the functionality of your sorter, email libraries-sales@capita.co.uk.

[podcast format=”video”]http://talis-videos.s3.amazonaws.com/uclan_rfid.mp4[/podcast]