Galway bookstore Kennys has signed a contract worth €237k with Geac Ireland to install an enterprise resource planning (ERP) and library management system that will allow the firm to sell more than one million book titles on its pioneering website, Kennys.ie.
Kennys, one of the oldest bookshops in Ireland, was also one of the first companies in Ireland to sell actively over the internet and currently exports to more than 35 countries worldwide, specialising in new and second-hand books as well as antiquarian and rare books, maps and manuscripts. It has more than 5,000 clients, which include major research libraries in the US such as Stanford, Harvard, Yale and the Library of Congress.
The contract with Geac includes software user licences, annual maintenance, professional services and hardware and is planned for a phased implementation between March and June this year. The solution combines Geac’s StreamLine ERP system and Vubris Smart, Geac’s library information management system.
Through the investment, Kennys plans to grow its business dramatically in 2004 and extend its level of business on the web significantly. Kennys’ managing director Conor Kenny explains that “a very rigorous selection process was carried out to find a vendor that could offer integrated best-of-breed ERP and library management solutions.”
As books are catalogued, they will become available on Kennys’ website as well as being uploaded to major portal sites such as Amazon.com, Abebooks.com and Alibris.com. Kennys will also be able to carry out comprehensive searches not only on author and title, but also on descriptive information, contents and the condition of the books. The system will hold individual preferences, in terms of topics of interest or particular authors and will proactively conduct these searches on the database to enhance customer service.
This week Kennys Bookshop will be opening new offices and a warehouse at a ceremony officiated by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Harney TD.
By John Kennedy
