Chapter 2. Industry Dynamics and Trends

Abstract

Chapter 2 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 56, no. 8) presents the history of vendors, large and small, and shows the pattern of mergers and acquisitions among the major vendors. Prior to the last decade, the library technology industry was fragmented. The overhead for multiple companies providing similar products was unsustainable. While companies have merged, maintaining existing products minimized disruptions and has proven to be important in customer retention.