March 17, 2026
Library and Community Services
DATE: March 17, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager of Community
Services
Kate Eppler, Deputy Director of Community Services -
Library
Christopher Larsen, Library Services Manager
Subject:
Contract with Innovative Interfaces, Inc. for Integrated Library System Hosting and Maintenance
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed not-to-exceed cost of $145,000 for the first year of the three-year contract is included within the
approved fiscal year (FY) 2025-2026 Library budget
(Account Strings: 01242155-400263; 01242855-400201;
01242855-400209); The not-to-exceed costs for the
second and third years of the contract ($150,000 for FY 2026-2027 and $155,000 for FY 2027-2028) will be
budgeted accordingly, as will any amount for the two
one-year options to extend.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Richmond Public Library contracts with Innovative
Interfaces for the Sierra Integrated Library System (ILS).
The Sierra ILS supports collection management, patron
records, and circulation. The Library’s previous contract has expired and must be replaced.
AGENDA
REPORT
March 17, 2026
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a sole-source contract with Innovative
Interfaces, Inc. for Sierra Integrated Library System
hosting and maintenance, INN-REACH interlibrary loan
services, and the Decision Center analytics tool, with a payment limit of $450,000, for a term of July 1, 2025,
through June 30, 2028, with two one-year options to
extend - Community Services (Christopher Larsen 510-
620-5524/Kate Eppler 510-620-5452).
DISCUSSION:
An Integrated Library System (ILS) database is the backbone of a library, maintaining up-to-date information about library holdings and borrowers and facilitating circulation of materials. The Richmond Public Library uses the Sierra ILS, which is developed, maintained, and hosted by Innovative Interfaces, Inc, a subsidiary of Clarivate Public Limited Company (Plc). The Library also uses Innovative Interfaces’ INN-REACH system for interlibrary loans and the company’s Decision Center collection analysis tool.
The Library has used the Sierra Integrated Library System (ILS) since its release and previously used Innovative Interfaces’ Millennium ILS, resulting in long-standing system integration and data continuity. Although other vendors offer ILS platforms built on Library of Congress Machine-Readable Catalog (MARC) and similar bibliographic standards, each system contains proprietary configurations for patron, circulation, and acquisitions records. Migrating to a different ILS would require extensive record mapping, data conversion, staff retraining, and a multi-year implementation process with significant operational and financial impacts. The Library is satisfied with the performance of the Sierra ILS and is not seeking to transition systems currently.
Accordingly, because Innovative Interfaces is the sole provider of hosting, maintenance, and support for Sierra, approval of a sole-source contract is necessary (Attachment 1).
Innovative Interfaces, Inc. was acquired by Clarivate Plc. during the previous contract term, which expired on June 30, 2025, resulting in a delayed renewal process. Legal review required negotiation of updated contract terms, and final revisions were agreed to in January 2026, with approval from legal counsel for both parties in February 2026 (Attachment 2). During the lapse between expiration and renewal, the Library continued using the Sierra interface, as it supports essential operations including cataloging, acquisitions, and circulation. Because services continued uninterrupted beginning July 1, 2025, invoices have been incurred and the new contract must be backdated accordingly.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Sole Source
Attachment 2 – Original Contract
Attachment 3 – IT Authorization
Attachment 4 – Renewal Quotes