The Internet, mobile technology, and the current economic climate have created an era where the public library has become an increasingly crucial resource for every community. However, with vanishing budgets, investment in technology has been difficult. Alpha Five Software and TechSoup are fighting back with over $365,000 in product donations, arming public libraries and nonprofits with the latest in rapid web and mobile database application development software. Custom software built in Alpha Five Version 11, which is based on HTML5, will only have to be developed once and will be able to run on the desktop, the laptop, the tablet, and the smartphone.

Through TechSoup, Alpha Five Version 11 is now available to over 6,881 libraries throughout North America. “Thanks to Alpha Five for extending its software donation to public libraries across the U.S. In this economic climate, libraries need all the support and resources the private and public communities can offer,” says Sarah Washburn, Library Program Manager, TechSoup Global.

Libraries that participate in TechSoup’s program must be correctly registered on the organization’s website; meet the qualifications specified by TechSoup; and be on the government-maintained list of public libraries, called the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This guarantees that anyone who lives within the library’s community can use its facilities. Eligible libraries can then choose the software that best fits their needs.

TechSoup supplies hardware, software, and other IT services that even minimum budgets can afford. This allows nonprofits to create highly interactive, easy-to-use websites that let them manage their volunteers, donors, programs, and financial data. TechSoup has served over 167,000 nonprofit organizations and public libraries, amounting to a retail value of $2.9 billion since its inception in 1987.

Alpha Five has been a donor partner to TechSoup since June 2005. And over the past seven years, over 880 nonprofit organizations throughout North America have received Alpha Five software from TechSoup.

TechSoup’s order history report states that over 990 units of Alpha Five have been distributed to nonprofits since the companies’ partnership. This makes today’s total sum of Alpha Five’s donations over $365,000.

Alpha Five Version 11 will boost libraries’ productivity by allowing both experienced and novice coders to design, develop, debug, and deploy multi-touch or mouse-driven apps. With the freedom to create any app, libraries will be able to develop their own solutions to fit each unique need. Alpha Five Version 11 allows developers to build once and run everywhere, including on smartphones, tablets, the web, laptops, and desktops. This will keep libraries modern and able to reach today’s technologically advanced audience.

With Alpha Five Version 11, libraries will have access to Alpha Five’s collection of brand-new features to help them better reach their communities. These features include Alpha’s database grid, form, dialog, security, GIS/data mapping, calendar, charting, video player, animation, image gallery, and HTML5 reporting components.

ABOUT TECHSOUP GLOBAL

TechSoup Global, a nonprofit organization, was founded in 1987 on the belief that technology is a powerful enabler for social change. Alongside its partners — including foundations and corporations, governments and NGOs, social entrepreneurs and volunteers — TechSoup Global is working towards the day when every nonprofit and social benefit organization on the planet has the technology resources and knowledge it needs to operate at its full potential. Today, TechSoup Global has 211 employees, an annual operating budget of US$27 million, and operates programs in Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East through a network of independent capacity-building NGOs. With support of leading technology companies, including Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco, and Symantec, TechSoup Global and its network have reached more than 167,000 organizations and distributed more than 8.7 million technology products in 38 countries, enabling participants to save more than US$2.9 billion in IT expenses since 2002. TechSoup Global also runs NetSquared, an ambitious global experiment that empowers individuals at the local level to build and share innovative technology solutions to social problems.

ABOUT ALPHA SOFTWARE

Since 1982, Alpha Software has been providing developers with award-winning tools that make it easy to build business applications for today’s desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. Today, over 1 million developers and tens of millions of users rely on Alpha Software’s Alpha Five. The company is privately held, and based in Burlington, Mass. Alpha Software can be found on the web at http://www.alphasoftware.com. The company’s blog is located at http://blog.alphasoftware.com.

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