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Meridian's Virtual Library Grows to 15,000 Titles Through Agreement With SkillSoft
| Source: Meridian Knowledge Solutions, LLC
CHANTILLY, VA--(Marketwire - October 9, 2008) - Meridian Knowledge Solutions, LLC
has entered into a non-exclusive relationship with e-learning provider
SkillSoft (NASDAQ : SKIL ) that boosts the size of Meridian's online library
to more than 15,000 e-learning courses. Employers can tap Meridian's "Virtual Library"
to train employees on topics ranging from acquisition and contracting to
work-life balance.
Meridian, which makes learning management systems (LMS)
for analyzing and delivering training via the Internet, began building its
Virtual Library last May by signing a string of agreements with a select
group of providers of training content and online assessments. The
relationship with SkillSoft is the latest announcement by Meridian.
"With today's news, our Virtual Library is arguably the LMS industry's most
comprehensive," said Roy Haythorn, vice
president of Sales & Marketing for Meridian. "Whether your organization is
a private-sector employer or government agency, we now have the widest
selection of easy-to-access training content to meet your needs."
According to Haythorn, each course Meridian offers through its Virtual
Library will run on either the company's flagship LMS -- Meridian Global --
or the
software-as-a-service (SaaS) version of Meridian's LMS. The courses
conform to the latest e-learning standards, including SCORM 2004. And the
library contains courses in more than 15 languages.
With the SkillSoft Open
Learning Services Architecture (OLSA), a software platform that
supports a range of Web services, Meridian will have a simple way to
deliver SkillSoft's learning assets. Meridian's customers will be able to
visit the company's Virtual Library and work with a content expert to pick
and choose their training. Or customers can purchase content via their
Meridian LMS.
The Virtual Library also complements Meridian's SaaS product for managing
learning and knowledge. According to Meridian, software customers purchase
SaaS products to quickly put in place the infrastructure for delivering
training. Meridian's SaaS product can be up and running within days of
purchase. And Haythorn says Meridian's wide-ranging library of training
courses is a way to give customers training content the moment their LMS is
turned on.
"People can visit our web site or call a Meridian content expert, buy the
courses they need and begin delivering training via their Meridian LMS in a
matter of a few hours," added Haythorn.
"One of the most significant challenges faced by LMS users is finding the
right content and making sure it is fully interoperable with the platform,"
remarked Bryan Chapman, learning industry analyst and chief learning
strategist for Chapman Alliance. "The agreement between two leading
providers like Meridian and SkillSoft is great news for those who want to
take full advantage of the value proposition of a learning platform, which
no matter how sophisticated -- is still just a conduit for what learners
really want: courses. Meridian is giving its LMS customers the widest
possible selection of training, while removing the barriers."
"We're making sure our clients can find courses for any segment of their
workforce or customer base, and buy these courses as they need them," said
Haythorn. "Our aim is to provide our customers with one-stop shopping,
whether that means giving them the widest selection of courses or simply a
single, targeted course."
To help customers get started, a Meridian content expert will assess a
client's training needs and help them select the courses to best meet their
requirements.
Customers can learn more by visiting
http://www.meridianksi.com/courseware/library/.
About Meridian
Our flagship product, Meridian Global LMS, integrates learning content
management, workforce analytics, knowledge management, and competency
modeling in one learning management system (LMS). In addition to Meridian
Global LMS, we provide professional services, courseware development, and
hosting services.
We serve 4.5 million users at more than 200 public- and private-sector
employers. And our software is used by companies that range in size from
900,000 employees to less than 100 workers. Our clients include AutoZone,
Panera Bread, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, Whirlpool and more than 80
federal, state and local governments.
We are the number one ranked learning-technology company for customer
loyalty. Our award-winning software aims to deliver learning, distribute
knowledge, and sharpen business skills, which will make you a leader in
your industry. Our Chantilly, Va.-based company is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Visionary Integration Professionals.
To learn more, visit http://www.meridianksi.com