EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) continues to take a customer and user-centric approach to product development, with a focus on turning ideals such as interoperability, customization and optimal usability into reality. To ensure further advances in areas of discovery, analytics, library management services, holdings management, and other critical workflow & end-user applications, EBSCO has appointed Tony Zanders as Vice President of Global Customer Development. In this role, Zanders will work to delve deeply into the needs and goals of a wide array of libraries as it relates to optimizing both front and backend software services.
Zanders, an education technology veteran and former Director at Ex Libris commented, “The core mission of libraries is to provide patrons with the best possible user experience. EBSCO’s methodical investment in talent, technology and relationships is unmatched, creating an equally unmatched level of responsiveness to the rapidly changing needs of the 21st century patron. I look forward to working one-on-one with library leaders to understand the business and user needs that will further define EBSCO’s evolving suite of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions.”
EBSCO’s Executive Vice President, Sam Brooks, says Zanders brings unique experience and an understanding of what librarians expect from their technology products. “We believe that huge advancements are possible for libraries in the areas related to discovery, and Tony will help us foster two-way communication with a number of customers in North America, Europe, the Far East and beyond. We have admired Tony’s career and accomplishments, and are very pleased to bring him onto our team.”
Zanders has a strong technology background and has continually applied this expertise in the K-12 and higher education space. In addition to his years at Ex Libris, Zanders founded Applyful.com, a college discovery and research management platform which was awarded a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2013. Most recently he served as Head of Communications and Outreach at 4.0 Schools, an education innovation lab dedicated to improving the future of schools.