SkillSoft's Books24x7 launches ITILR Collection

Books24x7(r), a subsidiary of SkillSoft PLC
(Nasdaq: SKIL) and the developer of online book collections for IT, business, engineering and finance professionals, today announced the availability of a fully searchable online edition of the latest IT Infrastructure Library - ITIL Version 3.

As the most widely accepted approach to IT Service Management (ITSM) globally, ITIL is a best practice framework that enables businesses to deliver high-quality IT services and more effectively manage IT operations.

Kevin Young, Managing Director of SkillSoft EMEA said:

Large enterprises are becoming increasingly dependent on IT services in order to achieve their corporate objectives and meet their rapidly changing business needs. First conceived nearly 20 years ago, ITIL provides a cohesive set of best practices and management procedures for managing IT operations and addressing the organisational structure and skill requirements faced by today's IT professionals.

Published in May 2007, ITIL Version 3 is a service lifecycle-based methodology incorporating the best of ITIL Versions 1 and 2 as well as tested best practices for ITSM. Geared towards helping organisations migrate from Business and IT alignment to Business and IT integration, ITIL Version 3 is comprised of five core volumes - Service Strategy; Service Design; Service Transition; Service Operation; and Continual Service Improvement.

Books24x7 offers online access to the complete ITIL Version 3 collection through a partnership with The Stationery Office (TSO) and the UK Office of Government Commerce (OGC). As with other collections, the text of the ITIL collection is fully searchable through Books24x7's unique multi-tier search engine, allowing users to pinpoint precisely the information they need, when they need it. Users can also add titles from the collection to their personal bookshelves for quick, easy access whilst having the ability to create bookmarks and notes for future reference. These rich, powerful capabilities facilitate on-the-job access to critical information, helping to increase retention and drive performance at all levels of the organisation.

The Books24x7 ITIL collection complements Books24x7's flagship product - ITPro - which serves the needs of programmers, network administrators, database developers and other technical professionals. All newly published ITIL books will automatically be added to the ITIL collection as they are published.

We're thrilled to partner with Books24x7 to make ITIL Version 3 available as part of the company's extensive online library, said Mark Bush, Sales Director at TSO. The ITIL collection will prove an excellent resource for Books24x7 subscribers' intent on implementing and maintaining the ITIL guidance within their own organisations.

The broader IT community has been eagerly awaiting the release of ITIL Version 3, concluded Kevin Young. Through our partnership with TSO, we are well-positioned to address the market need for the latest ITIL best practices. Our ITIL collection provides IT professionals with on-demand access to the information needed to implement ITIL best practices and ensure that IT services are effectively supporting the organisation's broader business objectives.