House of Images (HoI) is an established supplier and leading provider of image-database and Collections-Management Systems to Museums, Libraries and commercial organisations. HoI software has been a UK pioneer of CMS solutions since its creation in 1993, by Ken Potter and Ian Smith, the founding Partners. The company’s foundations lie in the production of multi-lingual video programmes for commerce and industry, as both Partners have considerable knowledge of moving images and still photography. HoI has grown with the demand for personalized solutions, and also due to its’ preference to operate and develop with the latest in technological advances. Ian comments: We find that customers choose to deal with open and honest methods, which we have always used in strengthening our numerous relationships and creating some excellent new ones. We can ensure superior, reliable solutions and services to all our customers.

Historically, HoI has used extensive market research methods as its’ tool to development. In the early nineties, the various results portrayed a necessity for a solution to archive visual sequences and still images. Additionally, these images required retrieval from a visual database. The market research had also identified the specification for the first version of the HoI CMS software. This product was one of the first visual database software packages available in the marketplace.

HoI have remained market-leaders to this date. This CMS solution has been utilised in archiving the several millions of images stored in libraries, museums and commercial organisations.

The launch of this solution was instantly approved and recognised by the implementation at Carlisle Library in August 1994. Numerous wide-ranging organisations benefit from HoI’s CMS product e.g. The National Health Service, Shell Research and Nycomed Amersham together with many libraries and museums. The need for specialist software to effectively manage these collections had been satisfied.

In 1997, HoI’s CMS product was further developed to cater for the optional and conditional needs of image retrieval, meeting with both the growing needs of the marketplace and continuing to incorporate the latest developments. HoI was awarded the very first contract to supply a complete system, for a digital imaging solution, to Kirklees Metropolitan Council. This was the first of many Local Authorities to be awarded Heritage Lottery Funding. Amongst the many HoI customers, from HLF approved projects, are Wakefield, Lincoln and Scunthorpe Museums.

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