PERSONA announces Blackboard Building Blocks interface

PERSONA, the leading campus stand alone locking solution, announced the development of a Blackboard Building Blocks interface that will link PERSONA’s locking system software to the Blackboard Transaction System™.

PERSONA is now working to integrate its advanced stand alone door access and locking system software with the Blackboard Transaction System.

PERSONA’s "offline" locks provide an excellent complement to Blackboard’s "online" locks, in that campuses will frequently wire external doors to the online system, but not internal doors such as those in dormitory rooms.

The software interface will enable the PERSONA system to exchange user data with the Blackboard® system, making it possible for higher education institutions to use a single campus card to access both the Blackboard system and PERSONA locks.

This will help schools expand their card services, while simultaneously reducing costs associated with traditional key locking systems. Creating a compatible software platform will provide

convenience for both campus administrators and students; school personnel will spend less time maintaining data, while students will be able to access buildings, rooms, meal plans, vending machines and other POS systems and ID verified systems with a single card.

"We look forward to expanding our relationship with Blackboard and coordinating our software systems to further benefit the higher education marketplace," said Angelo Faenza, PERSONA General Manager. "Our stand alone locking solution coupled with the Blackboard Transaction System will simplify life for campus administrators and students."

The agreement was facilitated by PERSONA’s status as a partner in Blackboard’s Building Blocks Program which allows third parties to interface with Blackboard’s e-Education software suite. Blackboard’s software is used to manage campus card systems at more than 450 schools throughout North America. "We are very pleased to welcome PERSONA to the Building Blocks Program," said Greg Baker, Vice President of Product Strategy for Blackboard. "Blackboard believes in facilitating choice for our clients, and the PERSONA solution is about that. PERSONA develops and markets advanced electronic access locking systems for medium sized to large campuses."