Exhibit 99(a)(5)(D)



[GRAPHIC OMITTED]
SIRSI
THE LEADER IN LIBRARY TECHNOLOGY


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- ---------------------

SIRSI CORPORATION
Contact:     Vicki Smith
Tel. No.:    (256) 704-7000
Email:       vickis@sirsi.com


              SIRSI AFFILIATE COMMENCES CASH TENDER OFFER TO ACQUIRE
                            DATA RESEARCH ASSOCIATES

      HUNTSVILLE, ALA., JULY 25, 2001 - SIRSI HOLDINGS CORP. (SIRSI), a
privately held company, today commenced its previously announced tender offer
through its indirect wholly owned acquisition subsidiary to acquire all of the
outstanding shares of DATA RESEARCH ASSOCIATES, INC. (NASDAQ: DRAI) for $11.00
per share, net to the seller in cash, without interest. The offer will expire at
12:00 midnight, New York City time, on Tuesday, August 21, 2001, unless
extended.

      The tender offer and merger are subject to customary conditions, including
the tender of at least 75% of the outstanding shares of DRA on a fully diluted
basis. No filing under the Hart Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act is
required to consummate the contemplated transaction. The transaction was
unanimously approved by the boards of directors of each company.

      If the acquisition subsidiary acquires at least 75% of the outstanding
shares of DRA on a fully diluted basis, the acquisition subsidiary will be
merged with and into DRA, and any shares not purchased in the tender offer will
be converted into the right to receive $11.00 per share in cash (other than
shares held in the treasury of DRAI and other than shares held by shareholders
who have demanded payment of the fair value of their shares under applicable
Missouri law and, as of the effective time of merger, have neither effectively
withdrawn nor lost the right to such demand). If the conditions to the merger
are satisfied, DRA, as the surviving corporation, will become an indirect wholly
owned subsidiary of SIRSI.

      As previously announced, the merger agreement entered into among SIRSI,
its acquisition subsidiary and DRA on May 16, 2001 provided that the tender
offer would not commence until the arrangements for financing had been
finalized. Funding for the tender offer and the merger are expected to be
provided pursuant to financing commitments from a banking institution for a $45
million credit facility (including approximately $10.7 million to be used to
refinance SIRSI's existing indebtedness), a capital contribution from SIRSI of
approximately



$6.9 million and approximately $18.2 million in cash of DRA expected to be on
hand at the expiration of the offer.

                                     *******

      A Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO has been filed by SIRSI and its
acquisition subsidiary and a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule
14D-9 has been filed by DRA with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
You are urged to read the Tender Offer Statement and any other relevant
documents filed with the SEC. The Tender Offer Statement, the
Solicitation/Recommendation Statement and other documents filed with the SEC
contain important information that you should consider before making any
decision regarding the tender offer and related transactions. You may obtain a
free copy of the Tender Offer Statement and other documents filed with the SEC
at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. The Tender Offer Statement and other
documents filed with the SEC by SIRSI will be available free of charge from
SIRSI by directing a request to SIRSI Corporation, 101 Washington Street,
Huntsville AL 35801-4827. In addition, the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement
and other documents filed with the SEC by DRA may be obtained free of charge
from DRA by directing a request to Data Research Associates, Inc., 1276 North
Warson Road, P.O. Box 8495, St. Louis, MO 63132-1806.

                                     *******

      This news release contains forward-looking statements and involves known
and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors. Actual events,
circumstances, effects, and results may be materially different from results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking
statements. Consequently, the forward-looking statements contained herein should
not be regarded as representations by SIRSI or DRA or any other person that the
projected outcomes can or will be achieved, including statements about future
business operations. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties inherent in business forecasts. There can be no assurance that
future results will be achieved, and actual results could differ materially from
forecasts and estimates. Important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially are included in DRA's periodic reports filed with the SEC.

                                     *******

EDITORS: FOR INFORMATION ON SIRSI, VISIT ITS RESPECTIVE WEB SITE -
WWW.SIRSI.COM. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS RELEASE, VISIT SIRSI'S
PRESS EXTRANET AT WWW.SIRSI.COM/PRESS.