<PAGE>

                                                                   Exhibit 10.9



                      [DATAWARE TECHNOLOGIES LETTERHEAD]


                                                         November 15, 1999

Robert J. Farrell
123 Edgewood Avenue
Smithtown, NY  11787

Dear Bob:

I am very pleased to confirm our offer to you to join Dataware Technologies,
Inc. as Executive Vice President of Worldwide Field Operations, Chief Operating
Officer reporting to Dave Mahoney, the President and Chief Executive Officer.

The terms of our offer of employment are summarized in the attached Proposed
Employment Terms.

In order to accept this position, please sign a copy of this letter and return
it to me.  Retain a copy for your records.

We are looking forward to working with you at Dataware.

Best Regards,

DATAWARE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

 /s/ Ann Smith

Ann Smith
Vice President Corporate Resources



Offer Accepted:


By    /s/ Robert J. Farrell          Date  11/19/99
      ---------------------                --------

Enclosure

AS:jag
<PAGE>

                                Robert Farrell
                               Employment Terms

Position:     Executive Vice President of Field Operations, Chief Operating
--------      Officer reporting to the Chief Executive Officer.

Term:         Your employment will commence on a date to be determined following
----          your acceptance of the offer (the "Start Date"). Employment with
              Dataware can be terminated at any time at the option of either you
              or the Company.

Base Salary:  $250,000 per year, payable semi-monthly.
------------

Bonus:        $100,000 annual bonus opportunity (beginning with FY 2000) based
-----         on the achievement of Company revenue and earning performance
              targets. Fifty percent (50%) of the annual bonus opportunity,
              $50,000, is guaranteed subject to continued employment for the
              first 6 months of 2000. This bonus will be paid quarterly at the
              rate of at $12,500 per quarter for 4 quarters. Any remaining
              portion of the annual bonus opportunity will be earned based on
              the Company achieving its earnings and revenue targets and will be
              payable following the end of the year.

Benefits:     You will be entitled to medical, dental, disability, and life
--------      insurance, 15 days paid vacation, 5 paid personal days and 5 paid
              sick days (accruing in proportion to the time worked during a
              calendar year) and 10 paid holidays per calendar year and other
              benefits provided to our executive employees.

              In addition, you will be eligible for $750,000 of company paid
              term life insurance.

Relocation:   You will be reimbursed for reasonable expenses of relocating your
----------    family and household to the Boston area. The company would prefer
              that your relocation be completed within 12 months of your date of
              employment. If your relocation is completed within your first 12
              months of employment, you will be granted an additional 15,000
              shares of ISO options. These options will be priced according to
              the provisions outlined in the equity section below. These options
              will vest immediately upon the completion of your relocation
              provided it occurs no later than 12 months from your date of
              employment.

              The Company will provide temporary living accommodations for you
              at no expense to you for a period not to exceed 12 months.

Expenses:     The Company will reimburse you for reasonable business related
--------      expenses, including travel in accordance with the Company travel
              policy. Since your permanent office will be at the Cambridge
              headquarters, weekly travel between your home and your office will
              be considered business travel and will be reimbursed. Mileage
              reimbursements for business-related travel by private car will be
              at the latest IRS approved rate.

Equity:       The Company will grant you a qualified (ISO) stock option for
------        150,000 shares, subject to approval by the Dataware Board of
              Directors. The exercise price will
<PAGE>

              be the fair market value on the grant date, defined as the closing
              price on the day before the grant is issued.

              As part of this offer, options on the first 37,500 shares will
              vest on December 31, 1999. If you exercise these vested options,
              the Company will hold the certificate for the shares until you
              relocate your family and household to the Boston area. In the
              event that your employment is terminated within the first 12
              months and you have not relocated to the Boston area by then, the
              shares will be forfeited to the Company in exchange for repayment
              of the exercise price.

              The remaining options will vest at the rate of 37,500 per year
              annually on December 31. Vesting will be accelerated upon a
              "Change in Control" of the Company, as defined in the Company's
              Equity Incentive Plan. .

              Should there be a "Change in Control" of the Company, as defined
              in the Company's Equity Incentive Plan, and you are not offered an
              equivalent position at or above your then current compensation,
              vesting will be accelerated.


Severance:    Should the Company terminate you without "Cause" or should there
---------     be a Change in Control of the Company and, as a result, your
              employment with the Company is terminated, the Company will
              continue your base salary plus earned pro-rata bonus for a period
              of six (6) months, plus one additional month for each full year of
              service with the Company. Total severance will be limited to
              twelve (12) months-base salary plus earned pro-rata bonus.
              Severance payments will be reduced by any amounts you receive from
              subsequent employment during the severance period.

              For this purpose, "Cause" means (i) your commission of a felony;
              (ii) your continued failure (other than any such failure resulting
              from your incapacity due to physical or mental illness) to perform
              your duties with the Company after the Company has delivered
              written notice of such failure; (iii) your falsification of any
              records, documents or systems of the Company or any other conduct
              that is materially harmful to the Company or any of its customers
              or suppliers; or (iv) your violation of any material provision of
              any confidentiality, assignment of invention, noncompetition or
              similar agreement with the Company.

Other:        You will need to sign non-disclosure and non-competition
-----         agreements satisfactory to the Company prior to your start date.
              You will also need to certify that you have no outstanding non-
              disclosure, non-compete or employment obligations that would
              interfere with your full-time employment by Dataware.



Offer Accepted:


By   /s/ Robert  J. Farrell             Date  11/19/99
     ---------------------------              -----------------


Start Date:   TBD
            --------