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Press Release: INWOOD, WV, January 3, 2000
The Library Corporation (TLC) today announced that it won 12 new contracts to install Library.Solution in the highly competitive North Carolina library market. As part of the process, TLC's technology was evaluated against such established providers as Gaylord, Ameritech, Sirsi, and Endeavor, with Library.Solution selected as the automation system of choice in virtually all new contracts awarded.
The 12 new contracts recently signed by TLC include:
Braswell Memorial Library, Brown Library, Duplin County Library, Louisberg College, Madison County Library, Neuse Regional Library System, Pettigrew Regional Library
System, Rutherford County/Isothermal Community College, Scotlan County Library, Transylvania County Library, Union County Library, Avery - Mitchell Yancey Library.
Of these, eight are migrating from other automation systems and upgrading to Library-Solution, including Union County and Braswell Memorial Library,
upgrading from Gaylord's Galaxy system. Four are implementing library automation systems for the first time.
TLC further noted that of those libraries that were approved by the State Library of North Carolina to submit applications for LSTA automated system grants this year and have made a decision to automate by December 15, 1999, 9 of 12, or 75% have selected TLC's Library.Solution.
As a result of these developments, TLC now has 18 Library-Solution customers in North Carolina, ranging from multi-site public systems - including
Sandhill Regional Library System with 14 libraries located in five separate counties - to single site academic libraries.
The new contract awards also coincide with one of the key long-term goals of the State Library of North Carolina - to have every one of its libraries fully automated.
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Neuse Regional Library System
Stays with TLC, Upgrades to Library.Solution
One of the largest of the new contacts awarded to TLC is with Neuse Regional Library System which has signed for installation of
Library.Solution in all of its eight branch libraries serving more than 45,000 patrons in three counties.
The relationship between Neuse and TLC began several years ago, when the regional library first started using TLC's CD-ROM based cataloging system, BiblioFile. "TLC's excellent support staff was always available to help our librarians when we had questions," commented Agnes Ho, Director of the Neuse Regional Library System. "It was that unmatched level of customer service that convinced us to go with TLC when choosing a next generation automation system."
Continued Ms. Ho, "Once installation is complete in December, our patrons
will have immediate access to resources from all branches and even be able to search our catalog on the Intemet. With these types of added features, we anticipate our client base will grow significantly."
Neuse Regional Library System patrons won't be the only beneficiaries of Library.Solution.
Now, all 46 staff members will be able to electronically track Neuse's 200,000 available items - this in sharp contrast to the previous approach which required librarians to pick up the phone and call around to
locate a specific title. "With all eight branches Enked," added Ms. Ho, "we can reallocate a lot of manpower from circulation to more important services - like assisting our patrons."
Also commenting on today's announcement was Annette Harwood-Bakhtiar, President Chairman and
an original founder of TLC, who stated, "Our mission at The Library Corporation isn't to sell new technology. It's to first understand what librarians and patrons will need to get the most out of their
library experience, and only then, to engineer a solution."
Continued Ms. Harwood-Bakhtiar, "TLC's tremendous success with Library-Solution in North
Carolina and other major markets worldwide, while seemingly overnight is truly the culmination of 25 years of hard work and careful listening in this industry.
It takes great technology and superior customer service to make it all happen - and that's what we strive to provide every single day at TLC. "
Library.Solution, developed by TLC in 1997, is third generation technology that has replaced
countless name-brand systems in nearly 1,000 libraries worldwide. It fuses the Windows NT™ operating system, Intel compatible hardware, an Oracle™ database and Intenet linkage into one system
designed to make it easy for libraries to manage their resources.
Recently, TLC released Library-Solution Version 2.0, which contains such enhancements as computerized inventory control using a hand-held scanner, an enhanced Oracle database management facility, support for new self-checkout protocols, and the ability for patrons to review their library accounts online.
Other recent TLC developments:
- expanded its toll-free customer support services to a 24 x 7 service.
- contracted with Broward County Schools, Florida, to install Library.Solution in the district's 212 media center libraries serving the needs of
approximately 224,000 students.
- announced the release of it's latest version of NetPAC.Z - web cataloging service which now features Z39.50 server capabilities.
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