INWOOD, WV, June 02, 2005 – Arlington Public Library (VA) patrons and staff have begun to experience a new era in library automation and catalog searching, thanks to TLC's CARL.X and AquaBrowser Library.
Both products went live at the library on May 31st. Arlington had been a beta site for CARL.X, TLC's next-generation integrated library system that introduces new dimensions of finding, learning, and self-service. CARL.X offers rich functionality that streamlines staff workflows, and enables deep data mining. The product is the result of a multi-year re-engineering project based on TLC's CARL.Solution, an ILS used by the busiest libraries in the world.
CARL.X provides the mature, sophisticated features of CARL.Solution (previously used by Arlington Public Library) on an affordable UNIX/Oracle platform. It includes Authority Control, hundreds of reports and utilities, a single Windows Staff Client that manages access to all staff functions (Circulation, Serials and Acquisitions, etc.) and new Windows Administration Client to manage Dynamic Parameter Maintenance, Operations, Scheduling, and Reports.
“Arlington Public Library is really excited about implementing CARL.X,” Arlington Materials Management Division Chief Maureen Karl commented. “The system was lightening fast and stable right out of the gate. Both staff and end users took to it easily – we circulated over 8,000 items (1,190 self-check), returned over 13,000 items, and handled a normal load of back room functions with hardly a hiccup -- and now we are looking forward to the additional reporting capabilities and new application development possibilities available with the CARL.X Oracle-based database.”
Integrating with CARL.X is AquaBrowser Library, an innovative graphical search interface that deep links to CARL.X. Arlington has implemented adult and children's versions of the interface. AquaBrowser Library can be linked to any integrated library system. AquaBrowser offers the first progressively interactive searching experience in the library industry. AquaBrowser Library's capabilities transcend the limits of conventional OPAC searching. It finds materials using word associations, context, and spelling alternatives. AquaBrowser Library compares a user's search terms to the metadata in a library's catalog to create a visual map, a “word cloud” of associations or overviews of areas of interest. The word cloud includes the most relevant associations, translations, spelling variations, and synonyms. A user can discover the sources behind these associations and broaden the scope of a search, or choose to refine a search. It also has sophisticated Refine and Classify options which make innovative use of classic access points such as authority headings and Dewey or LC classification.
“We are particularly looking forward to being on the cutting edge of libraries offering their customers a visual search engine,” Ms. Karl said. “Aquabrowser's ability to put search results into context, present a variety of aspects of term meanings, and convey alternate relationships among terms will give Arlington residents a whole new library catalog experience. Aquabrowser's added ability to refine search results in a variety of combinations will help our searchers sift through even the largest results sets to find exactly the items that satisfy their needs.”
TLC has an exclusive agreement with the creators of AquaBrowser Library, MediaLab Solutions BV of the Netherlands, to sell the product to libraries in the United States and Canada.
Arlington Public Library circulates over 2 million items a year throughout its ten locations.
About The Library Corporation
TLC is owned and operated by the family that founded the company over 30 years ago. The company's automation solutions include library automation, cataloging and authority control solutions, RFID, and AquaBrowser Library. A number of TLC products, including AuthorityWorks, AquaBrowser Library, the Web-based Online Selection & Acquisitions™, and RFID, are designed to work with any ILS.
For more information, contact Gary W. Kirk at gwkirk@TLCdelivers.com, or call 1.800.325.7759. For information about TLC, visit www.TLCdelivers.com.
