The Library Corp. (TLC) received a major boost with its recent award of a $13.8 million, five-year contract to provide the Chicago Public Library (CPL) with its nextgeneration library automation system.
CPL currently uses TLC's Carl.Solution automation system and will migrate to Carl.X using Oracle as the underlying database management system. The metropolitan library system will use all the standard ILS modules and will make use of enhanced search technologies including the AquaBrowser Library and Endeca Guided Navigation.
The contract covers both hardware and software, including a 21TB storage area network. The new automation system will be fully integrated with the library's desktop computing environment that provides e-mail, calendaring, Web authoring, event managing, finance, and human resources functions. The system will also be linked with the City of Chicago's business systems.
This automation contract stands as one of the largest in recent times. It also serves as a vote of confidence in TLC as an automation vendor for very large municipal libraries and for the Carl.X as the successor to the venerable Carl.Solution ILS.
