INWOOD, W.Va. (Nov. 16, 2016) – The Library Corporation's annual users' conference, TLCU 2016, united TLC customers from around the world Oct. 16-19 at the Mission Palms Hotel and Conference Center in Tempe, Ariz. Nearly 170 attendees from TLC libraries from as far away as New Zealand gathered with staff from TLC's Inwood and Denver offices for three days of product education, training, and updates.
The future was the focus for users of Library.Solution integrated library system. Over the course of TLCU 2016, users saw first hand how TLC Inwood's planned evolution will revolutionize the current ILS experience. The centerpiece of this vision is LS2 Cataloging. First unveiled at TLCU 2015, LS2 Cataloging introduces a linked data approach to the cataloging experience that moves the library beyond a traditional MARC editor. The innovative use of glossaries to maintain data consistency, a new series service supplying titles linked to genres and audience level, and improvements to batch editing of bibliographic, item, and authority records all proved to be crowd pleasers, demonstrating not only the improved user experience for library staff but also a better discovery experience for library users. With the product's projected release months away, numerous conference attendees were eager to early adopt LS2 Cataloging and be among the first libraries in the world to bring its benefits to staff and borrowers alike.
TLC Denver's announcement regarding the strong emphasis of the CARL integrated library system's Discovery module excited their users this year, with development focused on updates to the online catalog for expanding use of linked open data and ensuring visibility of library data and discovery by Google, Bing, and other major search engines. The CARL.Connect Discovery platform, formerly known as LS2 PAC for CARL, focuses on continued improvement of the user experience within the CARL ILS. CARL customers expressed eagerness for the increased integration of FRBR concepts and the grouping of intellectual content, as well as the introduction of TLC cloud-based services to share the user-created content, including personalized reading recommendations, among CARL libraries.
CARL customers also were pleased to hear more about continued development of the CARL.Connect web-based product line, which will focus on the cataloging components of CARL.Connect Collections. It will incorporate LS2 Cataloging's modernized processes, untying the user interface from the MARC record and introducing dashboard features to both CARL.Connect Circulation and Reports.
TLCU 2016 offered opportunities for participants to hear from their peers about how other libraries are serving their communities in new, unique ways. Presentations from both CARL and Library.Solution customers outlined how their libraries offer higher learning and outreach programs to patrons, encourage children to read for pleasure, apply technologies to learning environments, create public and school library partnerships via the federal ConnectED initiative, and more.
Added to all of this were one-on-one training and support sessions, insider tips to get the most out of TLC's software, the unveiling of a new community website for Library.Solution and user-friendly upgrades to the CARL.Community website, product strategies for the coming years, and gorgeous weather that beckoned everyone to enjoy the beautiful, bustling city of Tempe.
TLCU 2017 will be held Nov. 5-8 in Louisville, Ky. Registration and conference information will be shared with TLC customers as it becomes available.