Carlyle Systems, Inc., which for the past year has been in reorganization, has announced not only the completion of a new circulation mode, but also the porting of its system to UNIX-based hardware platforms. Carlyle offers both turnkey and software-only library automation systems. Carlyle has also announced the introduction of three financing plans: a Short Term Rental agreement, a Lease-to-Own plan, and phased installation.
The Short Term Rental allows libraries to pay for an automated system out of their operating budget rather than their capital budget. The library can acquire a Carlyle system with no money down and payments can be bundled into the STR agreement, making budgeting for automation that much easier. The Short Term Rental agreement is renewed annually.
The Lease-to-Own plan also allows the library to acquire a system with no money down and a flexible payment structure. This option was designed for libraries that wish to purchase a system, but need to spread the cost over several fiscal years.
The third financing alternative is a phased installation. For example, a library may choose to install the circulation system in the first year, the online catalog in the second year, and the acquisitions and serials modules in the third year. Carlyle's standard terms are 30 percent down at contract signing, 50 percent at the start of installation, and 20 percent at system acceptance. The 30/50/20 payment schedule is applied to each phase of the installation.
[Contact; Carlyle Systems, Inc., 5750 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608; (415) 528-3900.]
