The online public access catalog of CLSI, Inc., was introduced at the Bordeaux Public Library when it opened its new 280,000-square-foot building in late August. The eleven-floor building with an all-glass facade was built around an automated robot which controls storage and retrieval of the library's collection. CLSI developed an interface to the unique automated system that directs the robot in its shelving and retrieval of the library's non-circulating items. These materials are available on an hourly loan basis and represent all but 80,000 volumes of the library's collection of one million volumes.
After CLSI's online catalog module produces the search results, a request is sent to the robot via one of six personal computers (PCs). The PC assigns a number to each user's request, and item barcode numbers activate the robot to retrieve the items, usually within five minutes. The system informs the user that the items have been delivered by automatically listing the assigned request number on an overhead electronic sign. To shelve the materials, a PC scans the items' barcodes, and the robot returns the materials to the correct locations.
[Contact: CLSI, Inc., 320 Nevada Street, Newtonville, MA 02160; (617) 965-6310; Fax (617) 969-1928.]
