INWOOD, WV, December 4, 2000 How can one of the world's fastest growing, most widely-accepted library automation systems be improved? It wasn't easy, but then again, the talented team of developers at The Library Corporation (TLC) has always enjoyed a good challenge.

Their mission, at least on paper, seemed simple: create a new version of Library.Solution specifically designed to improve cataloging capabilities worldwide and accommodate the Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) changes, scheduled to go into effect January 2001.

The result of their efforts, Library.Solution 2.1.1, indeed proves that good things can be made even better. It's also taking automation and cataloging to new levels of performance and convenience. As Annette Bakhtiar, Chief Executive Officer of TLC, explained, "Libraries of all sizes deserve a world-class automation system that is powerful,accessible, yet easy-to-use for librarian and patron alike."

TLC's new product, for example, presents an upgraded graphical user interface (GUI) that has been streamlined to help librarians make additions, modifications or deletions of new titles or new copies of existing titles, with greater ease and accuracy. "With the new Library.Solution," Ms. Bakhtiar noted, "the GUI literally ‘knows' a library's holdings structure and guides the user with a collection code drop-down menu that lists valid options for the library site to which items belong. The new automation system also features an improved statistics gathering function, permitting librarians to track additions, changes and deletions of titles by branch. Further, Library.Solution 2.1.1 is completely compatible with the new numbering formats for MARC records to be implemented by the Library of Congress.

The update is available free of charge for existing Library.Solution customers, and will be included in all new purchases. The original product was first introduced in 1997 and has been widely adopted by institutions of all sizes and types worldwide. The company recently reported that the National Library of the Philippines contracted for delivery of Library.Solution and workstations for its Main Site and 65 of the public libraries it supports.

About The Library Corporation (TLC)

The Library Corporation, headquartered in Inwood, West Virginia, was founded 26 years ago and has a singular mission: to enhance the library experience for librarians and their patrons. The company recently acquired CARL Corporation a Denver-based developer of advanced solutions used by many of the largest public libraries and formed a joint venture with CASPR Library Systems to broaden distribution of librarycom.com technology.

More information on TLC can be found at: www.TLCdelivers.com or (800) 325-7759.