June, 1999 (Raleigh, NC) - Keystone Systems, a leading producer of library automation systems, is proud to announce that KLAS, the Keystone Library Automation System, has been installed at the Tampa-Hillsborough County Talking Book Library (THCTBL) as the new library automation system. A subregional library, THCTBL joins the Florida KLAS network with the regional library, Florida Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services, allowing them to more easily serve the needs of their patrons in a cooperative fashion.
In this continuing outsourcing operation by Keystone, the THCTBL's database and KLAS programs reside on a server computer located in Keystone's office in Raleigh, NC. The library's staff users in Tampa, FL access the system in Raleigh via the Internet. This set-up allows Keystone personnel to monitor the efficiency of the system operations, making any necessary adjustments; it also frees the Tampa library from hardware and systems maintenance. The nearly instantaneous speed of most communications over Internet connections to the Sun server compares favorably with a private wide area network using a mainframe computer.
The THCTBL's mission is to provide the reading materials and information needed by its patrons, who use alternate media including audio tape and descriptive videos. To efficiently and cost-effectively provide these services, the library needed a new automation system that could provide more advanced operation features than its previous system. With the implementation of KLAS, the THCTBL's average daily circulation has quadrupled from 100 to 400 books per day.
"Staff at the Tampa Talking Book Library are very pleased with KLAS' versatility," stated Library Services Specialist Leigh Myers. "KLAS offers almost unlimited options for tailoring library service to each individual customer's needs. Keystone staff are pleasant and always helpful"
KLAS provides access to the library's collection of 29,000 copies of over 10,000 titles for its 1800 patrons. Additionally, these materials are supplemented by the regional library's 2.2 million copies of over 57,000 titles. The library staff uses the automatic searches and patron service options in KLAS to serve their patrons more efficiently, leaving time for personalized service as needed.
Keystone Systems, Inc. is a sixteen year old company based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Through extensive research and consultation, Keystone developers have created a powerful, yet elegant library automation system, KLAS, which has the flexibility to meet the specific needs of special, academic, and public libraries. Keystone's staff takes pride in assisting customers to obtain and fully utilize the best computer systems available.