CARL•Connect Circulation 1.3 released

The Library Corporation released CARL•Connect 1.3 to further enhance the library patron and staff experience.

Today, CARL•Connect Circulation will immediately check a patron’s information and identify any accounts that may already exist for them during the registration process. Now v1.3 brings advanced Account Merge functionality to the table, taking the concept of duplicate patron checking and Account Management to the next level.  Where desired, CARL•Connect allows staff to effectively merge accounts together, bringing current and historical patron activities into a single account. This feature also offers options to retain or edit the patron’s contact and demographic information during the merge process. Not only does this reduce duplicate account creations, it can be used any time it is determined that a patron has more than one live account with the library or where members of a family would like to join their accounts. Using the new Account Merge interface will improve the accuracy of your patron statistics and will remove questions at the Circulation desk.

Additionally, CARL•Connect is designed specifically for mobile devices using wireless internet and is bluetooth ready for use with any compatible barcode scanner. CARL•Connect 1.3 continues this trend of providing more flexibility to library staff and patrons with the ability to quickly register or search for a patron’s account by scanning the 2D barcode on their driver’s license. No longer will valuable time be lost keying in address details or searching for patrons who did not bring in their library card! By leveraging the information that is stored on the 2D barcode, libraries have a streamlined process for registration and patron lookup that will increase efficiency both inside the library and out in the community.

Interested in hearing more about the CARL•Connect 1.3 feature set, and its other leading-edge functionality including the Digital Library Card, Paperless Patron Registration process, and its “bring your own device” philosophy? Visit TLC at Booth 2417 during the ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco.