Information Today
Volume 18, Issue 2 — February 2001
Table of Contents Previous Issues Subscribe Now! ITI Home
LibraryCard Announces New Features, Fulfillment Agreements

Auto-Graphics, Inc. has announced that its LibraryCard Web site now offers books for sale. The LibraryCard, Inc., a subsidiary of Auto-Graphics, is developing a library information services Web site for consumers. When the first phase of the site is fully completed early this year, it will offer what is believed to be the largest bibliographic database in the Web world, as well as the ability to purchase books directly from LibraryCard.com, to shop for the lowest price from competing book-selling sites, and to order books from such competing sites if their offerings are more attractive.

LibraryCard.com will be one of the first Web sites to allow users to price compare other book sites with the pricing offered by LibraryCard.com on its site, taking advantage of a single, one-stop book-finding experience at LibraryCard.com.

LibraryCard has entered into multiyear agreements with both Ingram Book Co. and Baker & Taylor, Inc., two leading book-fulfillment organizations, to provide such outsourced services for the site. LibraryCard already has an agreement with Alibris to fulfill out-of-print and hard-to-find book requests that may not be readily available from either Baker & Taylor or Ingram. According to the announcement, the proven book inventory/delivery services offered by these industry top performers should enable LibraryCard users to enjoy the same service offered by any of LibraryCard.com's competitors, including Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and Borders.com.

As LibraryCard expands its features, users will be able to see if the book they want is available for free checkout from certain local libraries or can be borrowed from another library. LibraryCard president Mike Skiles said, "One of the primary purposes of the LibraryCard.com Web site is to assist the public in taking advantage of the amazing resources available at their local library and in the library world in general."

Source: Auto-Graphics, Inc., Pomona, CA, 800/776-6939, 909/595-7204; http://www.auto-graphics.com.

Table of Contents Previous Issues Subscribe Now! ITI Home
© 2001 Information Today, Inc. Home