For over
sixty years libraries have been able to turn to Brodart
Co. for everything
from furniture to electronic ordering systems. In many
respects it is also an international company, serving libraries
from the Northwest Territories to the Pacific Rim, with
facilities in the United States and Canada. Its rich history
has led it to become a truly full-service library supply
company.
The Automation
Division focuses its efforts on the latest computer technology
and how it can be used to improve library services. The division
offers a complete range of automation services and software
from retrospective conversion to interlibrary loan. Libraries
of all sizes including small school and large metropolitan
libraries can choose from a variety of automation services
to suit their specific needs.
The Books
Services Division is one of the world's largest suppliers
of books to libraries. However, books are just the beginning.
The Books Services Division offers dozens of ways for a library
to save time and money while providing the most current collection
to their patrons.
The Contract Library
Furniture Division manufactures high quality, solid furniture
for libraries. Although styles and choices may vary greatly,
each
piece is meticulously crafted for many years of dependable
use. The Furniture Division builds furniture for circulation
areas, children's rooms and media centers as well as
hundreds of other uses.
The Supplies & Furnishings
Division provides a multitude of products to keep any library,
large or small, running smoothly. The Brodart supply catalog
lists thousands of items from book binding tape to globes to
computer supplies.
Brodart's History
The seeds of Brodart Co. began in 1939 when a young Columbia University student
named Arthur Brody invented the plastic book jacket cover. Mr. Brody did a
lot of architectural photography as a student, and one day washed the emulsion
off some film and folded it around some books for added protection. When the
covers' popularity grew among his fellow students, the plastic book jacket
cover was officially born. Today, the covers are used to protect the original
paper jackets of library books, giving them a longer shelf life and increasing
their circulation. This innovation, in turn, gave birth to Brodart Co.
The Company continued to flourish, and in 1954 began manufacturing a complete
line of furniture. Expert workmanship has allowed Brodart to expand and diversify
this product line, and today Brodart's library furniture is sold to schools,
universities, and libraries worldwide.
In the 1950's Brodart Co. expanded into book distribution. The Company now
offers libraries and schools books from over 20,000 publishers, and stocks
its warehouse with over 225,000 titles and 2,000,000 books. Many of these books
are shipped to libraries completely shelf-ready--fully cataloged and processed
with borrowers' cards, spine labels and barcodes already in place. These additional
services, pioneered exclusively by Brodart, greatly reduce a librarian's workload.
An impressive half century has
passed since the Company was founded. This accomplishment is
due in large part to Mr. Brody, now Chairman of the Board,
who still guides the company, and to the Employees of Brodart.
As professionals, these employees never accept a mediocre solution
to a customer's needs and continually strive to provide libraries
with the best possible service and products.
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