The process of computerizing libraries has been going on for the last 25 years. This book gives professionals and students a general understanding of library automation systems. Information about underlying algorithms, file structures, and processing strategies will help readers to evaluate vendor products, build a system, and continue improvement on an existing library system.

Decision making is a very complex phenomenon. Modern decision makers must deal with very complex problems which are constantly changing and often ill structured, making modeling and analysis difficult. In order to provide support for the decision makers, computer-based information systems are designed to collect, store, process, and transport information. Recent advances in computer technol ogy, data communications, database systems, office automation, and knowledge engineering have made possible the design of very sophisticated information sys tems. However, rapid technological advances also create many problems, not the least of which is the lack of integration among the various disciplines in infor mation system design. Without such integration, a costly computer-based infor mation system is at best partially useful and at worst totally useless. The aim of this book, therefore, is to examine the various issues involved in designing man agement information systems, decision support systems, and office information systems for increasing productivity and providing decision support. This book is the outcome of the Workshop on Management and Office Infor mation Systems, which was organized by the Knowledge Systems Institute and held at Chicago, Illinois, from June 28 to 30, 1982. Twenty-seven papers from the working papers presented at that workshop were selected for inclusion in the present volume, which is organized into five parts: (I) organization structures and management, (II) decision support systems, (III) database systems, (IV) office information systems, and (V) systems and applications.

The genre of library services platforms helps libraries manage their collection materials and automate many aspects of their operations by addressing a wider range of resources and taking advantage of current technology architectures compared to the integrated library systems that have previously dominated. This issue of Library Technology Reports explores this new category of library software, including its functional and technical characteristics. It highlights the differences with integrated library systems, which remain viable for many libraries and continue to see development along their own trajectory. This report provides an up-to-date assessment of these products, including those that have well-established track records as well as those that remain under development. The relationship between library services platforms and discovery services is addressed. The report does not provide detailed listings of features of each product, but gives a general overview of the high-level organization of functionality, the adoption patterns relative to size, types, and numbers of libraries that have implemented them, and how these libraries perceive their performance. This seminal category of library technology products has gained momentum in recent years and is positioned to reshape how libraries acquire, manage, and provide access to their

This book, first published in 1995, describes how automation is changing the face of acquisitions as librarians know it and making the future uncertain yet exciting. It documents how libraries have increasingly moved to powerful, second-generation interfaceable or integrated systems that can control all aspects of library operations. The libraries presented as examples show that increasing user expectations, the siren call of cyberspace and network connectivity, and administrative faith in the savings to be obtained from electronic technical services continue to drive the migration to higher-level library management systems.

"This book provides an overview on the current state of library automation, addresses the need for changing personnel to accommodate these changes, and assesses the future for academic libraries as a whole"--Provided by publisher.

Until recently, library automation was an optional activity for libraries and limited to a few larger libraries with fewer operations-such as cataloguing, circulation of books, etc.-but the concept has been gaining prominence. Many practicing librarians and LIS schools in developing countries, including India, have become interested in the idea. Moreover, some government departments, quality assessment, as well as accrediting agencies who have been encouraging foundations/consortia to design and develop LIS software for the benefit of their member libraries, are making library automation mandatory. Commercial, as well as open source, LIS software have entered the field with varied processes, facilities, and customizable options (e.g. Libsys, Libris, Newgenlib, Koha, VTLS, e-grandhalaya, SOUL, etc.) The objective of any library is primarily to serve the user community by providing the right information to the right reader at the right time with the latest technologies and tools, but most of the public and academic libraries in India are not yet able to implement automation programs due to lack of funds, as well as expertise. These libraries are encountering customization issues as no software sufficiently supports all library operations according to procedures followed by Indian libraries. Furthermore, these libraries are also facing installation and update problems with Open source software. This book deals with all the current aspects of automation and the issues that need to be addressed while implementing automation in a librarian's respective library. The latest web applications viz. mobile, RFID technologies are discussed in the context of enhancing the effects of library automation. The information included here is designed for practicing librarians implementing automation in their libraries. [Subject: Library Science]

Recent advances in technology such as cloud computing, recent industry standards such as RFID, bibliographic standards like RDA and BIBFRAME, the increased adoption of open source integrated library systems (ILS), and continued shift in users' expectations have increased the complexity of the decision regarding ILS for all types of libraries. Recent advances in technology such as cloud computing, recent industry standards such as RFID, bibliographic standards like RDA and BIBFRAME, the increased adoption of open source integrated library systems (ILS), and continued shift in users' expectations have increased the complexity of the decision regarding ILS for all types of libraries. In a complete re-envisioning of the previous edition, Automating Media Centers and Small Libraries: A Microcomputer-Based Approach, Dania Bilal conceptualizes library automation in the Library Automation Life Cycle (LALC) that is informed by the systems development lifecycle (SDLC). She explains how the next-generation discovery services supported in the library services platforms (LSPs) provide a single point of access to library content in all types and formats, thereby offering a unified solution to managing library operations. The book covers methods of analyzing user requirements, describes how to structure these requirements in RFPs, and details proprietary and open-source integrated library systems (ILSs) and LSPs for school, public, special, and academic libraries. Up-to-date information is provided about ILS software installation and testing, software and hardware architecture such as single- and multi-tenant SaaS and Paas and IaaS, and usability assessment strategies for evaluating the ILS or LSP. The author concludes by describing what is likely coming next in the library automation arena.