Week 10

Week 10
Topic: Library Automation and Library Software Packages
Library automation is defined as the use of computers and associated technology to carry out library services
or to do exactly what has been done in libraries with the justification of reduced cost and or increased
performance.
COMPUTER USED
Computers are not being used in libraries to carry out various aspects of library services that are routine and
repetitive. These include selection, acquisition, cataloguing, circulation, information storage and retrieval,
current awareness services, bibliographic search, etc.
Computers also assist the library staff in offering improved new services in areas such as current awareness
services, selective dissemination of information among others
Reasons for Automation:

1. To provide more and better services to users.
2. To make materials (information) available when required.
3. To maintain collection record.
4. Security and safety are provided by computer systems on stored information.
5. To aid planning, decision making, and controlling.
6. To provide an efficient control system.
7. Automation helps in the acquisition, organization, storage and dissemination of information in a
library.
Advantages of Automation:
1. It improves access to information for users
2. It provides information on what is available in a needed field.
3. It ensures greater output services with the same number of personnel.
4. It facilitates resource sharing in an information system, e.g. inter-library loan.
5. It guarantees cost effectiveness and efficiency in libraries and information centres
6. It aids selective dissemination of information (SDI)
7. It provides easy method of updating information. Compared with manually taken documents like
statue inventory and stocktaking automation system has a way of updating these documents without
necessarily going through the trouble associated with routine work which is common with manual work
Note: The use of automated library system will help to perform the following library function in a
manner that will avoid repetition:
1. Compilation of accession lists,
2. Maintaining library statistics,
3. Charging and discharging of books,
4. Compiling overdue notices,
5. Keeping books on reserve,
6. Maintaining library roster.
Disadvantages of Automation:
1. Cost: The initial cost of putting it in place, maintenance cost, etc.
2. Electricity: When we think about Nigerian factor in electricity, we can see that it
is nothing to write home about
3. Personnel: Of course, you will need skilled personnel to man the technologies.
LIBRARY AUTOMATION SOFTWARE PACKAGES
There are several software packages for library automation systems available in the markets that are capable
of efficiently acquiring, storing, retrieving, and disseminating information to library patrons on a stand-alone
computer, local area network and via the internet.
DEFINITION OF SOFTWARE
A software is a set of programmes written or developed to enable the computer to do desired operations.
The software can be broadly categorized into two types:
1. system software and
2. application software
The system software are otherwise known as operating systems which are sets of programmes inbuilt in
computers to run the computer, whereas application softwares are used in the computer to perform specific
applications.
In the case of libraries application softwares are used to automate house keeping operations such as:
Service areas to be affected by automation
Every section of the library operations is amenable/open to automation, but is cost effective to implement in
phases. More so, it needs be stated that there is no standard rule to determine which section to automate first;
hence each library will have to take that decision, whenever the situation arise.
There are four library operations/section for automating
1. Circulation
2. acquisition
3. cataloguing
4. serials control etc.
This topic shall be restricted to the data elements required for automaton of the respective library
operations/section. For automating
Today, quite a number of library software packagea are available for librarians for house keeping operations
and information storage and retrieval purposes.
Module 1: Circulation
The circulation desk of a library carry out charging and discharging (lending of materials to patrons and
receiving them back), registration of new users, etc.
 The module therefore will have the following: or data elements needed include:
 Name of borrower (patron).
 Address of borrower.
 Account number (for students only).
 Status (student, staff, visitor)
 The department of the borrower.
 The Author/title of the book
 Date borrowed
 Date due
 Accession list
 ID card number and every necessary detail that will be needed to track the borrower.
Module 2: Acquisition
The Acquisition department is saddled with the responsibility of procuring bibliographic materials
either through purchases, exchange or gifts. Under acquisition, those involved in suggesting materials to
be acquired are the librarian, library staff, faculty members, library committee members, library users.
 Data elements needed include:
 Title of book imprint (year and place of publication, publisher), author, subject, edition, I\SBN and
unit price.
Module 3: Cataloguing
The cataloguing department’s function is to organize the total library resources with suitable
bibliographic controls to facilitate access to the resources by clientele.
Library catalog module comprises
 The author’s name
 Title or subject of the materials
 Date of publication
 Place of publication
 Publisher
 Subject
 Classification mark,
 accession number,
 ISBN
 Edition, etc. and at times, unit price
Module 4: Serials/Journals (Data elements needed include:
 Journal title
 Subject
 Publisher
 Place of publication
 Date of publication,
 The module may have
 Issue Number
 Volume number
 ISSN
 Frequency of publication and
 Subscription price
Automation, no doubt, ensures efficiency in services delivery at any library, where such is implemented.
MAJOR LIBRARY SOFTWARE PACKAGES

One of the most important decisions in library automation is the hardware and software to use. Some
notable and tested automation software are:
1. ALICE Packages
2. TINMAN, TINLIB – The Information Navigation for Library Software
3. GLAS – Graphical Library Automation System
4. CDS/ISIS – stands for Computerized Documentation System/integrated Set of Information
System
5. X-LIB
6. DBASE 4
7. KOHA
Conclusion
Generally, an automation software provides access to a bibliographic information through:
 Author
 Title
 Keyword
 Publisher
 Subject Group
 Year of Accession, etc.

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Week 10 - Library Automation

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Topic: Library Automation and Library Software Packages

Reasons for Automation:

LIBRARY AUTOMATION SOFTWARE PACKAGES

MAJOR LIBRARY SOFTWARE PACKAGES

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