Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 20:05:05 +0530 From: Jai Haravu <haravu@newgenlib.com> Dear professional colleagues and teachers of library and information science I am happy to let you know that a new book titled Library Automation: Design Principles and Practice will be published by Allied Publishers and become available by the end of July 2004. The book is authored by me (L.J. Haravu) and is targeted to students and teachers in library schools, librarians, and software developers interested in library automation. Some of you may not know me. I retired as senior Manager, Library and Documentation Services of ICRISAT in India in Jan 1996. The table of contents of the book is given at the end of this mail. The book also has an accompanying CD-ROM containing sample applications, data structures, presentations and web resources on topics discussed in the book. The book, in fact is being published on behalf of a charitable professional trust of which I am a trustee, viz., Kesavan Institute of Information and Knowledge Management (KIIKM) (http://www.kiikm.org/). This trust was formed to honour one of Indias great scholar-librarians, Mr B S Kesavan, who was independent Indias first National Librarian and later the first Director of the Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC in New Delhi, India). Mr Kesavan was a pioneer institution builder, a great humanist and a mentor to many young library professionals. The book is priced at Indian Rupees 445.00. However, KIIKM will be offering a limited number of copies of the book to librarys, library schools and individual library professionals at a concessional price of Rupees 330 plus Rupees 35 towards packing and air mail postage (Total of Rupees365.00). If you are interested in one or more copies of the publication for your library, do send me an advance payment by cheque for Rs. 365.00 per copy made out to the Kesavan Institute of Information and Knowledge Management. The cheque should be sent to the address given below. If you have difficulty in sending advance payment, kindly send me an email expressing interest in having the book so that I can reserve a copy for you/your library. The proceeds of the sale of the book will accrue to KIIKM. Best regards and looking forward to hearing from you. L J Haravu Table of Contents Library Automation: Design, Principles and Practice L J Haravu Chapter 1. B Background and brief history Scope Nature of library automation systems Brief history of library automation The period 195470 Information retrieval Library housekeeping Circulation control Serials control systems Acquisitions Technology and environment The period 197090 Online catalogues Retrospective conversion Access to resources outside the library Interlibrary loan services and document delivery Data exchange Integrating other online resources Technology and environment International initiatives Networking technologies The birth of the Internet and the World Wide Web Developments since 1990 Chapter 2. Introduction to library automation Scope Rationale Types of library automation systems Standalone systems Integrated systems Library automation subsystems Use scenarios in library automation Hardware and software for library automation Single user systems Multi-user systems Local area networks (LANs) Client-server architectures Software requirements References Suggested reading Chapter 3. Automation of book acquisition systems Scope The role of acquisitions Rationale for the automation of the acquisitions function Infrastructure for an automated acquisitions system Access to external databases and sources of information Access to internal databases and files Subsystems of an automated acquisitions system Request processing Order data entry and updating Order production and transmission Received item processing Accessioning Received invoice processing Claims Cancellation Physical preparation Financial records, budgeting and reporting Search and retrieval Management information reporting Interfaces with other library automation subsystems Review questions and exercises Suggested reading Chapter 4. File and data structures in automated book acquisitions systems Scope Workflows and files in book acquisitions Suggestions_file Approvals_file Vendors_file Budget files Bibliographic_file Invoices_file Order_file Currency_file Entity-relationship diagram Processing Algorithms in book acquisitions Chapter 5. Automation of the cataloguing function in libraries Scope The role of cataloguing Rationale for automating the cataloguing function Infrastructure and requirements of an automated cataloguing system Access to external databases Internal databases and files Data structures for the catalogue database Subsystems of an automated cataloguing system Search, retrieval, and display Cataloguing data entry Verification and validation Authority control Printing and output production Retrospective conversion Issues in RECON The RECON plan Determining library needs Establish parameters Establish standards Options for conversion of records Implementing the RECON plan The role of OCLC in automated cataloguing OCLC interfaces Copy-cataloguing Input of new records Transcribing paper records Authorities search OCLC tape and file transfer interfaces Interfaces with other library automation subsystems Review questions and exercises Reference and suggested reading Chapter 6. File and data structures automated cataloguing systems Scope The bibliographic database in library automation systems The Holdings_file Authority files The MARC record Leader Record directory Control fields Variable fields Pros and cons of the MARC record Representing the catalogue record in library automation software Proprietary and flat-file structures Relational database structures Alternative relational database structure XML Solutions Algorithms in the automation of cataloguing Review questions and exercises References Suggested reading Chapter 7. Online public access catalogues (OPACs) Scope What are OPACs? Early efforts User studies Multiple roles of an OPAC The technology of web-based OPACs DHTML Common gateway interface Dynamic link libraries (DLLs) Java Scripting languages Search and display functionality of web OPACs Basic search Advanced search Desirable features of web OPACs The OPAC user interface The physical screen General principles Results display screens Messages Welcome messages Prompts Status messages Error messages Help messages Organizational issues Algorithm to evaluate Boolean expressions Review questions and exercises References Suggested reading Chapter 8. Automation of circulation control systems Scope Introduction Rationale for automating circulation control Infrastructure and requirements of an automated circulation control system Membership records Membership privileges matrix Barcode making and reading equipment Subsystems of an automated circulation control system Membership registration subsystem Charge subsystem Discharge subsystem Renewals subsystem Holds/reservations subsystem Recalls subsystem Interlibrary loans subsystem Overdues subsystem Fines subsystem Binding subsystem Search and retrieval subsystem Management information reporting subsystem Interfaces with other library automation subsystems Review questions and exercises Suggested reading Chapter 9. File and data structures in automated circulation control Scope Nature of circulation control Files in circulation control User_file Privileges matrix Structures for transaction data Structures for reservation transactions Audit trail of fine transactions Security and transaction logging Entity-relationship diagram of data structures in circulation control Review questions and exercises Suggested reading Chapter 10. Automation of serials control Scope Nature of serials control Rationale for automating the serials control function Idiosyncrasies of serials Infrastructure and requirements of an automated serials control system Access to external databases Access to internal databases Subsystems of an automated serials control system Check-in or registration subsystem Claims subsystem Binding subsystem Serials union list subsystem Subscription management subsystem Search and retrieval subsystem Physical preparation subsystem Reports subsystem Interfaces with other library automation subsystems Review questions and exercises Chapter 11. F File ile and data str structures in serials control Scope Files in serials control Serials_Master_file Holdings records Binding file Orders, fund accounting, invoices and payment processing Review questions and exercises Chapter 12. Web-based library automation Scope The global nature of the Web What are web-based library automation systems? The technology of client-server architectures Web-based library automation systems from the users point of view Web-based library automation systems from the librarians point of view Networking via web-based library automation software References Chapter 13. Strategies for the implementation of library automation Scope Factors that influence the adoption of information technology Internal factors External factors Helpful factors Prerequisites to implementing library automation Library automation tasks Problem identification and planning Adoption strategies Feasibility study Analysis, design, and system specification Develop or buy decisions Tendering Implementation Training and procedure manuals Evaluation Review questions and exercises References Chapter 14. C Current trends and possible future directions Scope Leveraging the Internet Web-based OPACs Libraries as portals Document delivery and interlibrary loan services Ariel Global Sharing Program of OCLC ISO Interlibrary Loan Protocol Digital reference services Application service providers Cooperative library networks Digital libraries Interoperabilty of information systems The z39.50 standard Metadata initiatives The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) The Dublin Core elements Relationship of the DCMI with other Metadata Initiatives XML, RDF and Metadata Dublin Core Metadata Elements, z39.50 and MARC-21 The Open Source Movement Possible future directions The centrality and pervasiveness of the Web Digital libraries XML versus legacy formats Applications and Services References *************************************************************** CD-ROM containing the following: Resources for teachers and students Sample forms and data structures Demo applications Algorithms L J Haravu Trustee, Kesavan Institute of Information and Knowledge Management [http://www.kiikm.org/] 69 Krishnapuri Colony West Marredpally Sedcunderabad 500 026 Tel: 91-40-27803947