L I B R A R Y AUTOMATION: P L A N N I N G A N D

IMPLEMENTATION
 L I B R A R Y A U T O M AT I O N

• The term ‘automation’ was first coined by D. S. Harder in 1936, who was then
associated with the General Motor Company in the USA.
• The Webster’s Third New International Dictionary of English Language
defines ‘automation’ as “the technique of making an apparatus, a process, or a system
operate automatically; the state of being operated automatically; automatically
controlled operation of an apparatus, processor system by mechanical or electronic
devices that takes the place of human labor”.
• Kent’s Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science as “the library
automation is the use of automatic and semiautomatic data processing machines to
perform acquisition, cataloguing, circulation and other library operations.
CONCEPT
• Application of ICT in the field of LIC to perform library house
keeping operation .
OBJECTIVES OF LIBRARY
A U T O M AT I O N
Objectives of Library Automation There are some important objectives of library automation are
below:
To maintain bibliographical records of all the materials, in a computerized form.
To provide bibliographical details through a single enumerative access point of holdings of a library.
To reduce the repetition in the technical processes of housekeeping operations.
 To provide access to information at a faster rate.
To share the resources through library networking.
To implement new IT processes to provide high quality information
 W H Y L I B R A R Y A U T O M AT I O N
Mechanisation – doing what we are already doing though more efficiently;
Innovation – experimenting with new capabilities i.e., introduction of new
services and improvement of existing services through the use of ICT; and
Transformation – fundamentally altering the nature of the library operations
and services through capabilities extended by ICT.
 FUNCTIONS OF LIBRARY
A U T O M AT I O N
To satisfy users’ needs in the changing information environment by
providing a friendly user-interface with enhanced information retrieval skills.
To reduce the drudgery of repeated manual efforts in library operations and
functions.
To facilitate access to the online public access catalogue with the user-
friendly search interface.
To help in the analysis of document contents and the allocation of controlled
subject headings.
To promote ease of cataloguing and guarantee data consistency, thus facilitating
the printing of Authority files.
To expedite searches because the system has a robust search function.
To allow flexibility in handling library routines, with several printing layouts
available.
To facilitate the setting and configuration of software to suit the peculiar needs of
a library.
To reduce the staff workload and increases the efficiency of the library.
To promote stock maintenance, oversee fee collections and ensures the prompt
generation of daily statistics of library users
 NEED AND PURPOSE
All of us need faster and accurate information to achieve academic, professional or recreational goals. The automated
library systems satisfy the expectations of the society better than the manual system hence, automation of the library is
the need of the hour. Some of the basic needs of library automation are:
Accuracy and Reliability:
Time Saving:
Increase the staff productivity
Statistics Generation:
Library Service:
Resource Sharing:
Dissemination of Information:
OPAC:
Enhancement of Library Management:
LIBRARY AUTOMATION: PLANNING
• Planning is a systematic process to create or development of any
specific project.
• In the sense of library automation planning, a thorough study of the
library’s existing system as well as the library’s vision is necessary to
enable you to prepare a good technology plan and project proposal.
 WHO SHOULD BE PLANNED OF
L I B R A R Y A U T O M AT I O N ?
• Library authority
• Library committee
• Librarian or library staff
• Computer Specialist or Engineer
 S T E P S OF P L A N N I N G FOR L I B R A R Y
AUTOMATION
 Objectives or vision
 Present status of library
 Requirement gape
 Feasibility
 Technology plan
 Project proposal
 Approval of proposed project
OBJECTIVES OR VISION
 P R E S E N T S T A T U S OF L I B R A R Y
A systems study is conducted to assess the library’s status and needs. It involves all
the following issues;
 Nature of Library and its purpose
 Total collection of library
 Number of users
 Daily circulation
 Numbers of multi lingual documents
 Information service
 Available staff
 Working process of library
 Users need
 SOURCES OF DATA
 Statistics
 Staff profile
 Patron profile
 Policies and procedures
 Functional specifications
REQUIREMENT GAPE
• By comparing the actual status with the objectives of the project, the
systems requirements can be determined.
FEASIB ILITY STUDY
Immediately after the analysis and design for the system has been
completed, a feasibility study must be conducted. It is designed to
answer:
 Is the proposed system possible?
 Is it necessary?
 What other options are available?
 Is it affordable?
 The end product of a feasibility study is a report to management.
 TECHNOLOGICAL PLAN
The technological plan should be a written document Contains:
 Vision, Goals and Objectives
 Components of the project in terms of needs to achieve the vision
 Specifications for your system requirements,
 Financial estimates,
 Action plan and
 Timeframe for the project.
 PROPOSAL
RFP is a formal request for a bid from suppliers of library systems. The RFP is a comprehensive document that provides the vendor
with the outline, purpose, scope, description, minimum requirements, etc. for the system.
Some steps for prepared of RFP are following;
 Writing RFP
 Approval
 Request quotation
 Receiving proposal from vendors
 Evaluating proposals
 Preparing a short list of vendors
 Requesting a demo of the system
 Purchasing the system
 Preparing the contract
 Delivery and installation of system
 Evaluation of installed system