AbstractsBusiness Management & Administration

Automation of the acquisition and circulation systems of the U.S.T. Library

by Kwaku Osei-Agyemang




Institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Department:
Year: 1979
Record ID: 1511704
Full text PDF: http://dspace.knust.edu.gh:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1461


Abstract

1.1 Introduction: Information is the essential ingredient in decision making. The need for improved information systems in recent years has been made critical by the steady growth in size and complexity of organisations and data. The time has come when librarians are forced to turn to computers in order to give satisfactory service to their patrons. It is the objective of this project to suggest to the library administration and personnel of this University how automation can improve the Library services and how to make the change from normal to automated systems. No claims are made that an automated system is not as costly as a normal system. I feel, however, that computers make possible better utilization of personnel and under more flexible range of services. The project discusses those of Library activities that ca successfully be automated, the major design considerations, methods of implementing the systems and methods of converting from a manual to an automated system. 1.2 Why this Project? U.S.T. Library is one of the largest libraries in the country. The rate of growth of the community that this Library is supposed to serve makes it imperative fro certain operations to be automated so that information rational which is the basis of the ordering sub-system, the circulation sub-system could be faster. Information as to availability of the circulation or the order of a particular book should be made readily available to who ever needs it. It is my fervent hope that this project will come up with something interesting and useful to the Library personnel and thereby help to improve some of the operations in the library. Since the need fro automation has already well received by the Librarian, the major problem which is the human behaviour towards any proposal for a change has been eliminated. The staff who will be involved in the various operations have also responded favourably to assurances that the computer is not going to displace them to perform those tasks which they have been performing daily much faster. The term Library Automation refers to the processing of certain routine clerical functions in the library with the assistance of computers or other mechanized or semi-automatic equipment. This Automation will release the Library staff from many routines, administrative or clerical functions. Thus it will not replace the Librarian or make for the Librarian any decision involving professional judgement. A conspicuous example is in the assignment of the subject headings. Obviously these must be assigned by a trained cataloguist. There are three main areas main of Library operations – Administration, Management and Library science. The benefits which the Library will derive from this proposed automated system will be as follows: a) Clerical Function The amount of routine clerical work will be significantly reduced. The reduction in positions will be offset to some extent by corresponding increases in Computer costs. The professional Librarians by releasing these tasks to a…