Electronic Information Service: Automation in a Small Unit

摘要

The report considers the automation of a small information service and library. The study starts by defining the automation needs of the information service and library functions. The investigation of information technology and its integrated applications concentrated on local area networks and on the integrated software packages available for libraries and information services. The report is intended to provide information specialists and librarians with the conceptual background required for investigating integrated applications. The Nordic market was studied and it was found that only a few Nordic software producers are active in the field. There seems to be a need for the importation of international applications (with Scandinavian alphabets) and for the promotion of Nordic efforts. The report also describes an integrated application for automating certain document delivery functions using the Tinman software package in the Information Service of the Technical Research Centre of Finland. It is concluded that microcomputers and local area networks offer new and flexible approaches to small information services, but the lack of good, reliable application software means that development projects would require extensive resources at this stage. (Copyright (c) Valtio teknillinen tutkimuskeskus (VTT) 1988.)