Brief History of Library Automation: 1930-1996
Brief History of Library Automation: 1930-1996
An automated library is one where a computer system is used to manage one or several of the library's key functions such as acquisitions, serials control, cataloging, circulation and the public access catalog. When exploring the history of library automation, it is possible to return to past centuries when visionaries well before the computer age created devices to assist with their book lending systems. Even as far back as 1588, the invention of the
French "Book Wheel" allowed scholars to rotate between books by stepping on a pedal that turned a book table. Another interesting example was the "Book
Indicator", developed by Albert Cotgreave in 1863. It housed miniature books to represent books in the library's collection. The miniature books were part of a design that made it possible to determine if a book was in, out or overdue.
These and many more examples of early ingenuity in library systems exist, however, this paper will focus on the more recent computer automation beginning in the early twentieth century.
The Beginnings of Library Automation: 1930-1960 It could be said that library automation development began in the 1930's when punch card equipment was implemented for use in library circulation and acquisitions. During the 30's and early 40's progress on computer systems was slow which is not surprising, given the Depression and World War II. In 1945,
Vannevar Bush envisioned an automated system that would store information, including books, personal records and articles. Bush(1945) wrote about a hypothetical "memex" system which he described as a mechanical library that would allow a user to view stored information from several different access points and look at several items simultaneously. His ideas are well known as the basis for hypertext and mputers for their operations. The first appeared at MIT, in 1957, with the development of COMIT, managing linguistic computations, natural language and the
An automated library is one where a computer system is used to manage one or several of the library's key functions such as acquisitions, serials control, cataloging, circulation and the public access catalog. When exploring the history of library automation, it is possible to return to past centuries when visionaries well before the computer age created devices to assist with their book lending systems. Even as far back as 1588, the invention of the
French "Book Wheel" allowed scholars to rotate between books by stepping on a pedal that turned a book table. Another interesting example was the "Book
Indicator", developed by Albert Cotgreave in 1863. It housed miniature books to represent books in the library's collection. The miniature books were part of a design that made it possible to determine if a book was in, out or overdue.
These and many more examples of early ingenuity in library systems exist, however, this paper will focus on the more recent computer automation beginning in the early twentieth century.
The Beginnings of Library Automation: 1930-1960 It could be said that library automation development began in the 1930's when punch card equipment was implemented for use in library circulation and acquisitions. During the 30's and early 40's progress on computer systems was slow which is not surprising, given the Depression and World War II. In 1945,
Vannevar Bush envisioned an automated system that would store information, including books, personal records and articles. Bush(1945) wrote about a hypothetical "memex" system which he described as a mechanical library that would allow a user to view stored information from several different access points and look at several items simultaneously. His ideas are well known as the basis for hypertext and mputers for their operations. The first appeared at MIT, in 1957, with the development of COMIT, managing linguistic computations, natural language and the
Bibliography: Bush, V. (1945).As we may think. Atlantic Monthly. 176(1), 101-8. Duval, B.K. & Main, L. (1992). Automated Library Systems: A Librarians Guide and Teaching Manual. London: Meckler Nelson, N.M., (Ed.) (1990). Library Technology 1970-1990: Shaping the Library of the Future. Research Contributions from the 1990 Computers in Libraries Conference. London: Meckler. Pitkin, G.M. (Ed.) (1991). The Evolution of Library Automation: Management Issues and Future Perspectives. London: Meckler.