Planning for Integrated Systems and Technologies: A How‐To‐Do‐It Manual for Librarians

Citation

Cleyle, S. (2002), "Planning for Integrated Systems and Technologies: A How‐To‐Do‐It Manual for Librarians", The Electronic Library, Vol. 20 No. 6, pp. 515-515. https://doi.org/10.1108/el.2002.20.6.515.1

This book is the 2nd and revised edition of the Planning for Automation: A How‐To‐Do‐It Manual for Librarians published in 1997. The change in title reflects the change in automation and trends in libraries. The focus of this title is to help libraries and librarians plan for the implementation of an integrated library system or help with the migration from an existing system.

The book is divided into three sections:

1. 1.

   (1) Planning for library systems: developing and sustaining a basic technology plan.

2. 2.

   (2) Selecting and implementing integrated library systems.

3. 3.

   (3) Planning your in‐house collection databases.

The Appendix is also a section dealing with the topic “working with consultants”. The book includes an index.

Each section has several (five to six) chapters covering the necessary aspects of a particular topic. The chapters are concise and well written. It is clear the authors understand their readers will not have a lot of time and will want to consult quickly and not get bogged down in superfluous text. There is good use of tables, charts and templates. Each chapter has an annotated sources list.

The authors indicate this is a book for small or medium sized libraries. Yet, the information provided would be useful for any sized library planning such a project. This book describes how to manage a project and it scales nicely. For example, training is an issue whether you are training five staff members or 50. The discussion and advice given throughout the book is appropriate for all library types. “Planning” offers good strategies in such areas as strategic and technology plans, retrospective conversion, weeding, system specifications and operational requirements. The book also offers excellent nitty‐gritty instructions on contract negotiation, training, maintaining the bibliographic database and barcoding. Finally, this book provides a useful introduction in areas that may be new to some like standards, dealing with consultants, evaluating proposals background on the “new integrated systems”.

All project coordinators or library administrators contemplating the implementation of an ILS would be well served by this resource regardless of operation size.