Planning for Integrated Systems and Technologies: A How‐to‐Do‐It Manual for Librarians (2nd ed.)

Citation

Chawner, B. (2002), "Planning for Integrated Systems and Technologies: A How‐to‐Do‐It Manual for Librarians (2nd ed.)", Library Hi Tech, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 462-463. https://doi.org/10.1108/lht.2002.20.4.462.2

The authors say that this is intended to “guide any library in planning for the introduction of an integrated system or migrating from an existing system to a new one”. They begin with a strong emphasis on planning, with the first third of the book about developing and maintaining a technology plan. The second part deals with selecting and implementing an integrated library system, and the third covers building the in‐house databases needed to run the system. There is a brief conclusion that looks at the technology life cycle and planning for the future, and an appendix on working with consultants. Specific topics covered include such matters as: evaluating proposals and negotiating a contract, staff training, and an introduction to the MARC formats.

This is a practical book rather than an academic one, more useful for managers than people interested in the details of technology. There are many sample worksheets, checklists, and forms, covering such matters as: the basic statistical data needed to understand the scale of the library’s day‐to‐day operations, an assessment of current technology, service needs assessment, assessing the technology plan, vendor proposal scoring sheet, and steps in a bar‐coding project. Each chapter ends with a brief (and mainly annotated) bibliography of further reading – interestingly, these often include classic material from the early 1990s as well as more recent articles and books. The annotations usually, but not always, explain why the older material has been included. There is a subject index.

Most confusing about this book is its publishing history. Although the cover indicates that it is a “second” edition, it is worth noting that the first edition had the title Planning for Automation: A Practical Handbook (Library Association Publishing, London, 1998). This book is a British revision of Cohn, Kelsey and Fiels’ Planning for Integrated Systems and Technologies: A How‐to‐Do‐It Manual for Librarians. How‐to‐Do‐It Manuals for Libraries, 111 (Neal‐Schuman Publishers, New York, NY, 2001). I have been unable to compare it with the American original, and so am unable to comment on the extent of Salter’s revisions. However, I did note that this version uses British terminology (such as “operational requirement” rather than “request for proposal”), and the chapter on preparing system specifications includes a citation for the official European Union Public Procurement Brochure. A comparison with the 1998 edition shows additional chapters on: the importance of planning; assessing and amending the technology plan; and the ways in which integrated systems are evolving, as well as more figures. As well, the introduction includes a discussion of the ways in which increased end‐user access to information on the Internet is changing expectations of library systems.

People whose primary interest is in preparing or updating a technology plan are likely to find that Cohn, Kelsey and Fiels’ earlier Writing and Updating Technology Plans (Neal‐Schuman, New York, 2000) or Mayo and Nelson’s Wired for the Future (ALA, Chicago, 1999) contain more detail, and those who already own the American version are unlikely to need this one as well. However, the title is recommended for graduate library and information studies collections, or for staff collections, particularly in small or medium‐sized libraries expecting to undertake a system replacement project in the near future.