Table Of ContentTopics in Australasian Library and Information Studies
Series editors: ProfessorRoss Harvey and Dr Stuart Ferguson
This series provides detailed, formally refereed works on a wide range of topics and
issues relevant to professionals and para-professionals in the library and information
industry and to students oflibrary and information studies. All titles are written from an
Australasian perspective, drawing on professional experience and research in Australia,
New Zealand and the wider Pacific region. Proposals for publications should be
addressedtotheseries editors ([email protected]; [email protected]).
Number23
Organisingknowledgeintheglobalsociety. 2ndedition
RossHarvey with Philip Hider
Number21
Australianlibrary supervisionandmanagement. 2ndedition
RoySanders
Number20
Research methodsfor studentsandprofessionals: Information managementandsystems.
2ndedition
Kirsty Williamson etal.
Number 19
Collection management:Aconcise introduction
John Kennedy
Number 18
Information management:Aconsolidationofoperations. analysis andstrategy
Michael Middleton
Number 14
Theother 51 weeks: MarketingforAustralianlibraries
LeeWelch
Number 13
Amostdelicate monster: Theone-professionalspeciallibrary
Jean Dartnall
Number 12
Disaster recovery for archives. libraries and records management systems in Australia
andNewZealand
Judith Doig
COMPUTERS FOR LIBRARIANS
An introduction to the electronic library
Third edition
Stuart Ferguson
with Rodney Hebels
Topics in Australasian Library and Information Studies, Number22
•
(CZS)
CentreforInformation Studies
Charles Sturt University
Wagga Wagga New South Wales
Copyright© StuartFergusonand Rodney Hebels 1993, 1998, 2003
This book iscopyright. Apart from any fair dealing forthe purposesofprivate study,
research, criticismor review as permittedunderthe Copyright Act, no part may be
reproduced, stored inaretrieval system, or transmitted, inany form or byany means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded orotherwise,without priorpermissionof
the copyrightowner. Enquiriesshould be made to the Centre for Information Studies,
Charles SturtUniversity.
ISBN 1876938 60 9
ISSN: 1030-5009
National LibraryofAustraliacataloguing-in-publication data
Ferguson, Stuart, 1953- .
Computers for librarians: an introductionto the electronic library.
3rd ed.
Includesindex.
ISBN I 876938 60 9.
I. Libraries - Automation. 2. Information storage and retrieval systems. I.
Hebels, Rodney, 1969-. II. Charles Sturt University--Riverina. Centre for
Information Studies. III. Title. IV. Title: Computers for Australian librarians.
(Series: Topics in Australasian libraryand informationstudies; no. 22).
025.04
This edition published in2003
First published in 1993as 'Computers for Australian librarians'
Reprinted in2004
Editorial direction: G. Eyre
Copy editor: 1.Harris
Text processor: L.Campbell
Coverdesign: K.Reid
Printer: Activeprint, Wagga Wagga.
Centre for Information Studies
LockedBag 660
Wagga Wagga NSW 2678
Fax: +612 6933 2733
Email: [email protected]
Figures
Figure 1.1 Discussion lists 10
Figure 1.2 Newsgroups 12
Figure 1.3 The client/servermodel 15
Figure 1.4 The web-like nature ofhypertext 17
Figure 1.5 The AND operator 28
Figure 1.6 The OR operator 28
Figure 1.7 The NOT operator 29
Figure 2.1 Online information services 47
Figure 2.2 Serverfront-end software 48
Figure 2.3 Client front-end software 49
Figure 2.4 Useofagateway 50
Figure 2.5 Sample bibliographic record 51
Figure 2.6 Organisationofadatabase I 52
Figure 2.7 Organisationofadatabase 2 52
Figure 2.8 Basic CD-ROM workstation 60
Figure2.9 Print, online and CD-ROM resourcescompared 63
Figure2.10 Treatmentofrepeatingelements 73
Figure 3.1 Sample bibliographic record (repeated) 82
Figure 3.2 Sample MARC record (data elements) 91
Figure 3.3 Sequential recordingofdata on magnetic tape 92
Figure4.1 The catalogueas an information system 112
Figure 4.2 Acquisitionssystem asdata processingsystem 120
Figure4.3 Example ofabarcode 125
Figure4.4 Circulationsworkstation 125
Figure 4.5 Library MIS: performancemeasuresand indicators 138
Figure 5.1 Inverted file index 148
Figure 5.2 Useofapostings file 148
Figure 5.3 Sample data structures inthe relational model 155
Figure 5.4 Sample rule-basedexpert system 160
Figure 5.5 Sample spreadsheet-library circulations statistics 163
Figure 5.6 Graphic display ofaverage loans figures per hour 165
Figure 6.1 The functions ofacomputersystem 168
Figure6.2 The four main categoriesofhardware 169
Figure 6.3 Diagrammatic representationofthe CPU 171
Figure 6.4 ASCII representation ofcharacters 180
Figure 6.5 The AND logic gate 183
Figure 6.6 The truth table for the AND logic gate 184
Figure 6.7 The OR logic gate 184
Figure 6.8 The truth table fortheOR logic gate 184
Figure 6.9 The NOT logic gate 184
Figure 6.10 The truth table forthe NOT logic gate 185
Figure6.11 Agraphical user interface (GUI) 194
Figure 7.1 The bus, ring and star local area network topologies 200
Figure 7.2 Comparingphysicalsizes oftwistedpair,
coaxialand fibre-optic cabling 202
Figure 7.3 Comparingtransmissioncapacitiesoftwisted pair,
coaxial and fibre-optic cabling 203
Figure 7.4 Satellitetransmission 204
Figure 7.5 Parallel transmission 206
Figure7.6 Serial transmission 207
Figure7.7 Synchronousdata transmission 208
Figure 7.8 Asynchronousdata transmission 208
Figure7.9 Simplextransmission mode 209
Figure7.10 Half-duplextransmission mode 210
Figure 7.11 Full-duplextransmission mode 210
Figure 7.12 Analoguesignals 211
Figure 7.13 Digital signals 211
Figure 7.14 The seven layers oftheOSI referencemodel 215
Figure7.15 Atoken-ring local area network 216
Figure 7.16 The function ofamodem 223
Figure 8.1 The system lifecycle 231
Figure9.1 Exampleofenhancedonline cataloguerecord 258
Figure9.2 Exampleofvalue-addedelements 259
Figure 9.3 SampleURL forenhancedbibliographicrecord 260
Figure 9.4 Flowchartfordevelopmentofenhancedrecords 261
Figure 9.5 Record enhancementusing online Chinesebookstores 262
Figure 9.6 Local TV documentaries 268
Figure 9.7 Videorecordingofimportantpublic lectures 269
Figure 9.8 Audiorecordingofstudentprojects 270
Figure 9.9 FlowchartfordevelopmentofMultimediaOn Demand 272
Preface
Anyone who reads about information provisioninthe informationtechnology literature is
bound tocome across predictionsabout astate ofinformationabundance, inwhich theend
user isoffereddirect and 'seamless' accessto ahuge body ofpublications,electronically
stored and transmittedon request. Sometimesthis electronic library ofthe future isgraced
with mythologicalsignificance,with names likethe ElectronicAlexandria(areference to
the famous record repositoryofclassicalAlexandria). In the literatureoflibrary and
informationmanagement,the correspondingvision isthe so-calledlibrary without walls or
virtual library, where theuser canaccess thisworld ofinformationfrom his orherdesktop
computer.
This paradigmowes much tothe ideas ofVannevarBush, seniorScienceAdvisortoUS
PresidentRoosevelt. In 1945,inwhat isregardedasaseminal work, 'Aswe maythink',
Bush propoundedthe ideaofascholarlyworkstationormemex, that would store an
extensivelibrary ofscientificpublicationson microfilmand permit the scholarto index
publications,record annotationsand createassociativelinks betweendocuments. Many see
Bush'smemex asavisionaryideawhich was merely waitingforcomputertechnology. With
thedevelopmentofcomputersystemsand technology,computernetworksand user-friendly
retrieval tools, such asthe World Wide Web, itcould be argued that Bush's ideaofa
memex hasbeen realised. When the first edition ofthis book was publishedin 1993,such a
statementmight have seemedhyperbolic,but tenyears later itseems an unremarkable
claim.
Where do libraries fitinto this apparentworld ofinformationabundance?The first few
chaptersofthis edition presentanoverviewofhow computersand computernetworksare
used inthe library environmentand how developmentsin informationand communications
technologies(K'Ts)provideopportunitiesfor improvinglibrary service. Areas covered
include:
• provisionofaccess toweb-basedresources,commerciallyavailabledatabasesand the
growingnumberofelectronicjournalsand electronicbooks being published
• theuseofcomputersystemsand networks tosupportmuch ofthecollection
management transactedby libraries
• the developmentofdigital library collections.
The focus, inotherwords, iscomputerapplicationsin libraries.
Chapter I isdevotedtothe Internetand examinesthe range ofinformationresources
availableonthe Internet, useofthe Internetforcommunications,and informationretrieval
xii Computersforlibrarians
onthe Internet, with particularreference to theWorld Wide Web. (It perhaps gives some
ideaofthe rateofchange tonote that in 1993,when this book was firstpublished, the Web
was newly established!)Basics ofthe Internet and the Webarecovered, including the
principal search tools availableand their main features. The chaptercloses withsome
observationsonattempts by librarians to improve access to Internet resources, and some of
themain issues toconsiderinthedevelopmentofalibrary website.
InChapter2,the focus shifts from the Internet to library and information services, which
utilise a range ofinformationresources - those accessedelectronically, increasinglyviathe
Internet, and those (electronic,print andaudiovisual) that are purchasedby libraries inline
with their collectiondevelopment policies. Resources discussed include online information
databases, 'portable' databasessuch asCD-ROM information sources and inhouse
resources. The main servicescoveredare the virtual reference library- which aims to
provide an information service twenty-fourhours aday, seven days aweek- and document
delivery, which involves obtainingresources forusers thatare neitheravailablelocally nor
accessibleelectronically. The other main topics coveredarethedigitisationofexisting
collections(in other words, copying them into aformat that can bestored and transmitted
electronically)and the impact ofelectronicpublishing.
Chapter3discussesthe impact ofICTs on theprovisionofaccess to information resources.
Much ofthe focus isoncataloguesand shared cataloguing. As longas libraries have
collections,catalogueswill remain one oftheprincipal information retrieval tools used in
libraries. Cataloguingwasoneofthe earliest library operationstobecomputerised,and this
chapterlooks atthe various forms oflibrarycatalogue inuseandatattempts by librarians to
pool their cataloguingeffort through the formation ofbibliographicnetworks. It also
explains theuseofMARC formats (MAchine-ReadableCataloguing,orCode) inthe
exchange ofbibliographicdata. Finally, newer alternatives to information access are
explored, such asthe 'metadata' standard known as Dublin Core - means ofimproving
resource discoveryonthe Internet and sharing information about information.
Chapter4 introduces the ideaofaninformationsystem, which isasystem that represents
objects inaphysical system, forexample, informationresources inalibrary collection(a
catalogue). The focus here islibrary managementsystems, which are used tomanage
library collections: their acquisition, their cataloguing(identification, description and
location) and their circulation(recordingand controllingthe movement ofindividual items
inthe collection). The remainderofthechapterdiscusses two main topics, themanagement
ofspecial materials, such asserials and short-loan collections,and thegenerationof
management information; information that canassist librarydirectors inperformance
evaluation. Finally, itdiscusses theplace oflibrary managementsystems inthewider
library and informationenvironment, and the need for library systems toadhere tosome of
thestandardsdiscussed inearlier chapters.
InChapter5,the focus shifts from library specific software,such as library management
systems, togeneric software that isused inthewider community fordata management but
which can be adapted to library use.The two main types ofsoftware discussed aretext
Preface xiii
retrieval systems and database management systems. Theseoffer quite differentapproaches
todata managementand arediscussedandcompared insome detail. The remainderofthe
chapteroutlines fourothertypes ofsoftwarethat have particularrelevance inthe library
environment: hypertext,expert (or knowledge-based)systems, personal bibliographic
software and spreadsheetpackages.
Uptothispoint, the discussion islargely (though not entirely)taken upwith computer
applications inlibraries and hasavoidedtalking about computers inmuch detail. This has
beendeliberate, becausetheplan istoprovideagentle introductiontocomputersin
libraries byoutlininghow they are used inlibraries beforeconsideringhow they actually
perform these functions. Some do argue that computersystems have become soeasy touse,
comparedtoearliersystems,that librariansdo not need toknow how computerswork, any
morethan someonedriving acar needs toknow anythingabout itsmechanics. The
approach taken here isthat knowingsomethingabout how computerswork helps librarians
make moreeffectiveuseoftheir computerised systems, helps them keep abreast of
computerand communicationsdevelopments(
onwhich the library literature has much tosay) and helps them communicate intelligently
with thecomputersystems people, many ofwhom seenoneed to familiarise themselves
with library operations.
Chapter6therefore isabriefintroductiontocomputersystems and technology, which
assumes nopreviousknowledgeofcomputing. Acomputersystem istaken tocomprise
three main components:
• data, which arethe raw facts that are stored and processedinacomputersystem, e.g.,
data about books, library users, loans transactionsor library suppliers
• computerhardware, which isthe equipmentused toenter data into the system, storeor
processdata, and display data tousers
• computersoftware, which consistsofsetsofinstructions(programs) that cause the
hardware toperform actions, such asdata processing,asrequiredby thehuman
operator.
Each ofthese components isdiscussed intum, startingwith thedifferentcategoriesof
hardware. Inordertounderstandcomputerprocessing, itisnecessaryto know something
about theway inwhich data are represented inacomputer,and Chapter6introducesthis
crucial topic. It also coverscomputersoftware,both applicationssoftware,such asthe
library managementsoftwaredescribed inChapter4,and theoperatingsystems that control
thehardware onwhich the applications run. Finally, itdiscussesdifferenttypes ofcomputer
system and the different types ofuser interface - thecombinationofhardwareand software
that allows theuser tomaintain adialogue with acomputersystem.
Chapter7examinesdata communicationsand networking, afield inwhich some ofthe
most excitingdevelopments inlibrary servicesaretakingplace. Topics coveredinclude
network models, the media used inthe transmissionofdata anddata transmission methods.
It also discusses protocols- setsofconventionsor rules used indata transmission- and
xiv Computersforlibrarians
providesanoverviewofmany ofthe standardsthat aremost importanttolibraries. It
concludeswith abriefexplanationofsome ofthehardwarerequired fordata
communication.
The final chapterexaminesthedevelopmentofcomputerisedlibrary systems. It builds on
thepreviouschapters, which dealt firstwith computerapplicationsinlibraries and then with
the supportingtechnologyand standards. Itoutlinesthe main options forsystems
developmentfacing library managersand introducesthetraditional systemsanalysis and
design approach,before focusing ontheway inwhich most libraries goabout acquiring
new systems, which istopurchaseprewrittensoftwarepackages. Specific aspects of
systems developmentare examined, includingprojectmanagement,developmentof
specifications,system selection, implementationofsystemsand the final systems
evaluation.
This edition ofComputersfor librarians differs from previouseditionsinincluding case
studies, with aview toprovidingconcreteexamplesofsystem developmentand thereby
putting thetheory and principlesdiscussed intheprecedingchapters intosome form of
context. These include systemsdevelopmentinapolytechnic library over atwenty-year
period; theprocessesofupgradingalibrary managementsystem inapublic library;
catalogueenhancementusing information fromonline bookstores; Kinetica; the
developmentofonline multimedialibrary collectionsand services inauniversitylibrary;
reconstructionofauniversitylibrary (UniversidadeNasional TimorLorosae); and the
developmentofadigital library forageneral community.
Like previouseditions,the approach taken isatop-downone, inwhich applicationsare
discussedfirst,before themore technologicaltopics. This isnot theapproachtaken by
standardtexts oncomputersinlibraries. These invariablystart with computingconcepts,
such asbits andbytes (oreven semiconductortechnology!),and work their wayup through
software and data managementconceptstoapplications.The reason fortaking atop-down
approach isthat, forthose readers who have apoor understandingofcomputertechnology,
itmakes more sense tostart with what computersdoand tobuild anunderstandingofhow
systems operate within the contextofthe applications. This approach has been used togreat
effect inanumberofcourses, includinglibrary and informationmanagementprograms.
The book isaimed primarilyat students oflibrary and informationmanagementand at
those library and informationservice professionalswho feeltheneed foratext which will
give them abroad overviewofcomputerapplicationsand systems intheir field. It provides
self-learningaids, such as learning objectives,keywordsand review exercisesforthe
benefitofstudents, but itisnot only atextbook- itisintended asanexplorationofwhere
wehave reached inthedevelopmentoftheelectronic library. No attempt hasbeen made to
compile lengthy bibliographies, since resources inthis areadate soquickly, butattheend
ofeach chapterthere areafew suggestionsforfurther reference,which include books,
conferencesand websitesthat the authors think particularlyworth exploring.
Finally, this isnot asubstituteforreading some good computerandcommunicationstexts,
but itisintended asagentle introductiontosystems,technologiesand networks forthose
Preface xv
who find such texts intimidating. It isnot intended asahandbook, with practicaladvice and
checklists. There are plenty ofsuch handbooks,aimed atspecificmarkets, such as
microcomputerbuyers orschool librarians(acoupleofwhich are included inthe 'further
resources' lists). What thebook does provide isasurvey ofwhere we are with the
electronic library and, itishoped, some idea ofwhere we aregoing.
Acknowledgements
Nobook iswritten inavacuum, and the authors acknowledgetheir debt tothose who have
previouslywritten texts on computersfor librarians, such asJenniferRowley, Lucy Tedd
and WilliamSaffady,and toDavid WilliamWalker, whose Computerbasedinformation
systems(1989) took thetop-down approachto computingadopted inthisbook. They must
also thank alarge numberofcolleagueswho made helpful commentsduring the writing of
thisand earliereditions,most notablyGeoffFellows, Edward Stow, Ken Dillon, John
Mills, Ashley Freeman, Ken Eustace, Ross Harvey andJoseph Meloche,allofCharles Sturt
University, School ofInformation Studies, atthe time. They also acknowledgethe
informationretrieval skills ofAlice Fergusonand David Pietsch ofCharles Sturt
University, Division ofLibrary Services,who providedinvaluablesupport during the
writing ofthe second edition. Alice isalso anexcellentsource ofinformationand
impassionedopinionontopics such asthe virtual reference library and the special
challengesofprovidinglibrary servicestoremote users.
Special thanks also goto Philip Hider, now atCSU, who generouslyprovidedadetailed
review ofthe second edition - mostofhis commentshave been addressed inthis one- and
toKarin Smith ofCSU, Division ofLibraryServices,who read the third edition and added
further suggestions. Jill Harris'scopy editingwasexcellentand timely, and both she and
Lynne Campbell made asignificantcontributiontothe final version ofthe book. The
authors arealso gratefultothose who generouslytook time offfrom their busy schedulesto
contributecase studies - Fang SinGuek, Kelly Brennan,TommyYeung, Owen Tam,
Roxanne Missingham, Karen Myers and Alan Dawson- intheprocessenrichingwhat
otherwisethreatenedtobearather dry, theoretical work.
It goes withoutsaying - but writers prefertopoint itout anyway - that any shortcomingsin
thebook arethe responsibilityoftheauthors and no-one else.
Writing, even collaborativewriting, isan essentiallyanti-socialactivity. Stuart wishes to
thank Alice for her optimismand Seon and Ross for letting himon the Internetonce aweek
(and foreven allowinghim touse their wonderful XP-basedsystem). Rodney would like to
thank hiswife Jillian forher patienceand supportwhile hespent numerous nights
conversingwith acomputerscreen and keyboard instead ofher.
Stuart Ferguson Rodney Hebels
School ofInformation Studies InformationTechnologyDivision
Charles Sturt University TAFE New South Wales - Riverina Institute
