This document discusses automating school libraries in Lebanon. It outlines reasons for automation like low book budgets and improving productivity and access. The document presents the advantages of automation for online public access catalogs, circulation, cataloging, acquisitions, and serials. It provides a three phase planning process for automation including data collection, selecting a system, and retroactively converting physical records. Overall, the document encourages librarians to automate their libraries despite the costs.

1. ACS Professional Development Day for
School Librarians in Lebanon
Why Automate
Your Library?
Cendrella H. Abdallah
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2. Introduction
• Efficiency of Automation
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3. Reasons For
Automation
• Budget and Low Bookfund
• Productivity
• Access
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4. Budget and Low
Bookfund
• Better Administering of Funds
• Faster Turnover of Backlog
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5. Productivity
• Faster Process of Backlog
• No More Filing
• More Accurate Catalogs
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6. Access
• Manual vs. Online!
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7. Advantages of
Automation
• OPAC
• Circulation
• Cataloging
• Acquisitions
• Serials
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8. Planning For
Automation
PHASE 1
• Data Collection/Assessment:
– Number of titles and volumes in your collection
– Circulation information
– Patrons
– Acquisitions
– Usage data (average and peak)
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9. Planning For
Automation
PHASE 2
• Selecting the System:
– Professional literature
– Professional contacts
– Limitations (i.e.,Oracle, budget, etc.)
– RFP
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10. Total School Library System
Sales 1998
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11. Planning For
Automation
PHASE 3
• Retrospective conversion:
– Shelflist analysis (inventory before or after?)
– Inhouse vs. outsourcing
– Barcoding
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12. Sources
• Cohn, John M., Kesley, Ann L., and Fiels, Keith Michael. Planning
for Library Automation: A Practical Handbook. London: Library
Association Publishing, 1998
• Cortez, Edwin M. Proposals and Contracts for Library Automation:
Guidelines for Preparing RFPs. Chicago, IL.: American Library
Association, c1987
• Head, John W., and McCabe, Gerard B., eds. Insider’s Guide to
Library Automation: Essays of Practical Experience. Westport, CT:
Greenwood Press, c1993
• Matthews, Joseph R., and Parker, Mark R. Introduction:
Microcomputer-Based Automated Library Systems. New Series.
(pt.1). Library Technology Reports 29.2 (March-April, 1993): 151-163
• Ross, Richard W. The Procurement of an Automated Library System
with a Model RFP. Library Technology Reports 30.3 (May-June
1994): 331-434
• And More….
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13. Cost
• Expensive vs. Inexpensive!
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14. GO FOR IT!
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