Early library management systems LMS in the UK

Early library management systems (LMS) in the UK Lucy A. Tedd, Lecturer, Department of Information Studies, Aberystwyth Editor: Program: electronic library and information systems November 2006 1

Experimental systems – early/mid 1960 s Evolved from 80 -col. punched card systems (which had been invented by Herman Hollerith for processing information from 1890 US census) Idea given to Hollerith by Billings the Library of the Surgeon’s General Office ( now NLM) 2

Some libraries and computer applications Southampton U. – Woods et al. circulation Newcastle U. – Line et al. – acquisitions Lancaster U. - serials Camden Libraries - Maidment et al. cataloguing West Sussex Libraries – Bearman et al. loans 3

Memory from Exeter City Libraries “When I first started working in libraries, we had a punched card system. I left in 1969, but I remember the clunky sorting machine which needed a room of its own (a small room!)” 4

Challenges Computers were large and expensive and owned by the parent authority Programmers were needed to write the appropriate software for each application It was all new – computer people thought they knew what library staff required and library staff weren’t always too sure about what was possible 5

Program- News of computers in British university libraries Founded in 1966 by Richard Kimber, then a Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast “A new wave of enthusiasm is sweeping over the world of libraries in Britain. Librarians see that it is possible to use computers for most clerical operations in libraries. ” 6

Range of computers and working parties Elliott Automation 803, 903 and 905 English Electric and KDF 9 IBM and 360 series ICT ( later ICL) and the 1900 series There were various working parties of librarians involved in using these. 7

Aslib Computer Applications Group (CAG)- 1968 Promote use of computers in libraries Assess existing or evolving systems with aim of developing common systems Communicate findings – by publication, meetings, courses and conferences 8

Comparison of computerbased loans systems - 1969 • Atomic Weapons Research Establishment • Atomic Energy Research Establishment • Southampton U. • West Sussex (results published in Program 3(3/4) 9

Findings - why were computers used ? To produce accurate record of items on loan To produce recall/overdue notices automatically Save time at the issue counter Produce statistics of use of stock To give added benefits at lesser cost 10

VINE- Very Informal Newsletter Started in 1971 Edited by the Library Automation Officer based at Southampton University and who visited libraries and their computer systems and ‘wrote them up’. Funded by Office for Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) – then British Library Research and Development Dept. 11

Numbers in loans systems In the early 1970 s not many loans systems were closely linked to catalogue system. (An overdue notice could be of the form: Dear 1432. Please return 218689 -X) Need for accurate recording of the unique nos. for books and borrowers Check digits used Some libraries developed complex numbering to enable analyses to be made of stock issues, and ‘type’ of borrowers 12

Development of data collection devices for loans ALS – Automated Library Systems Original ‘card-based’ system (1967) and then ‘label-based’ system (1974) Plessey Library Pen (1972) – Camden (Kentish Town) Telepen – from SB Electronics also for barcodes 13

Memory from Elliott Automation “Whilst working at Elliott Automation in the 1960 s I remember, when working late, meeting at the coffee machine a colleague (Frank Gurneywho then founded ALS) who was developing a system for libraries” (Elliott Automation had been commissioned by West Sussex to investigate developing a computerbased circulation system) 14

MARC – Machine Readable Cataloguing 1965 – format for catalogue records originally developed at Library of Congress 1968 -1974 – MARC tapes available in UK via BNB – 20 libraries 1974 – British Library formed and formal MARC service offered 15

Methods of computer processing in the 1970 s Batch – jobs were processed one after another ‘in a batch’ – used for catalogue production, order notes to booksellers, overdue notices Online and time sharing Remote job entry – online terminal used to enter a job into queue for batch processing – saved physical transportation of files (punched card or paper tape) from library to computer 16

Memory from Havering Libraries “Havering was the first public library authority in the UK to make use of an on-line systems for circulation control. I was the library end of the system design for the product and I remember vividly the reaction we first received from Plessey about our need for something better than the offline system they were offering. Their indifference, and the much more welcoming approach of ALS brought us to the point where we were about to sign with ALS. Next thing, cars screeched to a halt outside the Central Library and various "suits" descended on us, full of promises. . . and thus history was changed!” 17

Local systems – 1970 s Several instances of successful use of parent-body computers Improved computer technology- rise of minicomputers which could be acquired by the library Used experiences of those involved in experimental phase Better communication between librarians and computer people 18

Operational cataloguing and circulation systems in the 1970 s CAG surveys 1973 – 135 responses indicating a working system 1976 – 170 responses. Standard descriptions of all applications 19

Bath University Catalogue – variable field records – short average length (123 ch. ) Author, Title, Classified, and Keyword out of Context (KWOC) catalogues Circulation – use of Burroughs computer shared with administration for an online system 20

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Memory from Bath U. “The Library and the Finance department jointly commissioned systems from a firm called Burroughs. . and when finance were doing big tasks like payroll, the circulation system ran very slowly (up to 3 minutes per transaction). The library, under Maurice Line, devised a 'short form' of catalogue record. Catalogue cards were marked up by library staff and taken to the computer unit, where data entry staff put the data onto punch cards. ” 22

Co-operative systems Funded by OSTI and then BLR&DD for much of the 1970 s Birmingham Libraries Co-operative Mechanisation Project (BLCMP) Aston U. , Birmingham Public South Western Academic Libraries Co-operative Mechanisation Project (SWALCAP) Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter universities +++ 23

Memories - SWALCAP “Cataloguing was done via a dumb terminal and a set of microfiche was produced from this every 3 months. Inputting the records was monotonous and error-prone and there was no error-checking. One day a senior subject librarian got impatient just before a new run of the fiche and decided to put in a batch of records in a hurry. Unfortunately she forgot to check her records before submitting them so she managed to get part of the MARC coding confused with the title. Hence for the next 3 months we had Twelfth Night by a certain William O'Shakespeare on the fiche!” 24

Bradford University – 1973/4 “Book and reader tickets were half 80 column cards, reader ticket being laminated, both read in slots in the counter but by light rather than pins. One reader had trimmed the sides of his ticket to make it fit his wallet – so of course it slid around in the slot and couldn't be read. ” 25

Sussex University – 1975/7 “Patching up paper tape and using a wonderful plastic gadget with rotating dial to calculate check digits of rogue records, before the reel of tape was taken across campus to be read in the computing centre. (ALS issue system)” 26

University of Wales Aberystwyth – late 1970 s “We chose SWALCAP because it offered a circulation system, which BLCMP then did not. We quickly realised we needed one when several small libraries were amalgamated in 1976 and we tried to scale up the manual Browne issue systems. Cataloguing was a lower priority, although our ancient tapetypewriter that produced catalogue cards was on its last legs, so needed to be replaced with something. ” 27

Problems Hardware – failure of suppliers to provide necessary items in working order, in time and at agreed cost Software – not adequately designed, implemented and tested and documented People – new LMS not always designed to meet the real needs of users Financial – inadequate 28

Late 1970 s – computer developments Mainframes – IBM 370 series, ICL 2900, Honeywell 6000, CDC 7600 Minicomputers – DEC, Prime 500, Hewlett Packard, Texas Instruments Microcomputers – Apple, Commodore PET, IBM PC Decrease in size of hardware Increase in processing/storage capacity 29 Decrease in cost

Early 1980 s Development of ‘turnkey stand-alone’ systemsmainly for circulation control e. g. ALS – System 4 and System 5 BLCMP – CIRCO CLSI – LIBS 100 – from US GEAC – from Canada Plessey Module 4 Telepen Library System 30

Online Public Access Catalogues Appeared in early 1980 s Linked to computer-based circulation systems First generation provided access points similar to those on cards and COM fiche/film Good for ‘known item’ searching 31

Library (and Information) Technology Centre 1982 – Polytechnic of Central London Later at South Bank University Software demonstrations Enquiry and advice Vine and Library Micromation News Workshops and seminars 32

Integrated library management systems – key features Integrated modules for: Cataloguing materials Using the catalogue (OPAC) Circulation control Acquisitions and order processing Serials control ( possibly) Interlibrary loans (possibly) 33

. . And some more Consistency and integrity of data across all applications Transactions (e. g. recording a loan) should update ‘status’ and be immediately viewable Should be ease of movement between functions 34

Some LMS in the late 1980 s ALS – System V/88 BLCMP – BLS Databasix – ADLIB 2 DS – Module 4 Dynix Geac IBM – DOBIS/LIBIS Logical Choice – BOOKSHELF 35

. . And more Mc. Donnell Douglas – URICA OCLC LS/2000 Pyramid – CALM SWALCAP – Libertas Sydney – Micro Library systems : a buyer’s guide Juliet Leeves – 1987 and 1989 36

By the end of 1980 s The use of computers in libraries was commonplace and librarians, in general, were becoming well-used to the changing technology. “I suppose one thing I'd say, looking back, is that if we'd really known what we were doing we'd probably have been too scared even to try. ” 37 Thank you