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Library Automation                                                  Seema Sharma, Lovely Professional University




                    Notes                  Unit 3: Basic Knowledge of Library Software


                                     CONTENTS
                                     Objectives
                                     Introduction

                                     3.1  Library Automation Packages: An Overview
                                          3.1.1  Development of Library Automation Software
                                          3.1.2  General Functions

                                          3.1.3  Implementation and Commissioning
                                     3.2  Basic Requirements for Library Automation Software Packages
                                          3.2.1  General System Requirements
                                          3.2.2  Functional Requirements
                                     3.3  Features of Library Automation Software Available in India

                                          3.3.1  Library Automation Packages of Foreign Origin
                                          3.3.2  Library Automation Packages Developed over Foreign Software
                                          3.3.3  Library Automation Packages of Indian Origin

                                     3.4  Summary
                                     3.5  Keywords
                                     3.6  Review Questions
                                     3.7  Further Readings


                                   Objectives

                                   After studying this unit, you will be able to:

                                       Discuss an overview of Library Automation Packages
                                       Explain the basic requirements for Library Automation Software Packages
                                       Describe the features of Library Automation Software available in India

                                   Introduction

                                   A computer system has two basic units – physical unit i.e. the hardware and logical unit i.e. the
                                   software. The whole array of software can be grouped into two fundamental categories – system
                                   software and application software. System software is responsible for the overall management
                                   of computer resources whereas application software is designed to perform certain tasks and
                                   thereby make computers able to perform different predefined jobs. Library automation software,
                                   as application software, performs day-to-day library activities through human interventions.
                                   Library automation packages are developed in view of the two most essential activities of any
                                   library – housekeeping and information retrieval. An automated library is one where a computer
                                   system is used to manage one or several of the library’s key functions such as acquisitions,
                                   serials control, cataloguing, circulation and the public access catalogue. Automated library
                                   system centres on library automation package. Such automation packages are also called ‘Library



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