HIT: Automation - Reasons for

[Deborah Smith <dsmith@GENIE.ESU10.K12.NE.US>]

Thank you to everyone who responded to my plea for reasons.  Here is the
HIT that was requested.

An automated catalog prepares the student for circ strategies he will face
when he leaves school.  Automation increases your collection by increasing
the searching areas for a title.  Your public will browse the auto.
catalog more and thus they get better acquainted with the collection.

Faster and more complete searching for materials with keyword search.

Because students can look up anything, books that have not circulated in
20 years now do.

Save time in doing overdues.  Records are more accurate.  Records of
circulation to help in buying and weeding.  Can reserve books.

Updatedness of the catalog/inventory makes for a sound database wherein
people can locate materials more efficiently, lessen the frustration of
"not on shelf" instances.  It makes sending out overdue and fines notices
are efficiently also, allowing schools to recover losses, protecting the
erosion of tax mone.

Quick to check out books, easily track books.  Print lists of all the
books about a certain subject for teachers.  Saves a great deal of time in
the running of the library.

Provides much more comprehensive results for kids needing info.  Link to
everyday world where electronics is the mainstream method of organizing
large amounts of data. Level of analysis available to assess the
collection and use of the materials.

Students will be less frustrated with their research.

Inventory collection faster and more accurately. Only 2% of your
collection is available to students through the traditional paper catalog
because automated systems allow you expanded key word searches. Input of
data is also easier.  All public libraries...even the smallest public
libraries and all college libraries are automated. Not to automate is
to not  prepare your students for other libraries and does not foster life
long learning.

Automation provides more control over the status of library materials and
cuts down on the paper work and filing of cards.  Possible to provide
access from classrooms as well as from the library depending on the
software.

Frees up library staff from typical clerical jobs to work more with
students and staff.  Helps keep your library a viable presence in the
minds of teachers and students.

Children need to know how to use a computer catalog to prepare them for
other libraries they will encounter outside of school.

A great quote I received:
"We're automated because I thought it was important that we be at least as
sophisticated as the local grocery store.  What they do for cornflakes,
with barscanning and automatic pricing, inventory, and checkout, we should
be able to do with books."  from Bob Slaney, director of the Learning
Resource Center at College of the Mainland, Texas City, Texas.



Deborah A. Smith
Pleasanton Public School
Box 190
Pleasanton  NE  68866
dsmith@genie.esu10.k12.ne.us