The Integrated Medical Library

Book excerpt: First published in 1991, Library automation has advanced at such a rapid pace within the last few years that librarians who have been limited by either budget or hardware constraints are today able to automate at least some library functions. Even though presentations at meetings describing individual efforts have been published in the literature, there has not been a comprehensive text discussing the status of integration at all levels of library management as it exists today. The Integrated Medical Library addresses this need by presenting the results of a survey of automated systems currently used in medical libraries as a basis on which to discuss various methods for integrating these systems. This includes serials, cataloging, circulation, acquisitions, internal database management systems, external database search procedures, and management and financial control. The book emphasizes current practices and procedures and proposes methods for libraries to improve their performance and services. Part I defines an integrated online library system and describes the study design and analysis of results. Part II describes commercially available integrated online library systems currently used by medical libraries. Part III discusses the specialized integrated online library systems of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the Swedish Planning and Rationalization Institute for the Health and Social Services. Part IV describes ad hoc integrated functions currently used by medical libraries, while Part V discusses the various means of integration.