Computers in service to libraries of the future

Automation activities in libraries have been undertaken with accelerating frequency over the past ten years. It is no longer uncommon to find successful projects in almost every type and size of library throughout the country. Libraries have demonstrated that they can develop and operate ordering and processing systems to control financial and bibliographic information at the time a new item is added to the collection. Book catalogs and other holdings lists are produced and distributed in many formats. Automated circulation control systems, particularly the data collection type, are widely accepted and functioning successfully.