The major and most expensive
aspect of the application of computes in libraries is the
integrated library automation system (LAS).
An LAS is a combination of
software, computer hardware, and, frequently, communications
systems that enable the acquisition, processing, organization,
location, and circulation of all types of materials (books,
periodicals, videos, CDs, pamplets).
An LAS may also provide such
additional functions as:
Management of patron lists and
accounts.
General financial
management.
Organizational management.
All types of
reports.
Integrated
LAS
Usually, LAS are spoken of as
"integrated" library automation systems because most if not all of
the features of the LAS interact with each other through the
facility of a central, underlying database.
The database stores all of the
information about a book or other material in the library
collection.
Example:
When a book is purchased by a
library, information about the book is stored in a database
"record." A person can search the database for that record and
find out if the book is available and where it is. When the
person checks the book out, the circulation desk changes the
record in the database to reflect that the book is not
available. Collection management personnel can check the same
database to see how often the book has been check
out.
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