Automated acquisitions—A time for interchange

Library

Acquisiiions:

Practice

& Theory,

Vol. 14, pp. 243-244,

1990

0361-6408/90

Printed in the USA. All rights reserved.

$3.00

+ .OO

Copyright 6 1990 Pergamon Press plc

CHARLESTON

CONFERENCE

AUTOMATED ACQUISITIONS FOR INTERCHANGE MARY

McLAREN

Margaret

I. King Library

University

1989

-A

TIME

of Kentucky

Lexington,

KY 40506 and

ELSIE

PRITCHARD

Camden-Carroll Morehead

Library

State University

Morehead,

KY 40351

The purpose of this session was to facilitate an interchange of information and ideas related to the field of automated acquisitions. The format of the session consisted of an overview of electronic ordering systems capabilities, presented by Elsie Pritchard, followed by an overview of full acquisitions systems capabilities, offered by Mary McLaren. Copies of pertinent publications relating to automated acquisitions were available for perusal as well as copies of vendor-supplied literature describing various systems currently on the market. These overviews were followed by a time for audience interchange, during which participants shared their experiences related to system selection, implementation, and use. Desired improvements and shortfalls of specific systems were shared with replies offered by others in attendance. One suggestion proposing “the perfect system” generated quite a bit of attention. The final question proposed to the audience, “Where do we go from here?,” was answered by a unanimous vote of support calling for one, or more, sessions dealing with the topic of automated acquisitions to be scheduled for next year’s Charleston Conference. A discussion format, similar to this one, was favored. An additional recommendation was made that systems vendors be present next year to describe the capabilities of their systems in an educational (nonsales pitch) manner. Audience reaction further indicated that they would like to see articles on this topic included in Against the Grain. Results of the “Acquisitions Systems-Who’s Using What?” questionnaire will be published in a future issue of Against the Grain. 243

244

M. McLAREN

and E. PRITCHARD

SUGGESTED

READING

1. Barker, Joseph W. “Library-to-Vendor Electronic Order Transmission Today: Report of a Telephone Survey Conducted in December 1988 for the Acquisitions Librarian/Vendors of Library Materials Discussion Group,” Library

Acquisiiions: Pructiee C%Theory 13 (19891, 275-279. 2. Boss, Richard W., Susan Harrison and Hal Espo. “Automating 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Acquisitions,” Library Technology Reports 22 (September-October, 1986), 479-634. and Related Technologies by Domestic Book Boss, Richard W. and Judy McQueen. “The Uses of Automation and Serials Jobbers,” Library Technology Reports, 25 (March-April, 1989), 125-252. Crawford, Walt. Current Techno/ogies in the Library: An ifffurmal Overview. Boston: G.K. Hall Co., 1988. Desmarais, Norman. A~qa~~ifions Systemsfor Libraries (Essenfiu/ Guide to Librayy IBM PC, Vol. If). Westport, CT: Meckler, 1988. Library Sysfems Evaluation Guide: Vol. 4, .4cquisitions. Powell, OH: James E. Rush Associates, 1984. Marcinko, Dottie. “Automating Acquisitions with NOTIS: A Southern Exposure.” Librury Acquisitions: Prac-

tice & Theor,v 12 (1988). 109-114. 8. Walton, Robert A. and Frank R. Bridge. “Automated System Marketplace ments,” tibrarv .lourna/ 114, 6 (April 1, 1989), 41-52.

1988: Focused

on Fulfilling

Commit-

9. Walton, Robert. “The State of the Art in Automated Acquisitions” in “Report on the ‘Automated Acquisitions: Managing Change’ Preconference” by Carol Pitts Hawkc, Library Acquisitions: Practice & Theory 12 (1988),

387-395.