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The management of serials automation: Current technology and strategies for future planning
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BOOKREVIEWS
References are cited within the text, and many chapters conclude with a section called “Further reading,” which lists a few relevant books. A final section entitled “General reading on information technology” contains additional references. The book’s index is rather skimpy, one and one-third pages in length, and is incomplete, being mostly made up of the marginal paragraph headings rather than the subjects discussed. Terms such as pixels, phonemes, transborder data flow, and others, as well as the names of people mentioned in the text, are not included in the index. And although numerous cross references are made between the chapters in Parts 1 and 2, only two “see” references are included in the index, e.g. Viewdata see Videotex, and Word processing see Text processing. Although there are deficiencies, the author achieves his basic purpose of providing an introduction to information technology for the non-specialist. The quality and the adequacy of the introduction varies for the different chapters and subjects covered, but if one’s appetite is whetted, it could be satisfied through the leads provided for further study. Graduate School of Library and Information Science University of California Los Angeles
HAROLD BORKO
The Management of Serials Automation: Current Technology and Strategies for Future Planning. PETER GELLATLY (Ed). The Haworth Press, New York (1982) 293 pp. $45. ISBN: 0-91772437-2. A monographic supplement to The Serials Librarian, this book addresses major aspects of serials automation. An extensive bibliographic essay, whose latest citation is from 1979, introduces the articles. Following it are articles describing operational serials management systems at five major universities. The next three articles discuss conversion experiences in different environments. Subsequent chapters report on use of ISSN as a retrieval tool, accuracy of OCLC records, and on copy cataloging using OCLC. Other articles explore cataloging and establishing union catalogs in an automated environment, the function of ISSN, vendor roles, the work of the Network Advisory Committee, and the future of the periodical. In addition, the major bibliographic networks announce their serials automation plans. The editor’s decision to seek breadth for the volume rather than a sharp focus (as the title might suggest) weakens the book. Although every aspect of serials automation is at least touched on, the quality and level of the material vary greatly. Too many of the articles are simply descriptive, instead of analytical, and are, therefore, quite dated. Serials librarians (and budgets) would have been better served if Haworth Press had selected the analytical articles and reports of studies in this volume for publication in issues of The Serials Librarian. Congressional Research Service Library of Congress Washington, D.C. U.S.A.
MELISSA TREWETT
Information Industry Market Place 1983. R. R. BOWKER, New York (1982), x, 282 pp., ISBN: O-8352-1512-1, ISSN OOO(M450, $39.95. Published outside North and South America as Znformation Trade Directory, Learned Information, Ltd., Abingdon, Oxford, ISBN:0-904933-39-9, ISSN 014220208. Information Industry Market Place (IIMP) is a worthy companion to other Bowker Market Place directories. IIMP provides names, addresses, and telephone numbers of machine-readable database producers, vendors, information brokers and other services involved with gathering, organizing, and disseminating information using advanced technology. Some omissions (neither the Source Telecomputing Corporation nor UNINET are listed) and paucity of detail about specific datafiles lessen its effectiveness as a be-all and end-all source. However, IIMP’s well-developed annotated lists of other sources to be consulted help the researcher fill gaps. The easily-read format, annual updating, many names and numbers, combined coverage of machine-readable and print databases, and low price augment IIMP’s usefulness to the librarian, businessperson, or information manager. University of Chicago Library Chicago IL 60637 U.S.A.
RALPH E. ROHRER
BOOKREVIEWS
References are cited within the text, and many chapters conclude with a section called “Further reading,” which lists a few relevant books. A final section entitled “General reading on information technology” contains additional references. The book’s index is rather skimpy, one and one-third pages in length, and is incomplete, being mostly made up of the marginal paragraph headings rather than the subjects discussed. Terms such as pixels, phonemes, transborder data flow, and others, as well as the names of people mentioned in the text, are not included in the index. And although numerous cross references are made between the chapters in Parts 1 and 2, only two “see” references are included in the index, e.g. Viewdata see Videotex, and Word processing see Text processing. Although there are deficiencies, the author achieves his basic purpose of providing an introduction to information technology for the non-specialist. The quality and the adequacy of the introduction varies for the different chapters and subjects covered, but if one’s appetite is whetted, it could be satisfied through the leads provided for further study. Graduate School of Library and Information Science University of California Los Angeles
HAROLD BORKO
The Management of Serials Automation: Current Technology and Strategies for Future Planning. PETER GELLATLY (Ed). The Haworth Press, New York (1982) 293 pp. $45. ISBN: 0-91772437-2. A monographic supplement to The Serials Librarian, this book addresses major aspects of serials automation. An extensive bibliographic essay, whose latest citation is from 1979, introduces the articles. Following it are articles describing operational serials management systems at five major universities. The next three articles discuss conversion experiences in different environments. Subsequent chapters report on use of ISSN as a retrieval tool, accuracy of OCLC records, and on copy cataloging using OCLC. Other articles explore cataloging and establishing union catalogs in an automated environment, the function of ISSN, vendor roles, the work of the Network Advisory Committee, and the future of the periodical. In addition, the major bibliographic networks announce their serials automation plans. The editor’s decision to seek breadth for the volume rather than a sharp focus (as the title might suggest) weakens the book. Although every aspect of serials automation is at least touched on, the quality and level of the material vary greatly. Too many of the articles are simply descriptive, instead of analytical, and are, therefore, quite dated. Serials librarians (and budgets) would have been better served if Haworth Press had selected the analytical articles and reports of studies in this volume for publication in issues of The Serials Librarian. Congressional Research Service Library of Congress Washington, D.C. U.S.A.
MELISSA TREWETT
Information Industry Market Place 1983. R. R. BOWKER, New York (1982), x, 282 pp., ISBN: O-8352-1512-1, ISSN OOO(M450, $39.95. Published outside North and South America as Znformation Trade Directory, Learned Information, Ltd., Abingdon, Oxford, ISBN:0-904933-39-9, ISSN 014220208. Information Industry Market Place (IIMP) is a worthy companion to other Bowker Market Place directories. IIMP provides names, addresses, and telephone numbers of machine-readable database producers, vendors, information brokers and other services involved with gathering, organizing, and disseminating information using advanced technology. Some omissions (neither the Source Telecomputing Corporation nor UNINET are listed) and paucity of detail about specific datafiles lessen its effectiveness as a be-all and end-all source. However, IIMP’s well-developed annotated lists of other sources to be consulted help the researcher fill gaps. The easily-read format, annual updating, many names and numbers, combined coverage of machine-readable and print databases, and low price augment IIMP’s usefulness to the librarian, businessperson, or information manager. University of Chicago Library Chicago IL 60637 U.S.A.
RALPH E. ROHRER