Explains the concept of Public Lending Right (PLR), which provides for payments to authors based on the circulation of their books by public libraries, and describes the British experience with PLR since 1979. Issues involved in PLR and the possibility of its adoption in the United States are also discussed. (MES)

Special supplement to "Library Journal" and "School Library Journal" covers topics of interest to school, public, academic, and special libraries planning for automation: microcomputer use, readings in automation, online searching, databases of microcomputer software, public access to microcomputers, circulation, creating a…