Purpose: To describe the development of the library management system, e-Granthalaya, for public libraries in India. This is an initiative of the Indian government's National Informatics Centre (NIC). The paper outlines the challenges and the potential of a full-scale deployment of this software at a national level. Design/methodology/approach:…

Describes customer call centers that provide customer service and support in business and considers how their routines could be adapted to library operations. Topics include centralized staff; interactive voice response; automated call distribution; question analysis; sophisticated software; training and monitoring; telephone reference; and…

The topic of open systems as it relates to the needs of libraries to establish interoperability between dissimilar computer systems can be clarified by an understanding of the background and evolution of the issue. The International Standards Organization developed a model to link dissimilar computers, and this model has evolved into consensus…

Examines the potential application of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/National Information Standards Organization (NISO) Z39.50 library networking protocol as a client/server environment for a scholar's workstation. Computer networking models are described, and linking the workstation to an online public access catalog (OPAC) is…

Discussion of virtual reference services focuses on software that is currently available and further developments that are needed. Topics include co-browsing and collaboration capabilities; communications technology, including chat technology and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP); networked reference services; and online reference collections…

The Alliance Library System (ALS) is one of 12 regional library systems in Illinois, providing a full spectrum of support services for 300 member libraries of all types (public, school, academic, and special) located in west central Illinois. This paper describes the process by which ALS implemented a voice/video/data network connecting their four…

Describes the Kansas Interlibrary Communications Network (KICNET), a private electronic mail wide-area network (WAN) administered by the Kansas State Library that was developed to transmit interlibrary loan requests for high school, public, academic, and community college libraries. Topics discussed include software, costs for software and…

Describes the planning and implementation of a library automation system which encompasses four campus locations of a community college, and includes automation of technical processes and full access to holdings and circulation records of all the libraries involved. Software and hardware considerations are discussed, and guidelines to automation…

Discussion of electronic library services and information and resource sharing highlights cooperative ventures between Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Computer networks are described, online catalogs are explained, hardware and software are discussed, and future possibilities are…