Cost of Library Technologies:

Abstract

The availability of new technologies brings new expectations for automation in libraries. While automation is becomlng a way of life in medium to larger libraries in the U.S., it is estimated that less than ten percent of the nation's 30,000 libraries are involved in a full scale automation system. Those who are involved spend a greater percentage of resources on automation than the published literature admits. The author recommends the cooperative approach to library automation, suggesting that groups of libraries form small networks where members will share the cost of establishing and maintaining automation systems.