4.1 Use an ICT-based library management system proficiently

Table of Contents

1. Automated library management systems
2. The circulation module
3. The acquisitions module
4. The cataloguing and stock management modules
   1. The advantages of automated catalogues
   2. Withdrawing items
   3. Adding items
   4. Shelving items
5. Inter Library Loan module

The advantages of automated catalogues

The advantages of automated catalogues are two fold:

1. They permit sophisticated searching of the library stock.

2. They link to the circulation control system so that not only can a borrower ascertain that the library service holds a particular item, they can also see its loan status at the time.

The search facility of the catalogue module is very flexible. It will allow searching for items on author, title, accession number as well as classification. However its greatest power for users is to search on subject keyword or word in title. You will no doubt have to demonstrate this feature to keen users of your library.

In your administrative work related to the catalogue, ie: stock management, you are most likely to be locating items whose details are known. You will be searching on author, title or accession number. Having found the item, you may need to withdraw it, thus deleting its entry in the catalogue.

Now let's have a look at Withdrawing items ...