ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the trends, events and milestones in the seventies. This should provide a historical perspective from which to view current developments in computer applications to the library. Library automation as a concept began with the task of applying first punched card equipment and later stored-program computer technology to improve library operations and management. Early work concentrated on such applications as printing catalog cards, creating book form catalogs, producing orders for purchasing and providing means to circulate materials from the collections. The emphasis on the development of individual institution systems focused on the broad application areas, but within the context of a future goal of an integrated multifunctional system. The check-in list approach used in the University of Minnesota Bio-Medical Library batch mode serials system was adopted by New York State Library. Automating acquisitions was similar to automating other nonlibrary order-processing applications and, in comparison to serials, was more easily accomplished in the individual institution.
