ABSTRACT
Library automation covers a wide set of applications, from the use of a microcomputer for word processing to the operation of major library processes using minicomputer-based systems, often with hundreds of terminals. The decision to automate something or everything will require the manager to demonstrate that there will be a positive, beneficial return from the resources expended — that automation will add value to the service. Good planning covers all aspects of an organization’s operation and thus should include a strategy for the development of IT. The standard textbook feasibility study is normally in three parts: the preliminary study, the investigative study and the final report. The former reduces cost per unit of output, while the latter increases the quality or range of output per unit of input. Costs and benefits are therefore at the heart of the feasibility process. Online information retrieval services have emphasized the need to consider costs since online charges are immediately visible.
