Data Bases for Special Libraries : A Strategic Guide to Information Management

Using examples to which special librarians and their colleagues in information management can relate, Lynda Moulton takes a practical approach to the process of planning a data base application. She identifies organizational considerations as the primary issue to be addressed by the librarian as project manager. Ways of justifying and placing a value on automation applications are explored. An entire chapter is devoted to a method for deciding whether to develop or buy an automation solution. The book emphasizes the need for a cooperative approach that uses the expertise of in-house specialists throughout the planning and implementation of any data base project. Moulton includes lists of issues, functions and features that must be considered in the design, selection, and implementation process. The importance of electronic networks and the integration of all information operations in an institution are also highlighted. Finally, new technologies that should be considered and studied are summarized.

This book was written for several groups including, of course, special librarians, data processing professionals who need guidance in developing and handling text data bases in their organizations, and managers who have data processing or library and information professionals reporting to them. Library school students who seek careers in data base management and professors who teach data base courses will also find this book to be useful.

LYNDA W. MOULTON is President and founder of Comstow Information Services in Harvard, Massachusetts. She is an experienced reference and technical librarian and has published articles in Electronic Libraries and Special Libraries.