SELECTING SOFTWARE, PART II: THE FUNCTION PROFILE FORM Available to Purchase

When selecting library management software it is very important to develop a thorough acquaintance with what is available and to know what questions to ask. But, no matter how much you finally know about the range of library management software available in today's market, you cannot properly apply that knowledge towards making a cost‐effective purchase until you have a clear idea of the proportions of your library's automation project. Correctly matching a software system to the functions to be automated requires careful analysis of the information necessary to perform each function and the flow of information between them. Developing a function profile form (see page 42) is an easy method of gathering and organizing this information. The three‐part form allows librarians to clearly identify who needs the information, when and how often the information is accessed on the computer, the kinds of formats used, and the specific data required to perform a given task.