Comparison of UK Computer‐based Loans Systems Available to Purchase

The Circulation Working Party (CWP) of the Aslib Computer Applications Group met for the first time in November 1968 and formulated its objectives. One of these was the preparation of a list of headings under which computer‐aided circulation or lending systems could sensibly be compared. Subsequently a list was drawn up and agreed by the CWP. The four UK libraries having operational or part‐operational computer‐based loans systems (AWRE Alder‐maston; West Sussex County Library; Southampton University; and AERE Harwell) were invited to contribute, which they readily did. The results were tabulated for presentation as a CWP paper, and the Circulation Working Party considered that they merited publication as a record of the current position in the United Kingdom and as an aid to other libraries which may be contemplating the introduction of similar computer‐assisted lending systems. With a few omissions and a minimum of editing, the returns from the four libraries form the main part of this paper.