An integrated online library system as a node in a local area network: The Mitre experience

In the Spring of 1985, the library at the Mitre Corporation in Washington, DC, installed OCLC's LS/2000 integrated library system as a turnkey system on a Data General S‐140 minicomputer housed in the company's computer center. Access to the system was to be via the existing Sytek local area network. This paper is intended to convey the issues the library faced in designing, implementing and offering LS/2000 to users via the LAN. Discussed are LAN issues in general and how each was addressed at Mitre. They include: requirements, equipment, reliability, growth, security and traffic. The installation of the LAN and system interface is addressed next, followed by the benefits accrued by the use of a LAN for an online library system, includ‐ing: a. Convenience of the online public catalog. b. Increased visibility for the library within the organization. c. Further electronic communications with users. d. Shared resources. Finally, the drawbacks of using a LAN are probed, including: a. Distance of the user from library staff. b. Reliability of the LAN. c. Security problems. d. User expectations.