Online library systems: a decision‐making guide for library managers

Prospective online library system buyers are encouraged to examine the total resources (human, hardware/software, and fiscal) of both the library acquiring the system and the supplying vendor in an attempt to complement the respective strengths and weaknesses of each. The author proposes a resource analysis model that library managers can apply to help focus on the most appropriate type of system (turnkey, modified turnkey, or in‐house) to acquire. A final checklist of these resources is given that will assist in further narrowing the range of choices to a single system. Includes figures outlining the relationships of the various resources and a matrix matching resources to types of systems, as well as references.