AUTOMATION FOR INTERLIBRARY LENDING: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LASER SYSTEM Available to Purchase

The London and South‐Eastern Library Region (LASER) facilitates interlibrary lending in London and South East England. It has access to some 40 million volumes and through its union catalogues is responsible for 215,000 Interlending requests per annum. This paper describes the background to the automation of LASER'S referral activity. It also gives details of the mini‐computer system which was eventually installed and in which over 1,000,000 titles are now recorded. Careful monitoring over the last two years has demonstrated a number of advantages over the manual system which preceded it. Bibliographical checking has been reduced by 25% and cost containment has exceeded expectations. The next stage in LASER'S development will be the provision of on‐line access to a number of the Bureau's main users.