“Computers and libraries are well suited” – so begins its preface. At some point in future they may become one. Thus technology literacy and computer skills are major assets for LIS professionals. This concise book caters to a mixed readership of both practising librarians and library technicians, as well as students of LIS.
There are 12 chapters plus a solid introductory bibliography of 55 items, both online and print. Starting with introduction to computers and further to the internet the next eight chapters are devoted to each of the library in‐house operations: cataloguing, circulation, serial, control, OPAC, resource sharing and searching the databases and the WWW. These last two chapters dwell thoughtfully on computer skills and competencies. The final chapter, Future Direction, deals with the future of PCs, the internet, digital libraries, and OPACs – in fact on all the issues taken up earlier in this book in different chapters. This crystal gazing is a useful exercise.
There are minor lapses in this otherwise clear and technically correct work. Digital library is defined as “a collection of digitized material that has been scanned, copied, converted to a graphical file format or photographed with a digital camera”. It does not include born digital documents, though later this is mentioned.
Each cheaper has been divided into smaller sections. Beginning with the terminology specific to the chapter, it ends with well‐framed review questions. It dwells equally on theory, practice and skills in employing computers in library services. The 11‐page index is detailed to the extent of even indexing figures and tables along with issues, concepts, systems and techniques.
This is a work which should be read from cover to cover by anyone new to the world of computers and libraries. It can be used in any library school for teaching, and in libraries for learning and practice by staff.
