THE GEAC ACQUISITIONS SYSTEM: THE PRODUCT AND ITS USE AT TOE UNIVERSITY OF ASTON

Introduction This account breaks with normal VINE practice in that it combines both general product description with an account of an installation. Though the Geac Acquistions Module is not a newcomer to the library market place [Somerset has been using it for more than a year now], it has not yet been described in VINE and, given Geac's established role in library automation, it is time it was mentioned. Since there are sites live, it is also sensible to go for the more objective approach and look at the system in practice. However, the system sets out to be very comprehensive, trying to cater for, if not all eventualities and combinations of circumstances, at least a wide range of practices which any one user is unlikely to implement in full. Therefore, a hybrid approach has been adopted, with the Aston system described where feasible but with reference to other features which Aston does not yet use such as the serials handling subsystem.