Management of Computerised Library
Libraries and Information Centres are increasingly using computers both for managing their house-keeping operations as well as for providing information services for their clientele. Under the circumstances management of these organisations (i.e., Libraries and Information Centres ) is becoming somewhat a complex activity. Traditional aspects associated with library management are slowly giving way to modern systems.
Library Management Systems (LMS) are now established as an essential tool in the support of effective customer service, stock management and in general management of services offered by libraries. The main objective of such systems appears to be maintenance, development and control of the documents pertaining to a library collection. Such systems are intended to support selection, ordering, acquisitions, cataloguing and circulation control of library collection. There are different types of systems which can be used by small and large libraries. Recent systems are generally grouped into the areas of online ordering, faster catalogue creations, improved authority control, circulation control, interlibrary loans, management information, OPACs and community information.
The management of LMS is influenced by many factors, some of which are: the environment, library resources and users, the role of systems manager, multiple sites from which the library functions and the need for staff development as well as user education and training.