The Paperless Office - An Evolutionary Case Study

Joe Natale
Access Services Library
Texas Woman's University

I. Introduction

- Thanks

- Hypertext on Diskette - the Uncover Title List for 1996-1997

- A Lesson in Automation - Overview

What Automation has Allowed TWU (IWU) to do

Where it all started

- Reciprocal Agreements

- ILL Records -- Save-It

- A Need to Automate

Introduction to Hypertext in ILL (software explained and cost)

- Increase in Productivity through Automation

- Reciprocal Agreement Information Access (now replaced with custom holdings)

Development of the ILL Database on LAN

- Interaction with OCLC - updates

- Interaction with GEAC Advance OPAC

- Reports for Statistics

- Copyright Reports

- Permanently archived ILL transactions (borrowing and lending)

- Created ALA, FAX requests or Non-OCLC requests online

- Search database by patron name and see all requests made

- Search by individual ILL number

- Allowed for adding descriptive text within each record

- Faculty Research Assistance Project - Summer 1993

- Marketing Research Support by Outreach

- Removed the Pro Librarian out of ILL

- Streamlined processing of loan materials and circulation and on campus delivery for faculty

- Introduced classes for faculty introducing them to using electronic mail to enhance research services available to them

- Programmer left leaving University Computing without talent to support program

- Increased frustration with report creation

- Evolving nature of the program ceased

- May 20, 1996 - database dies slow death

- Back to Paper

- Snap shotting and printing messages to track borrowed items

- Manual monthly statistics by counting sheets

- Needed: Reclaim control over record keeping administration

- Needed: Stand alone system needed or networked software with local, department access for administration purposed. No middle person to report to for reports, updates, data extraction, etc.

- Retain OCLC Messages and tracking software status until complete

- More attention to services than record keeping

End