Automation and the Assistant System at the Stevens Institute of Technology Library

Abstract

Stevens Institute of Technology's Samual C. Williams Library has been pursuing automation for over 22 years. First they developed inhouse systems and then commercial systems. Four years ago they purchased Library Automation Products'"The Assistant." A microcomputer-based library automation system, it offers a catalog, circulation, serials, acquisitions and accounting for medium-sized academic and special libraries. Vendor support has proven to be as important a factor as a system's functionality, and evaluation of library automation systems should always include contacting libraries that already use the systems under consideration.