Two Characteristics of Circulation and their Effect on the Implementation of Mechanized Circulation Control Systems
Richard W. Trueswell · College & Research Libraries · 1964
Two Characteristics of Circulation and Their Effect on the Implementation of Mechanized Circulation Control SystemsIN USING data processing or computer techniques for mechanization within the library one is confronted with the problem in circulation control of providing or creating a document in machine-readable form containing identifying information about the volume to be charged.In the majority of the proposed or operating systems this is a machine-readable book card, usually a punched card.Some libraries, for example the Brooklyn College library, require the user to write out the identifying information (title, author, call number, etc.) on a form which is used for the later preparation by the library of a punched-card circulation record. 1 In this case some or all of the information must be key punched each time the book is borrowed, but in the former punched book card system only one initial key punching is required for the preparation of the book card.The punched book card for circulation control is used at the Decatur (Illinois) public library, and is to be used by Johns Hopkins.Hopkins is planning as part of its mechanization to put the union shelf list on magnetic tape and then to prepare punched book cards from this tape.The question usually raised about cir-1 Henry Birnbaum, Circulation Control at Brooklyn College Library (White Plains, N.Y.: IBM, 1960) .Further background information for this article was drawn from Margery Quigley, " Library Facts from International Business Machines Cards," Library