Automated Circulation System at Midwestern University.
Charles D. Heineke, Calvin J. Boyer · 1969
It is probable that Midwestern University's Moffett Library is presently the only aca demic library in the United States which has a second generation, shared-time, online automated circulation system in operation. Installed in November 1967, the system, employing an IBM 1401 computer coupled with an IBM 1030 Data Collection System (a 1031 Input Station and a 1033 Printer), accurately and rapidly charges, discharges, and lists all materials in circulation, as well as detects overdue materials, prepares notices, and computes fines. It is unique in college and university library applications, as well as in computer applications general ly, (1) in its use of a second generation computer (2) in an online capacity (3) with interrupt capability. Though few libraries have already in stalled online automated circulation sys terns, fewer, if any, have done so without employing either a third generation com puter or a computer dedicated solely to library operations?solutions which have prevented most libraries from going online. This installation has demonstrated that a second generation computer can be used successfully in an online capacity without dominating expensive computer time, by using an interrupt feature which allows the library to interrupt a program already in progress in the computer, complete the library's transaction, and resume the orig inal program, all in a fraction of a second. Thus, the library has the advantage of on line operation without the expensive dis advantages of a dedicated computer. In view of the already widespread avail ability of the IBM 1400 series computer to campuses and libraries, it is particularly