Keywords
Citation
(2003), "Is technology worth it?", The Bottom Line, Vol. 16 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/bl.2003.17016cag.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited
Is technology worth it?
Is technology worth it?
Keywords: Technological change, Information resources management, Internet
At times, I think back on the amazing amount of change we have witnessed in libraries in the 20 years I have been in the field. When I attended library school, we keypunched computer cards with a programming code and walked them over to the computer science building and put them in the que to run on the mainframe computer at some later time. If the resultant printout demonstrated that your program was flawed, it was back to the keypunch machine for more prolonged frustration. Library automation was represented primarily by two elements. One was conducting on-line computer searches of remote databases via a 12 baud modem with each connected minute bringing additional monetary charges. The other was the electronic text-only catalog accessible from hard-wired terminals on the floor of the library. Remote access from home consisted of telephoning the reference desk to ask them to search the catalog on your behalf.