Systems Analysis for Librarians and Information Professionals (2nd ed.)

Citation

Murray, I. (2002), "Systems Analysis for Librarians and Information Professionals (2nd ed.)", Program: electronic library and information systems, Vol. 36 No. 3, pp. 207-207. https://doi.org/10.1108/prog.2002.36.3.207.2

Systems analysis is the application of certain techniques that lend themselves to the laying bare of a given particular set of processes and the provision of a practical plan to implement change. Having knowledge of it is valuable for all professionals involved in organisations and particularly those who have charge of the introduction and running of computerised systems. This volume, written specifically for the information professional, has two main audiences: the professional, who has the task of working with and introducing new technology; and the student of library and information systems. It includes a useful set of appendices and an index that is detailed and comprehensive.

The authors claim that the reason for a second edition is not just the need to update the first edition but also because there remains a lack of any text purely targeted at library and information professionals. Without denying the need for a book such as this it needs to be said that the book’s price (I am reviewing the paperback edition) is not likely to appeal to the average reader. The quality of the writing and its undoubted thoroughness make for a text that is certainly one that can be wholly recommended to the information professional faced with an upcoming task where the techniques of systems analysis need to be applied, but one might have cause to doubt that it has utility as a student textbook in the UK, not just because of the price but also because there are probably few programmes which would devote so much time to learning about the technique of systems analysis, useful though it might be.

With the above caveat in mind this is a very clearly written and well‐illustrated book with many diagrams. A brief review of the contents reveals a textbook‐orientated approach: the first three chapters concern an introduction to the topic area, a chapter on historical development and a chapter on the human element. The content is always thorough and detailed even giving an example of a “sample report to management” in an appendix. Is there a danger that some of this is a shade too prescriptive? Certainly this is not the case for student readers, but perhaps a more seasoned professional might find details on how to present to management a little tedious. Chapters four to nine contain detailed information on analysing and identifying problems, collecting data and then using flowcharts and other tools to perform the analysis. Included in this body of the book is a chapter on “Object‐orientated techniques”. This is a new addition and a welcome one, however there is the suspicion that here is an additional chapter thrown in to ensure that nothing is left out. Moreover, it is only possible to give a flavour of this relatively new technique. The final five chapters concern the steps towards implementation of a new system: design, communication of the design for a new system, selecting the system, managing the project, proving the system (testing) and its implementation. The chapter on “Presenting the system” even contains advice on how to give an oral presentation – a useful skill, perhaps, but again indicative of the detailed, somewhat prescriptive approach. Serving its role as a student textbook each chapter also contains discussion questions that are then picked up further in Appendix B. A further point in its favour is the provision at the end of each chapter of a case study vignette. While it can seem a little pedestrian at times the case study sections do have a practical benefit of showing how difficult the task can be of turning what is basically a set of techniques into a form that can be conveyed to other staff. The point of systems analysis usually involves the announcement of change, and the difficult matters that can arise from a personnel management point of view are highlighted in these case studies.

In conclusion, for the US market this book would make for an excellent textbook. Whilst the authors make the point that this is a book written for library and information professionals, and that it is unique in this respect, it actually contains for the most part material that puts it firmly in the systems analysis category. Consequently for the professional it is harder to see its merits. I would recommend it wholeheartedly if you were about to engage on a major systems project and knew very little or nothing about the topic, but at its price and given its fairly strong bias towards the student, I am less sure it has a large market in the UK. For the student of library schools where systems only occupy a small part of the curriculum I doubt it has much appeal.