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In today’s academic library, the reference department relies heavily on computer workstations to provide patrons with access to reference sources in CD‐ROM and Web formats. Many reference departments also supervise an electronic classroom which is used to provide hands‐on instruction. Planning for the hardware, software, and peripherals necessary to provide patrons with access and training must be an ongoing process in order to keep up with rapid technological changes, both in computer hardware and software applications. Through the maintenance of comprehensive records of existing equipment, including the purpose, capabilities and maintenance of each item, information will be readily available for use in planning for computer equipment. In this article, the authors discuss various types of records that should be kept for computer equipment and how the information contained in these records can be applied to ongoing planning and decision making for management and maintenance.

Presents the findings of a questionnaire survey which examined the use of computers in maintenance management. Identifies the various maintenance activities that have been computerized, reviews the level of use of computers across the building management industry and assesses the level of user satisfaction with computerized maintenance management systems. Concludes that, although many maintenance organizations are using computers for many aspects of their work, there is considerable potential for future development.

Reviews the growth in importance of planned maintenance programming (PMP). Sets out the aims of computerising PMP at strategic and detailed levels. Provides a detailed analysis of successful systems characteristics. Lists considerations to be borne in mind and questions to ask before purchasing a system. Concludes that although the potential benefits of computerised PMP are great, careful consideration of the objectives and options is vital.

Maintenance management information technology (MMIT) systems have existed for some 40 years. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the advancement of these systems and compares the development of MMIT with other corporate information technology (IT) systems.

This paper is a literature study of 97 scientific papers within the topic of MMIT in the period 1988 to 2003. Additional readings have been made in books covering MMIT.

The paper finds that the focus of MMIT has changed in several aspects during the 40 years that have been investigated; from technology to use; from maintenance function to maintenance as an integrated part of the business; from supporting reactive maintenance to proactive maintenance; and from operative to strategic maintenance considerations. Advancements in MMIT have in general followed the development of corporate IT.

Further studies to cover application‐specific development, for instance the use of decision support systems within maintenance management and to cover literature after 2003, are of interest.

Knowledge about the development of MMIT adds to the understanding of today's computer applications for maintenance management, which is crucial for every maintenance manager using or purchasing MMIT. The findings could be used as a means to identify the future trends of MMIT, as well as possibilities and problems with the new technology, tools, techniques and methods.

Papers dealing with the development of maintenance management IT are scarce and this paper represents the first full review of MMIT so far.

Computer failure at some time is almost inevitable and can represent a major financial loss to the user. It therefore becomes important for any company that is dependent in some form, whether on a large or small computer system, to cover this eventuality by taking out an adequate maintenance contract. There are a number of professional computer maintainers in the UK – unlike the computer manufacturers – who will cover microcomputers and minicomputers and because of this, computer users are turning to them – finding in addition that they are more flexible when it comes to pricing. The author illustrates the manner in which independent maintainers can be of assistance and how professionally based are their back‐up services.

The main objective of this study was to analyse the economics of introducing IT in the maintenance department. The economics in this case was determined by conducting a quantitative analysis on the reduction of operational costs, on increase in productivity and on quality improvement. A comparison was made to analyse company performance in the maintenance before and after the introduction of IT in the maintenance department. The analysis shows that there were reductions of operational and inventory holding costs. Likewise, it was shown that there was also improvement in product quality and productivity.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the cause–effect relationship between vocational support and the levels of acquisition of practical skills via learning self-efficacy during a training intervention in computer maintenance technology among vocational electronic technology students.

Quasi-experimental research was employed. The participants were 84 undergraduates of vocational electronic technology education in Nigeria. The study applied the modified stages of the Dreyfus model of skills acquisition as the training model. The study proposed a four-simple mediation models based on the first four stages of the modified Dreyfus model of skills acquisition (namely, novice, advanced beginner, competent and proficient stages) via practical skills learning self-efficacy.

The result showed significant effects of perceived vocational support in practical skills training on the levels of acquisition of practical skills in computer maintenance technology. Learning self-efficacy mediated the relationship between perceived vocational support and three levels of practical skills acquisition (advanced beginner, competent and proficient).

All possible mediation pathways were not covered in this study. However, the study x-rayed the tendency of pathways in training intervention in vocational education and allied fields of study.

This study has empirically provided evidence to support the Dreyfus model of skills acquisition, as a plausible practical skills training model. Hence, the study can serve as a model for other researchers for replication in other fields of study.

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that revealed potential pathways in work-related practical skills training interventions. The study has also validated the Dreyfus model as a potential skill acquisition model for practical skills training.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a prototype system to demonstrate the potential benefits of deploying mobile technology to enhance asset maintenance processes in a small food manufacturing plant.

Design, development and deployment of a solution using open-source resources aimed at demonstrating improved asset maintenance functionality to principal stakeholders in a food manufacturing plant.

The development of a prototype system supporting user interaction via a mobile phone demonstrates the potential benefits of more flexible data capture and improved information management which offer clear advantages over the limitations imposed by a stand-alone terminal.

The solution was developed as a prototype. In this respect it serves to illustrate system benefits but more work is needed to extend system functionality.

Issues concerning data security and questions surrounding a suitable deployment platform would need to be addressed in deploying this technology.

The research demonstrates that mobile technology can successfully be utilised to enhance asset maintenance in a small manufacturing plant by improving data capture and information management. These initiatives are likely to be of interest to other SMEs seeking to enhance asset maintenance processes.

This paper presents the findings of a one‐year study concerned with the development and testing of an information storage tool designed to empower maintenance operatives on location by means of low cost 2D barcodes. A recurring problem for maintenance engineers is the inability to access reliable and in‐depth information about products or assemblies when on location. The scope of information which might be required is often difficult to foresee. Information about plant, distribution and cabling systems can be complex and involve sizeable amounts of data provided by the manufacturer. Added to this is the maintenance history which accrues to each and every item within a facility. The study sought to establish whether there was a low‐cost method for making both product information and maintenance history accessible on the job. Findings from the study suggest that 2D barcoding is one of several possible solutions which can provide practical benefits for a maintenance management programme bringing direct and indirect cost savings.

The implementation of smart maintenance (SM) has greatly benefited facility managers, construction project managers and other stakeholders within the built environment. Unfortunately, its actualization for stakeholders in the built environment in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) era remains a challenge. To reduce the challenge, this study aims at conducting a bibliometric analysis to unearth the critical success factors supporting SM implementation. The future direction and practice of SM in the construction industry were also explored.

A bibliometric approach was adopted for reviewing articles extracted from the Scopus database. Keywords such as (“smart maintenance“) OR (“intelligent maintenance”) OR (“technological maintenance”) OR (“automated maintenance”) OR (“computerized maintenance”) were used to extract articles from the Scopus database. The studies were restricted between 2006 and 2021 to capture the 4IR era. The initial extracted papers were 1,048; however, 288 papers were selected and analysed using VOSviewer software.

The findings revealed that the critical success factors supporting the implementation of SM in the 4IR era are collaboration, digital twin design, energy management system and decentralized data management system. Regarding the future practice of SM in the 4IR era, it was also revealed that SM is possible to evolve into maintenance 4.0. This will support the autonomous maintenance of infrastructures in the built environment.

The use of a single database contributed to the limitation of the findings from this study.

Despite the limitations, the findings of this study contributed to practice and research by providing stakeholders in the built environment with the direction of SM practice.

Stakeholders in the built environment have clamoured to implement SM in the 4IR era. This study provided the critical success factors for adopting SM, guaranteeing the 4IR era. It also provides the research trends and direction of SM practice.