The importance of automation literacy

Volume 17, Number 1 • January 2000

The importance of automation literacy — These days, librarians are required to know more and more about systems
by Gwen Gregory

Presents a favorable review of "Introduction to Automation for Librarians," fourth edition, ($60) by William Saffady, published in 1999 by the American Library Association of Chicago, IL. Says that in this 339-page edition the author presents a "survey of technologies applicable to library operations." States that since the first edition, there have been massive changes in library automation and today it is practically impossible to be a librarian without using automation. Notes that the first section is a general introduction to computing and related technologies and the second section "covers library automation concepts and discusses systems and services that automate specific library operations." Remarks that the quality of some of the illustrations is mediocre, but says that it " will serve as a good beginning for new information professionals or as a handy review source for the rest of us." Includes one product source guide.