6.1 Advantages of computers
There are many advantages of using computers in larger resource
centres, or smaller resource centres that have a large number
of periodicals, serve many users based at a distance, or provide
a wide variety of services. The main advantages of computers
are:
- more information sources
- more opportunities for cooperation and networking
- increased access to the information in the resource centre
- increased efficiency
- more services
More information sources A computer with a CD-ROM
drive can provide access to materials stored on a CD-ROM, including
databases (containing descriptions of materials) and full-text
(complete) materials. A computer linked to a modem can provide
access to information available via e-mail and other Internet
services, such as electronic newsletters and websites.
More opportunities for cooperation and networking
A computer linked to a modem makes it easier to communicate with
other resource centres, via e-mail. Sharing information among
different resource centres can improve users’ access to
information and cut down duplication of effort.
Increased access to the information stored in the resource
centre The main way to search for materials using a
catalogue card system is by author, title, and a limited number
of keywords. To add more keywords or other details would require
more cards. This would require more work, and the catalogue
would become larger and more difficult to keep up-to-date. A
computer database enables materials to be searched using more
keywords, or using other details such as series titles, publisher,
year published or individual words from a title if the full
title is not known, all without extra work.
Increased efficiency Information stored on
a computer database can be used for different purposes. For
example, details of materials entered onto a database when ordering
them can be used for a catalogue, simply by adding classification
numbers and keywords. The same records can be used to produce
current awareness bulletins or resource lists.
More services A computer can be used to ‘repackage’
information held on a database, in the form of directories,
resource lists or current awareness bulletins. Information held
on the computer or available via the Internet can be adapted
to produce locally relevant materials.
next: 6.2 Choosing a computer
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