This report describes implementation and exercising of simulation models for a portion of user behavior in the library setting. The emphasis is on user estimations of timing and convenience factors of service and how these are affected by actual service. The report begins with an oversimplified view of the user and becomes progressively more…

A simulation study of library-based information retrieval systems is described. Basic models for each of several important aspects are presented: (1) user behavior, emphasizing response to quality and delays in services; (2) the scheduling of services and the organization of the machine-readable files; and (3) the distribution of conventional…

The nature of typical mechanized data bases with which university information centers and libraries will be working is examined to provide background information for data base retrieval efforts. Format and content of the data must be taken into consideration before meaningful retrieval can be achieved. Hence both of these aspects are treated in…

This report describes various aspects of generalized or task-oriented programing systems and in particular, how their features can be adapted for retrieval from (typical) information center and library data bases such as those described in a previous report (LI 000 498). It is not meant to be comprehensive in the sense that all such systems are…

The purpose of the Library of Congress Machine-Readable Cataloging (MARC) pilot project was to provide libraries with catalog data encoded on magnetic tape in order to determine the feasibility of centralized computerized cataloging in support of library functions. Sixteen participants were selected on the basis of expressed interest, available…