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Dissertation Information for Lynne Howarth

NAME:
- Lynne Howarth

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of Toronto (Canada) (1990)

ADVISORS:
- Charles Donald Cook

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Ethel Auster
- Joan Cherry
- Keith Thomas

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: The impact of automation on operations and staffing configurations in cataloguing departments in public libraries: A study of four public library systems in the municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, 1970-1986

Abstract: There has been little systematic, empirical research assessing the extent to which automation in public libraries has met managerial goals for improving productivity, decreasing staff, and lowering operating costs. This study investigated two research questions in this regard. First, did subscribing to a bibliographic utility for cataloguing support and/or implementing an in-house automated circulation system with an in-house bibliographic data base result in (1) an increase in productivity vis a vis numbers of titles catalogued and volumes processed, (2) a decrease in the number of cataloguing department staff, and (3) a reduction in the rate of rise of cataloguing departmental costs when compared with the pre-automation period? Second, what changes in productivity, staffing, and cost variables occurred when tasks associated with implementing an automated circulation system were added to the workflow of a cataloguing department already subscribing to the products and services of a bibliographic utility?

A retrospective, longitudinal study of cataloguing departments of four public libraries in Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, from 1970 to 1986, was conducted. Data describing numbers of titles catalogued and volumes processed, numbers of staff, and cataloguing expenses were collected from reports maintained by each library, verified through follow-up interviews with cataloguing managers, and subsequently analysed.

Results suggested that managerial goals were more successfully achieved during both periods of automation as compared to the manual environment. Comparing the automation periods of subscribing to a bibliographic utility, and implementing an automated circulation system, managerial goals were realized to a greater extent during the latter period. During the period associated with subscribing to a bibliographic utility, productivity (titles catalogued) rose, though not significantly, for three of four libraries, rates of rise of departmental costs stabilized in two libraries, and numbers of staff increased in all libraries. During the period concurrent with implementing an automated circulation system, two of the three observed increases in productivity (titles catalogued) were significant, rates of rise of departmental costs declined in two libraries, and numbers of staff decreased or virtually stabilized in all libraries. These findings and their implications were discussed.

MPACT Scores for Lynne Howarth

A = 7
C = 2
A+C = 9
T = 9
G = 2
W = 7
TD = 8
TA = 1
calculated 2012-08-19 14:57:18

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