University of The Andes Library Services - Automation of Library Services With SERBIULA

Automation of Library Services With SERBIULA

The automation of library services in the University began with the creation of the aforementioned BIECI library —currently renamed BIACI, but more specifically with the launch of its ICT department (simply known as Informática). The broad purpose of this department was and still is to imprint ever more efficient, functional, and modern Information retrieval processes to the library services. The early stages of this scheme began with the instalment of the following systems:

• Loans control system,
• Cataloguing of periodic publications and suppliers control system,
• Information retrieval and cataloguing system (use of MARC standards)

This early instalment was followed by the development of some middle-stage projects. These projects definitively ignited and set the pace for the continuous ICT updating and upgrading trend for the SERBIULA library services. Among these, the more important were:

• The onset of the Document Cataloguing and Editing system (EDICLA), the Automated Information Retrieval System (SARI), and the ULA Loans System (SPULA).
• The installation of what would become the first 14 SERBIULA local area networks (development started between 1977 and 1978)
• The linking of the university to Internet (1986)
• The massive incorporation of information to the SERBIULA database (began in 1994).
• ULA theses references input to the electronic catalog of SERBIULA (1995).
• The inclusion of automatic knowledge-based indexing to the library services features.

This accumulated know-how resulted in the creation of the ULA Information and Documentation System (SIDULA). It was originally designed to be a comprehensive library management system that would physically centralize all the acquisitions, cataloguing and loans. With the evolution in the University networks, it was ultimately redesigned to work as a client–server system.