Library and Information Science

The SRCC (Serials Record Control system on Computer) is a mechanized processing for serials records, being projected at Kitasato Memorial Medical Library, School of Medicine, Keio University. The design project of the system was started in April 1967, and since then, experiments have been carried out for improvement.

In designing the system, we studied some similar systems existing in the United States, e.g., those at Washington University School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, University of Illinois, etc., and paid special attention to the situation particular in Japan.

The objective of the SRCC is to mechanize the following processes concerned with serials records: 1) processing of holding records, 2) claiming control, 3) processing of binding notices and records, and 4) processing of accounting records.

We tried to develop an efficient automatic system for all works handling records of serials and to design it in such a way that it would be applicable to any library organizations. The computer used was TOSBAC 5400 Model 30 (32K), employing assembly language. Punched cards were used as input device and data were recorded on magnetic tapes.

In this system, 1 binary digit is used to represent one issue of a journal, i.e., “1” for the holding of an issue and “0” for the non-holding. By means of this, it is much easier to control each process such as up-dating of holdings records, claim records, binding notices. Furthermore, it is easy to prepare a want list which comprehensively lists the lacking issues of journal in the entire collection. For the purpose of binding records processing, a bound volume is indicated by “1” and unbound by “0”.

Varied publication frequency patterns of journals gives us difficulties in automatic outputting of a check-in card for the issue which is expected to come next. In the SRCC, four basic data elements are provided to categorize publication frequency patterns: 1) the number of issues per volume, 2) the number of volumes per year, 3) the initial month of each volume, and 4) the continued numbering for issues independently gives from volum or other numbering. These data elements make it possible to control any patterns of the serial publication, even a change in the publication frequency of a journal. Some journals, however, have specific publication frequency patterns for which the use of the binary digit system is not necessarily justified. The SRCC, therefore, is designed to make it also possible to record the data by character.

The figures in the text show main processes of the SRCC, and some output examples produced by the system.