MANAGING TECHNOLOGY: Integrated Library Systems: Where Are They Going? Where Are We Going?

The article discusses the outcome for integrated library systems (ILS). According to the author, integrated library systems are experiencing an increase in demand and expectations from its users. Topics include a brief historical overview of the author’s experience with library automation at the Virginia Tech (VT) University, the circumstances that led to the changes in the university’s library system, including an increasingly sophisticated user community, and the merits of the ILS. Why ILS must evolve, including meeting business needs, and an in-depth discussion of the architectural philosophy concerning ILS by Yale University’s System Librarian Ping Fu is presented.