Telecommunication Considerations in an Automated Library Network: An Introduction
| Published date | 01 January 1987 |
| Date | 01 January 1987 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb047681 |
| Pages | 77-80 |
| Author | Dayna E. Buck,Jerome W. Krois |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
Telecommunication Considerations in
an Automated Library Network:
An Introduction
Dayna E. Buck and Jerome W. Krois
According to the Dictionary of Data
Processing, telecommunications is
the transmission and reception of
signals over long distances by means
of radio, telephone, or telegraphy.
Telecommunications can take place
across the room, across town, or
across a state. When data are
transferred between remote locations,
telecommunications equipment is
necessary in addition to the usual
computer hardware. The equipment
creates a host of considerations
other than those encountered in a
single building automation project.
In fact, in an automation project
with disbursed sites, telecommunica-
tions,
rather than computer hardware
and software, may become the major
source of problems. A number of basic
telecommunications concepts are
presented as an introduction to the
technology and associated issues.
As progress in the automation of libraries
continues, creating networks of geographically sep-
arate libraries becomes more plausible. The use
of the necessary telecommunications equipment,
however, involves a host of considerations other
than those encountered in a single-building automa-
tion project. The purpose of this article is to
introduce some basic telecommunications concepts
and to offer some guidelines to librarians planning
the implementation of a telecommunications network.
The basic components of any telecommunica-
tions system are the data terminal equipment, the
carrier equipment, and the data communications
equipment. Data terminal equipment is the data-
processing machinery: terminals, printers, and the
central processing unit (CPU). This equipment
is generally closely evaluated by librarians before
it is purchased, as it is the most visible mechanical
component of the system. The carrier equipment
and the data communications equipment should also
be examined; they can affect the system as drastically
as can software bugs or broken disk drives.
CARRIER EQUIPMENT
Carrier equipment transmits data from one
site to another. Twisted pair, coaxial cable, micro-
wave, or satellite connections can all be used to
transmit data. Twisted pair cables are used by
telephone companies. A twisted pair cable is simply
two wires twisted together to form a "pair" that
can transmit electronic signals.
Telephone companies provide a ready-made
structure for a computerized system using twisted
pair cabling. Dial access is easily available to
Buck is the Assistant Manager of the Wyom-
ing State Library Geac System. Krois is System
Manager at the Wyoming State Library, Cheyenne,
WY.
ISSUE 16 77
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