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The National Science Foundation, the Office of Education, the Council on Library Resources, and a number of foundations provided millions of dollars for development of library automation activities. Once plans for library automation are firm and the institution is ready to begin implementation, the major problem is apt to be funding. Traditionally there have been three primary sources for such funds: grants from the federal government or private foundations; reallocation of existing funds; and additional appropriations from the library's normal source of funds, whether that be institutional, state appropriations, bond issues, or city and county budgets. The council has developed what it calls the Bibliographic Services Development Program, which has as its principal goal the linking of the several networks that grew up during the 1970s. As far as granting agencies are concerned, then, the trend is clear: from individual library projects to networks and from networks to a supernetwork.

The reasons for using the services of a library automation consultant are numerous, but the key reason is to obtain help—expertise—not already available in the library staff. When a decision to use a consultant is made, the consultant should be identified, selected, and hired through a careful review process. Not all consultants are equal in ability or share the same areas of expertise. Once a consultant is hired, the library must continuously evaluate the consulting process and provide feedback to the consultant so that necessary adjustments can be made. This symposium presents the related insights and perspectives of both librarians and library system vendors.

The characteristics and advantages of database machines are summarized, and the application of database machines to library functions is described, noting the ability to attach multiple hosts to the same database, as well as flexibility in choosing operating and database management systems for different functions without loss of access to a common database. See also a related article in the previous issue of Library Hi Tech.

A request for proposals (RFP) may be required by purchasing laws and regulations of a local jurisdiction. A library may choose to use the RFP to determine the capabilities and limitations of a number of possible systems. However, the RFP can be badly conceived, constructed, and applied, resulting in few responses by vendors and disappointment, lost time, and wasted resources for the library. Advice is presented on when to use the RFP, how to construct it, and how to use it to achieve maximum success: selection and implementation of the product that best meets a library's specific needs.

Le reseau de bibliotheques publiques de New York offre un acces en ligne aux references bibliographiques de microformes, par un systeme connu sous le nom de CATNYP. Des index speciaux permettent au public d'orienter leurs recherches vers des types particuliers de microformes