Document Management: New Technologies for the Information Services Manager

Citation

Nurcombe, V.J. (2001), "Document Management: New Technologies for the Information Services Manager", Library Review, Vol. 50 No. 1, pp. 42-56. https://doi.org/10.1108/lr.2001.50.1.42.1

Neither author is either librarian or information scientist although Megill was on the faculty at the School of Library and Information Science, at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. However he is a Certified Architect and Certified Records Manager with a PhD in philosophy. Scantz on the other hand is a professional engineer, founder and president of HLS Associates International in Virginia. The company specialises in the application of OCR and information technologies to automation of business work processing and document management.

This series has the objective of increasing the librarian’s breadth of awareness of management and business practices as well as related technologies. This text enables the improved management of documentation by examining first the nature of documents and then the “enabling” technologies. These are then put together to consider business process re‐engineering, the current buzz technique, and workflow as part of process analysis. Included in this section is the methodology for a cost benefit analysis.

Having considered “how” it is then necessary to determine the value of documents and the user requirements for identification, indexing, retrieval and browsing of documents. At this point the “electronic environment” is assumed. Some of the pitfalls are examined along the way but even though written relatively recently technology is already over‐coming the problems of accuracy and handwriting. Budgetary problems however are not as easily overcome.

The appendices provide clear guides to labour costs in system design, cost benefit analysis in a particular environment and forms design for electronic systems. While there is a glossary and index there is no bibliography and there are very few references. This is a very practical guide covering the basics. It is not designed for research but “as a primer” with a clear and concise style bringing together the skills and technologies with which most librarians are familiar with some concepts and practices with which few will be au fait. By the end every reader will be able to discuss the issues with the experts knowing enough of the management issues and the technology not to feel at a disadvantage when the discussion becomes technical.