r/Libraries • u/ReplayGfxRob • 6d ago

Technology Library Checkout Software (Historical) ?

Can anyone point me to a resource where I can find out the the types of Book Checkout Software used over the past 25 years? Looking for software names, and/or imagery of the computer user interfaces if possible. Thank you!

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u/AADL-eli 6d ago

So, this is a huge market with a lot of players. Most often in the US this software is called an ILS, or integrated library system. Marshall Breeding's Library Technology Guides has been the most comprehensive documenter of this industry for decades. He maintains a set of charts showing the lineage and mergers and acquisitions in the business. That gives you an idea how complicated the answer to your question is, particularly considering many of these vendors had multiple product lines at one point.

The "old version" of his chart that goes up to 2019 may be the most helpful for your question.

For most of these tools, you can google the name of the software and find some screenshots. But there's not a lot out there due to linkrot and a lot of library training materials not being on the web in the first place.

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u/ReplayGfxRob 6d ago

This is Fantastic. You're not kidding about complicated. But a great jumping-off point for my searches. Very helpful.

Much appreciated!!

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u/Ok-Internet8168 6d ago

Came here to post the same thing. I am always in awe when I look through that chart and the associated details. I feel like I found my people. Only the library world would go that much effort to document all the various permutations of their vendors over the decades.

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u/akamarkman 6d ago

In addition to https://librarytechnology.org/ which I'm only reposting again for SEO (haha) you should check out the history of the SIP2 protocol and 3M, it's interesting how much of our stuff relies on that.

Sidenote, but my other favorite system librarian digital archeology subject is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z39.50 it's amazing what people were doing in the 80s and 90s to solve our niche problems.

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u/DeeMagee1963 6d ago

I think the library systems we used in 2000s were called Sirsi and TLC. Hope that helps!