Ralph Parker:
It was, uh, also during this period that we were able to, uh,  beginning about 1964, uh, we began to, uh, further our automation. And, uh, in 1966, we got a small computer in the library, which we had until the university decided to, uh, put everything together in one big computer. Uh, the library hasn't suffered as much from that as some other departments have by that consolidation.

Patricia Timberlake: When did you do the automated circulation?

Parker:
The automated circulation, uh, started in 1964 but it did not get completed until we got the computer in the spring of 1966. But so far as the checkout system was concerned, that was, uh, started in September of 1964. The equipment, the way we handled it behind the scenes, uh, was done, uh, using, uh, the files were on cards and not on the computer disk. For a year and a half, there. Uh, that was when we got it we were planning to do it the way we eventually did, but we just didn't have the computer capability. And, uh, we, uh, uh, the result, the form of the circulation file was a, was an IBM card which could be automatically sorted and filed and automatically discharged. It was all done just the way it is now, so far as the public is concerned.