Peking University Library, as one of the largest academic libraries in China, has a 90 year history, a staff of 300, and more than 4.3 million volumes of collection. Among the collection, there are over 220,000 rare Chinese ancient books and a good deal of rare foreign books. It not only serves 220,000 users on the campus, but also serves many domestic and foreign users every year. Because of its position, it has played a leading role in the field of library information. In January 1992, the State Education Commission officially named 13 Social Science Information Centres. PUL is the key one among them. It will provide original documents and information services for national social science research and graduate education.

PUL began to study computer application and MARC in 1979. It has experienced three stages up to now:

In the first stage (1979-1985), we were mainly training technicians, organizing ranks and doing some research. Initially, we were not clear to what library automation was or how to make it. But one thing has been clear from the beginning: if we wanted to make it in our country, a group of staff with a profound grasp of the concept is needed. Therefore, PUL paid particular attention to the personnel organizing and staff training. The number of people in the group increased from 2 to 7, then to 12, and finally to 20. Most of them were sent abroad to study or be trained, they also took part in training courses at home quite often. Now the group has specialists of hardware, software and database, being able to design, develop, operate and maintain a library automation integrated system.

During the period, our training and testing had to rent computers outside because we did not have any computers. A cooperating group was set up by four large libraries and one book seller in the Beijing area, named MARC Cooperating Group, to study the LC MARC and how to use it to do west language cataloging. Our staff took an active part in the work, imported the tapes of LC MARC and developed a testing system of acquisition and cataloging.

During the second stage (1986-1989), we were mainly doing preparations of library automation as well as some application development. In July 1986, we installed a minicomputer VAX 11/750, which was bought with World Bank loans, ending the history of making library automation without computers, having an environment of hardware. But the environment of software was not enough yet, because it could not process Chinese Characters and it didn't have a software package of library automation systems. In this circumstance, we developed a system of "Union Catalog of West Language Books (Beijing Area)," then another of "Transferring US MARC to UNIMARC," etc. ...

At the same time, we carried out a request investigation, and completed the Report of Function Investigation of Library Automation listing the functions that an automation system should provide. We also developed on PCs the database of Peking University Research Achievements (1978-1987) on Micro VAX II, an integrated system for the newly built Shantou University Library, Guangdong Province.

In the third stage (1190-), we focused on developing our integrated automation system. In May of 1990, we discussed the objective and the implementing plan of our library automation, and agreed that the conditions had been ripe to implement the automation engineering in our library. Thus we made up the objective to realize automation preliminarily within three years. That is, by 1992 the integrated system was being completed and main vocational work procedures were being operated basically with the computer.

After that, a system design named Peking University Library Automation Integrated System (PULAIS) was made and passed ratification by experts in January, 1991. The software developing and implementing preparation went on simultaneously. By the end of April, 1992, each sub-system was almost completed and being put in use successively. On September 15, 1992, the whole PULAIS passed the technique authentication organized by the authority of the university.

2. A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PULAIS

PULAIS was designed under the following circumstances: Hardware environment: LAN of ethernet by VAX 750 with PCs; Software environment: VAX/VMS and its tools, Pro/C and ORACLE RDBMS for VAX 750; MS-DOS, MS-C and CDS-ISIS for PCs.

The central database of MARC in PULAIS is divided into two by languages: one from Chinese, and one from the western languages. Each contains books and journals.

PULAIS mainly includes the following sub-system:

1. Acquisition sub-system (PULBAS), realized on PC. Main Functions: book ordering, duplicate determine, book check-in, statistics, searching, display and printing, data processing, booksellers control, accounting and varied databases maintaining, etc.

2. Serials sub-system (PULSCS), realized on PC. Main Functions: serials ordering, check-in, claiming, searching, statistics, display and printing, sellers control, accounting and database maintaining, etc.

3. Cataloging sub-system (PULBIB), realized on VAX 750. Main Functions: on-line cataloging (revising) for books and serials, searching, statistics, authority examine and control, display and printing of card, worksheet and book bulletin, varied databases maintaining, varied data sources processing and transferring, etc.

4. OPAC sub-system (PULPAS), realized on VAX 750. Provides user with 12 searching keys: title (books and serials), author's name, conference or corporate author's name, subject, title key word, ISBN, ISSN, call number, LCCN, CODEN, DB control number as well as definite and boolean logic combines searching.

5. Circulation sub-system (PULAIS), realized on VAX 750. Main functions: circulation processing, internal work processing, circulation status reference, user database control, simple MARC processing, backstage support and copy processing, daily recording and restoring, etc.

The characteristics of PULAIS:

a. It has satisfactory varied functions which cover most of the procedures of daily routines and services existing in all kinds of libraries.

b. Its MARC uses USMARC format for west language books and CNMARC (INIMARC) format for Chinese books. Besides, the authority control is implemented, so the MARC records have high quality and are easy to interchange.

c. It adopts special hardware and software measures to avoid, examine and correct mistakes, to back support and restore system breakdowns, ensuring the completeness and identity of databases, and the security and reliability of systems.

d. Its configuration is flexible, the operating environment simple. It is an integrated system, but each sub-system can operate separately. It also provides the parameter set files, enhancing its adaptability.

e. It has a batch of useful programmes and tools, which can be used to easily and effectively build, maintain and extend a system.

3. OUTLOOK

The successful development of PULAIS is only the first objective of our library plan. The next is to establish a documentation and information network on the campus, connecting it with NCFC (Network of Computer Fibre Communication - being established in Zhongguancun district, Beijing) and other networks.

Recently, the State Education Commission determined that as a core of 15 social science information centres, our library should lead to develop the Academic Information Network. Taking this opportunity, we've got the support from both the State Education Commission and our university, to buy a powerful minicomputer to expand the use of PULAIS.

It is planned that once the new computer arrives in the first half of next year, we will immediately transfer the acquisition and serials sub-systems from PCs to VAX. Then we will open on-line search through the campus network. Meanwhile, we will help some department libraries to realize automation. We should also do more on the system operating, maintaining, improving and marketing.

In the next three years we will work hard toward opening public access through NCFC to our system with other Social Science Information Centres within and outside Beijing, establishing a nation-wide network to provide documents and information service to university users who have necessary facilities.

Before the end of this century, a LAN that connects minicomputers and PCs as well as CD-ROMs and WORMs, will be established, providing fast, convenient information service to users of all units and departments throughout the campus network. Furthermore, the LAN will connect with international telenet, putting through to foreign information databases or networks (Peking University has decided to participate Pacific Neighborhood Projects). Thus, we will catch up with the advanced countries, making our library a modernized one. That is our third objective.

We are expecting to cooperate in this field with friends of other countries and areas.