Vice-Chancellor's Report 1978-82

an improved and more comprehensive service which gave support to the expanding research activities. By 1982 ， the holdings of the University Library had increased to over 351,000 volumes, that of the University Library System as a whole to 751,000 volumes and audio-visual items of all kinds had grown to 7,500. In addition, there were 4,700 reels of microfilm and 38,750 items i n micro- filche. What is more meaningful than the mere growth i n number of books and periodicals is the increase in circulation which went up to nearly 430,000 i n 1981/82. The opening hours of the Library had to be extended time and again to accommodate the increase in student numbers. The more important developments of the University Library System during this four-year period included the formation of the Library Management Board in 1981 ， the computerization of the circulation system which began at the end of 1980, and the reclassification of the entire library collection according to the Library of Congress System which had taken a long time and which was finally completed in 1979/80. I n addition, the Medical Faculty Library came into being and the new medical collection classified under the National Library of Medicine Scheme began to grow in quantity and substance. The success in the computerization of the circulation system meant that by the end of the period under review more than 85% of library loans were incorporated into the new, computerized system. This system was extended to the branch library at United College and might eventually be used i n all three College Libraries of the University. Experience with the computerized circulation system also led to preliminary experiments wi th computerizatio of cataloguing operations. Although it is impossible to predict the final direction this development would take, it may yet lead to further computerization of the library's other operations. The dawning of the age of electronic processing has meant that the University Library System was able to offer another new service which also depended on access to electronic database. Generally referred to as the Information Retrieval Service, this was introduced in the Spring of 1981 and provided an added service to teachers of all disciplines. The University notes wi th satisfaction some of the special areas of strength and excellence which had been developed in the University Library System. In keeping wi th the basic concept of this University, the Library System has built an excellent collection in the area of Chinese studies. Three particular areas of acquisitions 38