The Israeli National Medical Library's new minicomputerized on-line integrated system (MAIMON)

An in-house library system based on a dedicated mini-computer has been in operation in the Israel National Medical Library since the summer of 1979. The integrated system, called MAIMON, features on-line access to bibliographic and circulation records. It replaces manual procedures in cataloging, searching, lending, and reservations. The system provides previously unavailable statistics on items in heavy use and demand, items to be removed from the active collection, and who uses what in the library. It is designed to be user cordial and to save users' time. The system has been very favorably accepted by patrons, and frees professional librarians from time-consuming clerical routine tasks. The system is evaluated in terms of performance, convenience, and cost.