Development of Academic Library Automation in Brazil

Abstract

The automation of university libraries in Brazil underwent a restraint of trade on computers and software, which took place in the country between 1980 and 1990, restricting the initial use of automation systems. However, they were often developed in creative ways: systems and applications were created and used in various universities, some as free software, others based on the ISIS platform from Unesco, in addition to using modern foreign systems, which only occurred in the 1990’s. This chapter provides a historical overview of the development of automation in the country’s university libraries, from the moment in which Brazilian researchers began to disseminate information technology, creating an automation culture in higher education institutions. Many people and institutions have also contributed to promoting and implementing automation in university libraries. This paper is on future perspectives of academic library automation in Brazil with discovery tools, next generation cloud-based systems and library automation equipment. Some possible future developments are also presented.