The Houston Academy of Medicine--Texas Medical Center Library management information system.

A management information system (MIS) provides a means for collecting, reporting, and analyzing data from all segments of an organization. Such systems are common in business but rare in libraries. The Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library developed an MIS that operates on a system of networked IBM PCs and Paradox, a commercial database software package. The data collected in the system include monthly reports, client profile information, and data collected at the time of service requests. The MIS assists with enforcement of library policies, ensures that correct information is recorded, and provides reports for library managers. It also can be used to help answer a variety of ad hoc questions. Future plans call for the development of an MIS that could be adapted to other libraries' needs, and a decision-support interface that would facilitate access to the data contained in the MIS databases.

New library buildings: the Houston Academy of Medicine--Texas Medical Center Library.

A historical account is given of the Houston Academy of Medicine--Texas Medical Center Library within its Texas Medical Center setting in Houston, Texas. Outlined are planning, financing, and construction of the new library, which consists in part of new building and in part of renovated interiors of an old building originally completed in 1954. A concise picture is given of the new library's interiors, showing its functional success for users and employees alike. An architectural summary is appended showing gross and net footages, source of funds, costs and capacities.