Wired has a good Story on the new OPAC at Sonoma State University. Rather than following DDC or LC they use ARS, a system that is completely random. It\’s all done with computers and robots.
They say librarians are happy and say randomness is what makes the system so effective. Cal State Northridge was the first library to get ARS, UNLV aand Eastern Michigan University also have the Automated Retrieval System. No more browsing the stacks for the perfect book.
\”\”I think there was a lot of trepidation up front, especially by traditional users like faculty who are very devoted to the idea of browsing shelves, and of having everything exactly where it was last year,\” Butler said. \”There was some anxiety. But once we explained what it does for us, then they began to understand the principle at work.\”
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