Horizon Library System: The Next Generation of Integrated Library Automation Systems for the Twenty-First Century

Abstract

This article examines the Horizon Library System as an advanced model of integrated library automation and discusses the reasons for adopting automation in Arab libraries in light of the growth of information resources, the increase in user demand, and the need to improve the efficiency of technical and public services. It introduces the system in terms of its general concept and technical architecture based on a client/server environment, and explains its support for bibliographic standards, networking capabilities, database management, and the integration of different library functions. The article also addresses the Arabization of the system, its support for bilingual data, and its suitability for different types of Arab libraries.

The study further presents the system’s major modules, including the public access catalog, cataloging, circulation, serials control, acquisitions, and system administration, in addition to supplementary features such as advanced booking, reserve book room functions, self-checkout, closed-stack access, resource sharing, web-based searching, and electronic interaction with both users and vendors. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of computing infrastructure in achieving integration among library systems and applications, presenting Horizon as a suitable tool for the technical and procedural modernization of libraries in the twenty-first century.