Unit 11 Information Retrieval

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 475.

A: Well, if I can have your attention for a moment. At the moment we've got all our records on microfilm. When one of our clerks wants to look at a document, he goes down into the microfilm library, inserts the microfilm index into the microfilm reader, selects the relevant microfilm, searches in the reader for the document and then, if he wants, he can take a thermal copy of the document. I'm sure you'll all agree that the process is slow and inefficient.

So what we want to do is update the system. First of all, we're going to install work stations in all the main offices.

B:What will a work station look like?

A: You can see on this diagram here, a work station will consist of a terminal with its own keyboard and then a connection to a high-quality printer. The operator will call up the index on his terminal. The index will now be on disk in a central computer. This central computer will be connected to a central microfilm reader. The reader will be down in the microfilm library. Now the new thing here will be a microfilm autoloader. This will select the right microfilm from the library and then insert the film into the reader. The image will be electronically scanned and then transmitted via the central computer to the work station. The operator will view the document on his terminal screen and then, if he wants, take a top-quality hard copy from the printer.

B: What's the time schedule on this?

a. Well, as I said, we're going to install the work stations in the first phase. We plan to do this by the end of the year.

B: What about the autoloader?

A: Well, at the moment we're doing a trial. If all goes well, we plan to install it at the beginning of next year. The central computer is already on site. We're working on some new software which should be ready soon.

B: So what about the whole system7

A: We expect the whole system to come on line in spring next year.

B: I see. Can you tell us some more about ...