On library routines in the statistical data production

Abstract

Early in the history of program controlled computer application, users learned that programming efforts might be saved if programs and subroutines were written to satisfy certain criteria as to general use, and the concept of rout i n e l i b r a r y was conceived. There are two rather different types of libraries2, the s p e c i a l l i b r a r y and the g e n e r a ] l i b r a r y . The special library contains all tailor-made routines for recurring problems of exactly the same specification. In the statistical data production tailor-made programs have been extensively used owing to the peculiar applications occurring in a statistical bureau. This tendency makes cooperation between bureaus difficult as to special program exchange.