Prior to his death in 2012, Christopher Brown-Syed was the editor of the journal, Library and Archival Security, and taught at Seneca College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Earlier in his career, he was an employee of the library automation vendors, Plessey and Geac. Parents of Invention is a collection of memoirs and reflections on the developments in library automation from the late 1970s through the middle 1990s, from the viewpoint of employees of vendors and libraries at the time. Parents of Invention gives insight into the development of integrated library systems during this period, which saw the revolution of circulation and catalog functions in libraries. Brown-Syed writes from a Canadian perspective, and many of the contributors to the book are from Canada, Great Britain, and Australia. Brown-Syed is cognizant of US libraries and vendors, and refers to US examples and experiences on occasion. The author interviewed fifteen individuals via phone and email while researching this book. A closing chapter contributed by Louise O'Neill of McGill University, Canada, addresses future trends for automation in libraries.