UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 11-K
[X] ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15[D] OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
ACT OF 1934 [FEE REQUIRED]
For the fiscal year ended: September 30, 1996
OR
[ ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15[d] OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 [NO FEE REQUIRED]
For transition period from __________ to ___________
Commission file number 0-20244
A. Full title of the plan and the address of the plan, if different
from that of the issuer named below:
DATA RESEARCH ASSOCIATES, INC. 401[K] PROFIT SHARING PLAN
B. Name of the issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and
the address of its principal executive office:
DATA RESEARCH ASSOCIATES, INC.
1276 North Warson Rd.
St. Louis, Missouri 63132
REQUIRED INFORMATION
Financial Statements:
4. In lieu of requirements of Items 1-3, audited statements and
schedules prepared in accordance with the requirements of ERISA
for the plan's fiscal year ended September 30, 1996 are presented
on pages 3 through 18.
Exhibits: PAGE
1. Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors 20
Financial Statements
and Supplemental Schedules
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Years ended September 30, 1996 and 1995
with Report of Independent Auditors
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Financial Statements
and Supplemental Schedules
Years ended September 30, 1996 and 1995
Contents
Report of Independent Auditors...............................................1
Financial Statements
Statement of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits -- 1996..................2
Statement of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits -- 1995..................3
Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits -- 1996.......4
Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits -- 1995.......5
Notes to Financial Statements................................................6
Supplemental Schedules
Assets Held for Investment..................................................10
Transactions or Series of Transactions in Excess of 5% of the
Current Value of Plan Assets..............................................13
Report of Independent Auditors
Plan Administrator
Data Research Associates, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for plan
benefits of Data Research Associates, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan as of
September 30, 1996 and 1995, and the related statements of changes in net
assets available for plan benefits for the years then ended. These financial
statements are the responsibility of the Plan's management. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on
our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of
material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence
supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit
includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates
made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement
presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our
opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the net assets available for plan benefits of the Plan
at September 30, 1996 and 1995, and the changes in its net assets available
for plan benefits for the years then ended, in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles.
Our audits were made for the purpose of forming an opinion on the financial
statements taken as a whole. The accompanying supplemental schedules of
assets held for investment as of September 30, 1996, and transactions or
series of transactions in excess of 5 percent of the current value of plan
assets for the year then ended, are presented for purposes of complying with
the Department of Labor's Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure
under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and are not a
required part of the financial statements. The fund information in the
statement of net assets available for plan benefits and the statement of
changes in net assets available for plan benefits is presented for purposes of
additional analysis rather than to present the net assets available for plan
benefits and changes in net assets available for plan benefits of each fund.
The supplemental schedules and fund information have been subjected to the
auditing procedures applied in our audits of the financial statements and, in
our opinion, are fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the
financial statements taken as a whole.
December 6, 1996
Page 1
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Statement of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits
September 30, 1996
Large Small
Guaranteed Capital Capital Basic International
Income Balanced Growth Growth Value Equity DRA Stock
Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Loans Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Assets
Investments at fair value:
Money market funds $ 3,392 $ 29,670 $ 45,067 $ 5,002 $ 3,163 $ 3,154 $ 2,544 $ - $ 91,992
U.S. treasury notes - 131,510 - - - - - - 131,510
Corporate bonds - 51,698 - - - - - - 51,698
Mutual funds 244,661 - - 236,779 135,771 128,289 - - 745,500
Common stock - 529,839 832,472 - - - 42,495 - 1,404,806
Participant loans - - - - - - - 9,305 9,305
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
248,053 742,717 877,539 241,781 138,934 131,443 45,039 - 2,434,811
Receivables:
Employer's contribution 15,303 35,037 21,363 11,912 8,970 7,979 2,389 - 102,953
Participants' contribution 2,199 3,969 3,961 3,164 1,748 1,864 643 - 17,548
Interfund receivables/
payables 14,735 (793) (6,590) (4,871) (2,609) 128 - - -
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
32,237 38,213 18,734 10,205 8,109 9,971 3,032 - 120,501
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets available for plan
benefits $280,290 $780,930 $896,273 $251,986 $147,043 $141,414 $48,071 $9,305 $2,555,312
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See accompanying notes.
Page 2
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Statement Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits
September 30, 1995
Large Small
Guaranteed Capital Capital Basic International
Income Balanced Growth Growth Value Equity DRA Stock
Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Loans Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Assets
Investments at fair value:
Money market funds $ 21,481 $ 27,064 $ 71,605 $ 8,894 $ 27 $ 16 $ 1,347 $ - $ 130,434
U.S. treasury notes - 66,952 - - - - - - 66,952
Corporate bonds - 77,748 - - - - - - 77,748
Mutual funds 175,158 - - 117,422 90,760 64,709 - - 448,049
Common stock - 433,823 635,612 - - - 10,817 - 1,080,252
Participant loans - - - - - - - 8,286 8,286
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
196,639 605,587 707,217 126,316 90,787 64,725 12,164 - 1,811,721
Receivables
Employer's contribution 23,374 31,803 20,223 13,961 12,749 12,303 1,665 - 116,078
Participants' contribution 1,629 2,357 2,405 1,085 624 776 87 - 8,963
Interfund receivables/
payables (22,197) 386 17,706 2,527 475 1,168 (65) - -
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2,806 34,546 40,334 17,573 13,848 14,247 1,687 - 125,041
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets available for plan
benefits $199,445 $640,133 $747,551 $143,889 $104,635 $ 78,972 $13,851 $8,286 $1,936,762
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See accompanying notes.
Page 3
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits
Year ended September 30, 1996
Large Small
Guaranteed Capital Capital Basic International
Income Balanced Growth Growth Value Equity DRA Stock
Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Loans Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<C> <S> <S> <S> <S> <S> <S> <S> <S> <S>
Additions:
Investment Income $ 12,426 $ 21,463 $ 11,468 $ 323 $ 2,536 $ 205 $ 149 $ 615 $ 49,185
Contributions:
Participants 56 248 104,482 103,880 63,647 39,825 38,122 10,236 - 416,440
Employer 15,821 37,622 26,563 15,245 11,082 10,433 2,804 - 119,570
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
72,069 142,104 130,443 78,892 50,907 48,555 13,040 - 536,010
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84,495 163,567 141,911 79,215 53,443 48,760 13,189 615 585,195
Deductions:
Benefits paid to participants 8,675 91,975 151,836 17,714 9,245 5,211 2,408 - 287,064
Net appreciation (depreciation)
in fair value of investments - 86,611 182,662 28,501 10,727 6,683 5,235 - 320,419
Interfund transfers 5,025 (17,406) (24,015) 18,095 (12,517) 12,210 18,204 404 -
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase(decrease) in net
assets available for plan
participants 80,845 140,797 148,722 108,097 42,408 62,442 34,220 1,019 618,550
Net assets available for plan
benefits at beginning of year 199,445 640,133 747,551 143,889 104,635 78,972 13,851 8,286 1,936,762
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets available for plan
benefits at end of year $280,290 $780,930 $896,273 $251,986 $147,043 $141,414 $48,071 $9,305 $2,555,312
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See accompanying notes.
Page 4
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Statement Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits
Year ended September 30, 1995
Large Small
Guaranteed Capital Capital Basic International
Income Balanced Growth Growth Value Equity DRA Stock
Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Loans Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Additions:
Investment Income $ 8,140 $ 17,907 $ 10,420 $ 145 $ 2,943 $ 2,641 $ 43 $ 726 $ 42,965
Contributions:
Participants 51,004 74,130 109,569 42,562 31,815 30,469 4,769 - 344,318
Employer 25,363 35,891 23,522 13,961 12,749 12,303 1,585 - 125,374
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
76,367 110,021 133,091 56,523 44,564 42,772 6,354 - 469,692
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84,507 127,928 143,511 56,668 47,507 45,413 6,397 726 512,657
Deductions:
Benefits paid to participants 8,625 25,098 30,119 10,860 3,439 11,104 1,180 - 90,425
Net appreciation (depreciation)
in fair value of investments - 93,656 136,074 22,772 14,750 (951) 3,032 - 269,333
Interfund transfers (3,195) 24,643 14,429 7,370 (15,501) (17,593) (1,260) (8,893) -
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase(decrease) in net
assets available for plan
participants 72,687 221,129 263,895 75,950 43,317 15,765 6,989 (8,167) 691,565
Net assets available for plan
benefits at beginning of year 126,758 419,004 483,656 67,939 61,318 63,207 6,862 16,453 1,245,197
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets available for plan
benefits at end of year $199,445 $640,133 $747,551 $143,889 $104,635 $ 78,972 $13,851 $8,286 $1,936,762
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See accompanying notes.
Page 5
</TABLE>
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
September 30, 1996
1. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
ACCOUNTING BASIS
The financial statements of the Date Research Associates, Inc. 401(k) Profit
Sharing Plan (the Plan) are presented on the accrual basis of accounting.
INVESTMENTS
Investments held in the Plan's funds are valued at the current fair market
value determined by Merrill Lynch from publicly stated price information.
Participant loans are valued at cost, which approximates fair market value.
Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade-date basis.
Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividends are recorded on
the ex-dividend date.
USE OF ESTIMATES
The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles requires the plan administrator to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial
statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those
estimates.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN
The following description of the Plan provides only general information.
Participants should refer to the plan agreement for a more complete
description of the Plan's provisions.
GENERAL
The Plan is a defined contribution plan covering all domestic full-time
employees of Data Research Associates, Inc. (Company) who have one month of
service and are 21 years of age or older. The Plan is subject to the
provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
Administrative fees for the Plan are paid by the Company.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Each year, participants may contribute up to 15 percent of pretax annual
compensation which is limited by the maximum amounts allowed under IRS
regulations. Participants may also contribute amounts representing
distributions from other qualified defined benefit or defined contribution
plans. The employer matching contributions equal 100 percent of each
participant's elected contribution up to $1,500 and discretionary Company
profit sharing contributions. There were no discretionary employer
contributions during 1995 or 1996.
Page 6
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN (CONTINUED)
PARTICIPANT ACCOUNTS
Each participant's account is credited with the participant's contribution
and allocations of the Company's matching contributions and plan earnings.
Allocations are based on participant account balances, as defined, Forfeited
balances of terminated participants' nonvested accounts are used to reduce
future Company contributions.
VESTING
Participants are immediately vested in their contributions plus actual
earnings thereon. Vesting in the Company contribution portion of their
accounts plus actual earnings thereon is based on years of continuous
service. A participant is 100 percent vested after five years of credited
service.
INVESTMENT OPTIONS
Upon enrollment in the Plan, a participant may direct employer and employee
contributions in 10 percent increments in any of the following seven options:
- Guaranteed Income Fund -- Funds are invested in the Merrill Lynch
Retirement Preservation Trust. The Merrill Lynch Retirement
Preservation Trust invests in U.S. treasury notes and corporate bonds.
- Balanced Fund -- Funds are invested in common stocks, corporate bonds,
and U.S. treasury notes selected by the fund manager at Rittenhouse
Capital Management.
- Large Capital Growth Fund -- Funds are invested in common stocks
selected by the fund managers at Roger Engemann & Associates, Inc.
Roger Engemann & Associates, Inc.'s managers select primarily U.S.
common stocks with market capitalization of $2 billion to $3 billion.
- Small Capital Growth Fund -- Funds are invested in Nicholas Applegate
Core Growth Fund. The fund invests primarily in mid-sized U.S. common
stocks.
- Basic Value Fund -- Funds are invested in Fidelity Advisor Growth
Opportunities Fund, which consists of growth, cyclical, and value U.S.
common stocks and lower-quality high-yielding bonds.
Page 7
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN (CONTINUED)
INVESTMENT OPTIONS (CONTINUED)
- International Equity Fund -- Funds are invested in Merrill Lynch
International Equity Fund, which consists of common stocks of
companies located in countries other than the U.S.
- Data Research Associates, Inc. (DRA) Stock Fund -- Funds are invested
in common stock of Data Research Associates, Inc.
PARTICIPANT LOANS
Participants may borrow from their fund accounts up to a maximum of $50,000
or 50 percent of their vested account balance. Loan terms extend up to five
years or in excess of five years for the purchase of a primary residence.
The loans are secured by the balance in the participant's account and bear
interest at a reasonable rate determined by the administrator. Interest
rates range from 5 percent to 7 percent.
PAYMENT OF BENEFITS
On termination of service, a participant may receive a lump-sum amount equal
to the vested value of his or her account, or up to death, disability, or
retirement, elect to receive annual installments over a period not to exceed
the participant's lifetime, or the joint lifetime of the participant and the
participant's spouse, or an annuity contract.
PLAN TERMINATION
Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Company has the right
under the Plan to discontinue its contributions at any time and to terminate
the Plan subject to the provisions of ERISA. In the event of plan
termination, participants will become 100 percent vested in their accounts.
Page 8
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
3. INVESTMENTS
The fair values of individual investments that represent 5 percent or more of
the Plan's net assets are as follows:
September 30
1996 1995
----------------------
Fidelity Advisor Growth Opportunities Fund $135,771 $ 90,760
Merrill Lynch International Equity Fund 128,289 64,709
Merrill Lynch Retirement Preservation Trust 244,661 175,158
Nicholas Applegate Core Growth Fund 236,779 117,422
4. TAX STATUS
The Plan has received a favorable determination letter from the Internal
Revenue Service ruling that it is a qualified plan pursuant to the
appropriate section of the Internal Revenue Code and, accordingly, the
earnings of the underlying trust of the Plan are not subject to tax under
present tax law. The Plan's administrator believes that the Plan continues
to qualify and to operate as designed.
5. BENEFIT PAYMENTS
The Plan made distributions totaling $10,634 in fiscal 1997 to individuals
who had withdrawn from participation in the earnings and operations of the
Plan as of September 30, 1996.
Page 9
Supplemental Schedules
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Assets Held for Investment
September 30, 1996
Number
of Shares
Description or Units Cost Market
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Money Market Funds:
Cash 718 $ 718 $ 718
CMA Money Fund 91,274 91,274 91,274
-------------------
91,992 91,992
U.S. Treasury Bills and Notes:
Federal National Mortgage Association
Global Bonds, interest 6.400%,
matures May 2, 2001 10,000 9,986 9,925
U.S. Treasury Note, interest at 5.250%
matures on July 31, 1998 5,000 5,067 4,932
U.S. Treasury Note, interest at 6.375%
matures on August 15, 2002 25,000 25,329 24,855
U.S. Treasury Note, interest at 6.375%
matures on July 15, 1999 55,000 55,431 55,257
U.S. Treasury Note, interest at 7.125%
matures on October 15, 1998 20,000 19,965 20,400
U.S. Treasury Note, interest at 7.875%
matures on November 15, 2004 15,000 15,075 16,141
-------------------
130,853 131,510
Corporate Bonds:
Norwest Financial, interest at 7.875%,
matures on February 15, 2002 10,000 10,145 10,415
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Note, interest at 7.875%
matures February 15, 2002 20,000 20,136 20,441
Wmx Technologies, interest at 8.25%,
matures November 15, 1999 20,000 20,113 20,842
-------------------
50,394 51,698
Mutual Funds:
Fidelity Advisor Growth Opportunities Fund 3,966 115,742 135,771
Merrill Lynch International Equity Fund 11,040 124,266 128,289
ML RP Trust 244,661 244,661 244,661
Nicholas Applegate Core Growth Fund 11,630 190,511 236,779
-------------------
675,180 745,500
Page 10
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Assets Held for Investment (continued)
September 30, 1996
Number
of Shares
Description or Units Cost Market
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stocks:
Abbott Labs 240 9,903 11,817
American Express Company 400 17,503 18,500
American International Group Inc. 217 16,050 21,856
AMP Incorp Pennsylvania Delaware 240 10,028 9,298
Automatic Data Processing 530 17,760 23,113
Autozone Inc. Nevada 600 21,392 17,400
Boston Scientific Corp. 450 19,307 25,875
Carnival Corp. 760 11,124 23,560
Circus Circus Enterprises 550 18,343 19,456
Cisco Systems Inc. 410 10,108 25,444
Coca Cola 890 21,746 45,266
Colgate Palmolive 440 28,283 38,218
Columbia/HCA Healthcare 370 13,412 21,043
CPC International Inc. 185 13,153 13,851
Data Research Associates, Inc. 746 36,207 42,495
Duracell International Inc. 550 24,650 35,225
Emerson Electric Co. 105 7,043 9,458
Federal Home Loan Mortgage 394 18,653 38,460
Federal National Mortgage Association 1,500 30,913 52,307
First Data Corporation 435 33,678 35,506
General Electric 570 31,310 51,870
General RE Corp. 105 15,996 14,881
Gillette Co. 966 31,631 69,666
GTE Corp. 343 12,573 13,203
Hewlett Packard Co. 875 34,432 42,654
Home Depot Inc. 767 34,008 43,617
Informix Corp. 700 19,490 19,512
Intel Corp. 360 11,875 34,357
Interpuplic Group of Co. 400 18,734 18,900
J. P. Morgan & Co. Inc. 265 18,484 23,540
Johnson & Johnson 852 23,307 43,660
McDonalds Corp. 687 20,746 32,533
Medtronic Inc. 400 21,700 25,650
Merck & Co. Inc. 520 28,356 36,584
Microsoft 190 19,641 25,056
Mobil Corp. 135 12,460 15,620
Motorola 186 9,526 9,577
Nationsbank Corp. 214 12,396 18,585
News Corp. 850 16,960 17,743
Office Depot 900 18,379 21,037
Oracle 750 19,625 31,921
Pepsico Inc. 1,157 23,895 32,677
Page 11
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Assets Held for Investment (continued)
September 30, 1996
Number
of Shares
Description or Units Cost Market
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stocks (continued):
Pfizer Inc. 570 20,733 45,093
Philip Morris Cos. Inc. 170 13,046 15,257
Proctor Gamble 210 13,614 20,468
Reuters Holding 330 9,721 22,852
Royal Dutch Petroleum 117 14,712 18,261
Schering Plough Corp. 240 10,016 14,718
Wal-Mark Stores, Inc. 900 24,920 23,737
Walt Disney Company 750 33,427 47,427
Wells Fargo & Co. 100 12,436 26,002
-------------------
987,053 1,404,806
Participant Loans, Interest
From 5% to 7% 9,503 9,503
---------------------
$1,944,777 $2,435,811
=====================
Page 12
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Transactions or Series of Transactions
in Excess of 5% of the Current Value of Plan Assets
Year ended September 30, 1996
Purchase Sales
------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------
Purchase Number of Selling Cost of Number of Net Gain
Description Price Transactions Price Asset Transactions (Loss)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------
Category (iii) -- A series of securities transactions in excess of 5% of
the current value of plan assets as the beginning of the year
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
CMA Money Fund $1,406,861 345 $1,368,023 $1,368,023 401 $ -
Note 1: There were no category (i), (ii), or (iv) reportable transactions during the year ended September 30, 1996.
Note 2: Commissions and fees related to purchases and sales of investments are included in the cost of the investment or the
proceeds from the sale and are not separately identified by the investment manager.
</TABLE>
SIGNATURES
The plan. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange
Act of 1934, the trustees (or other persons who administer the employee
benefit plan) have duly caused this annual report to be signed on its
behalf by undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
DATA RESEARCH ASSOCIATES, INC.
401(K) PROFIT SHARING PLAN
12/20/96 /s/ Michael J. Mellinger
_________________ _____________________________________
Date Michael J. Mellinger; as sole trustee
EXHIBIT 1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement
(Form S-8, No. 33-77160) pertaining to the Data Research Associates, Inc.
401(k) Profit Sharing Plan of our report dated December 6, 1996, with
respect to the financial statements and schedules of the Data Research
Associates, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan included in this Annual Report
(Form 11-K) for the year ended September 30, 1996.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
_____________________
St. Louis, Missouri
December 18, 1996
