In a time of increasingly digital distribution, challenging questions arise regarding what people own, what they want to access to, and how they develop and maintain collections. What considerations influence their decision making, as individuals and libraries shift toward more subscription-oriented content? Digital access to e-books and…

One of the first big shifts in how libraries manage resources was the move from print-journal purchasing models to database-subscription and electronic-journal purchasing models. Libraries found that this transition helped them scale their resources and provide better service just by thinking a bit differently about their services. Likewise,…

Librarians must get the most for their money and look to technology for new solutions. Several respondents think poor budgets mean more reliance on online databases and electronic full texts with less purchase of print. Companies that produce both media are likely to continue as long as there is a market for both, but they are gearing up for the…

Discusses the concept of cyberspace, defines three different levels that have been or will be attained, and compares it with mediaspace; examines the concept of virtualization, particularly the virtual library, and defines three different levels; and describes the concepts of cybrarians, cyberocracy, and cyberology. (Contains seven references.)…

Librarians cannot distribute their collections electronically until the problems of intellectual property and free-and-equal access are resolved. Libraries must overcome restrictions of "virtual libraries" thereby making copyrighted texts freely available. Libraries must be promoted as places where readers freely consult both copyrighted…

Discusses the basic functions of library systems and their knowledge transfer role in modern societies. Four types of library systems that could arise from new technologies are identified: polymedia, electronic, digital, and virtual. Each of these systems is described, their distinguishing features identified, and their implications discussed.…