Electronic Resources

Abstract

The chapter addresses some issues with e-resources management in libraries, including the concept of e-resources, scope, and challenges of e-resource management in libraries. It defines e-resources as sources of information that are available and accessible electronically through the use of computers. Using such terms like e-journals, e-books, Websites, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), etc., the chapter defines the scope of e-resources and traces the origin of e-resources in the library environment back to the introduction of the Machine Readable Catalogue (MARC) in the mid-1960s. Infrastructure gaps and other sundry issues like funding, access model, archiving, preservation, ownership versus access, and lack of continuity in publication are some of the challenges highlighted in the management of e-resources in libraries. The chapter finally presents a brief overview of e-resources in the library environment today and maintains that e-resources are a welcome development in the library.