National Libraries and Electronic Document Delivery

Abstract

National libraries that have relied upon traditional methods of document delivery must prepare to re-establish themselves in the electronic age by forming two different kinds of partnership. In the short term, for monograph supply they should ally with major libraries, or consortia, sharing network facilities. For ‘journal’ articles in the long term they should join with the electronic publishers, both bringing market expertise and partnering telecommunications agencies capable of direct delivery to the researcher, bypassing traditional libraries.