Electronic libraries

[Sloan, Bernie]

I recently sent postings to a number of lists regarding
the California Digital Library (CDL) project, as mentioned 
in the 10/24 issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education.
The major reason I did this is that personal experience
has shown that many higher education administrators pay
attention to what's published in forums like the Chronicle.
I believe that it's important to alert folks to articles like
these, as someone at the local institution is likely to be
paying attention, and it's a good idea to be forewarned.

Having said that, I think the COMPLETELY "electronic library" is 
a long way off, for a number of obvious reasons. At the same 
time, library capabilities are being greatly enhanced by access to
electronic resources. I think that we need to be aware that there 
are external pressures to move to the fully electronic library,
and that we REALLY need to think about how to react to
these pressures. While we continue to provide enhanced 
electronic services, we need to make it clear that there will 
always a need for resources in other formats.

Bernie Sloan

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bernie Sloan
Senior Library Information Systems Consultant
University of Illinois Office for Planning & Budgeting
338 Henry Administration Building
506 S. Wright Street
Urbana, IL  61801
Phone:  217-333-4895
Fax:       217-333-6355
e-mail:    bernies at uillinois.edu


>----------
>From: 	Sue Kamm[SMTP:suekamm at CLASS.ORG]
>Sent: 	Thursday, October 23, 1997 6:41 PM
>To: 	Multiple recipients of list
>Subject: 	Re: Electronic libraries
>
>Try getting in touch with Cal State Monterey.  (I don't have an address 
>for them, and I'm at home where I'm severely web-challenged.)  They were 
>supposed to be all-electronic.  I seem to recall reading something 
>recently about their library, and why the 'virtual' idea didn't really 
>work.  
>
>The biggest object in the road to all-electronic libraries is the cost of 
>digitizing the sum of human written knowledge.  Until someone figures out 
>how to put backfiles of newspapers and magazines as well as the text of 
>every book published into machine-readable from, and to do it without 
>having to charge an arm and a leg for it, we'll still need paper and/or 
>microform.
>
>Your friendly CyberGoddess and ALA Councilor,
>Sue Kamm
>email:  suekamm at class.org
>"The University is not engaged in making ideas safe for students.  It is 
>engaged in making students safe for ideas."
>		-- Clark Kerr, president of the University of California, 1961
>
>