| Abstract: | The creation of electronic collections is changing the nature of libraries. Until recently an electronic collection meant providing an on-line public access catalog and a few CD-ROMs. Now the technologies exist to network CD-ROMs, load databases on Integrated Library Systems and access a number of commercial databases across the Internet for a fixed fee. With this responsibility comes a need to understand electronic information and options for its access. This article deals with three electronic information formats: CD-ROM, tape loads, and on-line hosts; reviews some of the hardware platforms used for accessing information in these formats; and, discusses some of the issues involved in interconnecting computer systems to increase access to electronic collections. |
