| Abstract: | Abstract For most research libraries, remote storage of significant portions of their print collections has become an economic necessity. Historically, user objections to remote storage have focused on access-related issues: i.e., lack of browsability, cumbersome requesting procedures, lengthy retrieval times, and lack of content information about materials held in storage locations. Research libraries today operate in an environment of high user expectations for convenience and immediacy in getting information, and for accessing that information remotely. In an environment filled with such expectations, print materials with no alternate electronic format, stored in off-site facilities, and inadequately described in online catalogs are less likely to get even the occasional usage they merit. Given the necessity of remote storage, research libraries need to address the issue of making stored print collections more accessible. This paper discusses three strategies for enhancing access to remotely stored library collections: (1) user-focused access policies; (2) enhanced OPAC displays; and (3) new technologies for retrieval and delivery. |
