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The Digital Library
Challenges and solutions for the new millenium
Bologna, June 17-18, 1999

Electronic Document Delivery


Document delivery as an alternative to subscription / Anna Maria Tammaro [*]

Abstract

To access or to possess? This is the dilemma that is now puzzling librarians, who still do not know whether or not to encourage the construction of the digital library. Can there be a library without a collection? Is the scenario of a library as a simple access point what users really need? The discussion about periodicals can be reduced to a question of balance between the ratio of the actual library collection and the ratio of documents that can be obtained by electronic delivery or intelibrary loan.

The paper will discuss data concerning the fairly low level of use of interlibrary loan in libraries of the University of Florence compared with the use of the periodical collection. The steady trend in the growth of the cost of periodicals leads to more frequent use of interlibrary loan. However, the relative costs of subscriptions and electronic document delivery will not remain constant: increasing demand for the electronic supply of documents will lead to higher costs which will offset reductions in subscriptions.

Possible developments will also be examined through the experience of the 'Pilot Site Licence Initiative', of OCLC and of the Italian project DAFNE.



* Anna Maria Tammaro - Università di Firenze


N.B. An Italian abstract is also available.

Copyright AIB 1999-05-31, a cura di Serafina Spinelli
URL: https://www.aib.it/aib/commiss/cnur/dletamma.htm

AIB-WEB | Le Commissioni | Commissione università ricerca