Integrated Public-Access Computer Systems: The Heart of the Electronic University

Abstract

It has often been said that the library is the heart of the university. As the central repository of recorded knowledge on campus, the library is an essential resource for scholarly activity, and one measure of the greatness of a university is its library's collections. As electronic publishing expands and universities become computer-intensive organizations, what will the academic library's role be in this dynamic, technology-driven environment? Will it still be the heart of the university? This paper examines the medium-term future (10-15 years) of electronic publishing, the emerging "electronic university," and integrated public-access computer systems. Its central theme is that the academic library can synergetically combine traditional collections and services with new computer-based information resources and services to create a unified information system. By employing this strategy, it can continue to be the heart of the evolving electronic university.