Editorial

Citation

Cassell, K.A. (2006), "Editorial", Collection Building, Vol. 25 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/cb.2006.17125caa.001

Editorial

This issue deals in a broad sense with the issue of access to materials and the many ways that libraries can make collections available to their users. Once libraries left the safe confines of owning all of their collection, a new world opened up. In addition, so much interesting material exists in visual and audio formats that enhance our users’ research and our users’ ability to learn. Articles in this issue explore various aspects of the access issue. They introduce several dynamic models concerned with both collection development and access. Margie Ruppel has written an interesting paper documenting the value of using interlibrary loans as a way of building collections. Her own project and the other research she cites shows the value of using interlibrary loan requests as a way of adding additional material to the collection that will definitely circulate once and may be of interest to other users. The Ferguson article shows the future of collection development. The University of Hong Kong Library has moved dramatically in the direction of electronic resources especially serials greatly minimizing the print resources available. This makes access to most of the Library’s serial holdings available 24/7. Their user body has responded well to this change. Yet service remains uppermost in the mind of the library. The web site depository of the National Library of Norway leads the way in collecting and categorizing web sites that will be made available for use by the public. Norway’s visionary laws provide a good model for other countries. Finally the Garcia and Coso article on art images points to the future of collections with many more images catalogued and available for users in addition to the traditional print materials. Many libraries are dealing with the growing number of formats of materials and making them equally accessible to users.

Kay Ann Cassell