Showing papers on "Service system published in 1973"

International Inter-Library Service in a Small Country

Abstract: Work in academic libraries today is strongly influenced by the fact that the world is changing at an ever increasing rate. These changes escalate demands on the libraries' services and have impact on their politics and working methods. The reasons are several. 90 % of the world's researchers are living today, and their research is venturing into wider fields and characterized by integration and internationalization. Institutions previously working with regional, local and national research projects only, are today often involved in research based on international cooperation. The economic growth and the democratization process after World War Π resulted in an education explosion with more students than the established institutions could handle. To diminish this pressure and as an element in a growing decentralization process, new educational centres in the districts and specialized research councils at the older institutions have emerged. The concept of lifelong learning has been intensified, resulting in more advanced students constantly in demand for higher education. The literature explosion is tremendous; the number of scholary publications is estimated to be doubled overy 12 years. This abundance of information has compelled libraries to give up the idea of universal, world embracing collections. For most of them it is impossible to be self-sufficient through acquisition. Librarians today could with some justification misquote John Donne and say: "No library is an island entire of itself". For some, increased demands come in time of cost escalations and uncertain funding. Contrary to economic principles, though the supply of printed material increases, the prices keep going up. Cooperative use and planning are therefore essential. Intertype library activities are increasing in several fields, interlibrary lending both on a national and international level is one.