Graduate School of Library and Information Science. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Abstract
The delivery of electronic information to libraries is increasing significantly
in both volume and forms of delivery. These forms of delivery
now include online searching, local access systems, and CD-ROM, to
name only a few. CD-ROM is a technology, however, that is growing
the fastest and has recently generated the most excitement in the library
and publishing communities.
This excitement is balanced by some concerns. Such concerns are
diverse. This paper, however, addresses one concern in particular. That
is, how will CD-ROM and other modern information handling technologies
affect electronic publishing programs in general, and therefore
by extension, libraries and publishers as well? Although the views
represented here are of a publisher of CD-ROM systems, these views
are not intended to suggest that these technologies are suitable in all
publishing environments, or for all libraries. The comments in this
article are simply intended to describe significant developments and
trends in electronic publishing.
This article consists of three parts: case history, historical perspective,
and speculation. To start, a brief case history of the H. W. Wilson
Company's electronic publishing program is in order.published or submitted for publicatio
