New Strategies for Delivering Library Resources to Users: Rethinking the Mechanisms in which Libraries are Processing and Delivering Bibliographic Records

The focus of this paper is to examine the current library practice of processing and delivering information and to introduce alternative scenarios that may keep librarians relevant in the technological era. In the scenarios presented here, the authors will attempt to challenge basic assumptions about the usefulness of and need for OPAC systems, Web OPAC's, OCLC (as one of the major bibliographic utilities), and consortia. The authors then identify ways in which libraries can leverage their resources and available technology to create cost-effective ways of delivering improved services.