The copying of data from a remote database to the store of a local computer has become a subject of great interest to the information community. In this report, downloading is examined from the point of view of both the information provider and that of the user. Discussion of current practice and policies highlights the important areas for further research which include problems of interpretation of copyright laws, lack of standardisation across systems and uncertainty as to the practical and financial benefits of downloading as a means of information retrieval.
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