Humanistic Institution or Information Factory?

Abstract

The problems facing university libraries in the last third of the twentieth century are considered, with special emphasis on the diificulties created by the increasing scale and complexity of world publication. This problem is being met in the USA by (i) systematic programmes of co-operative acquisitions and (ii) by accepting the need for very large acquisition programmes for individual university libraries. British university library provision com pares very unfavourably with that of the USA, Australia, Western Germany and Canada, to the detriment of research activity, particularly in the humanities.

If the scale of acquisitions does increase, as it should, this will bring professional and managerial problems of a totally different order from those of the past. The need for greatly improved reader services will also be accentuated, with a demand for corresponding increases in staff.

The potential contribution of information science is considered, particularly the application of computers to university library problems. The implementation of shared cataloguing and the MARC programme is expected to release senior staff for reader service and other duties, including instruction in the use of the library: the teaching role of the library and its potential as the heart of a Faculty of Communication Studies is considered to be of special importance. Finally, reference is made to the implications for university libraries of computer based systems such as MEDLARS, specialized information centres and remote searching of computer banks of bibliographical materials.