14 August 1981, Volume 213, Number 4509 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR Pros THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE Science serves its readers as a forum for the presenta- The i tion and discussion of important issues related to the advancement of science, including the presentation of univers] minority or conflicting points of view, rather than by diminisl publishing only material on which a consensus has been reached. Accordingly, all articles published in Sci- the pas ence-including editorials, news and comment, and reduce book reviews-are signed and reflect the individual views of the authors and not official points of view serial p adopted by the AAAS or the institutions with which the prices authors are affiliated. Editorial Board Associa 1981: PETER BELL, BRYCE CRAWFORD, JR., E. PETER effect oi GEIDUSCHEK, EMIL W. HAURY, SALLY GREGORY KOHLSTEDT, MANCUR OLSON, PETER H. RAVEN, WIL- number LIAM P. SLICHTER, FREDERIC G. WORDEN year pei 1982: WILLIAM ESTES, CLEMENT L. MARKERT, JOHN ye R. PIERCE, BRYANT W. ROSSITER, VERA C. RUBIN, ReseE MAXINE F. SINGER, PAUL E. WAGGONER, ALEXANDER ment of ZUCKER conside Publisher WILLIAM D. CAREY today's Associate Publisher: ROBERT V. ORMES a luxur3 Editor policy i PHILIP H. ABELSON immedi Editorial Staff Assistant Managing Editor: JOHN E. RINGLE changin Production Editor: ELLEN E. MURPHY areas of Business Manager: HANS NUSSBAUM News Editor: BARBARA J. CULLITON library News and Comment: WILLIAM J. BROAD, LUTHER J. browsin CARTER, CONSTANCE HOLDEN, ELIOT MARSHALL, COLIN NORMAN, R. JEFFREY SMITH, MARJORIE SUN, Journal NICHOLAS WADE, JOHN WALSH frinResearch News: RICHARD A. KERR, GINA BARI g KOLATA, ROGER LEWIN, JEAN L. MARX, THOMAS H. may be MAUGH II, ARTHUR L. ROBINSON, M. MITCHELL disappe~WALDROP Administrative Assistant, News: SCHERRAINE MACK; languag Editorial Assistants, News: FANNIE GROOM, CASSAN- DRA WATTS subscrip Senior Editors: ELEANORE BUTZ, MARY DORFMAN, Incre, RUTH KULSTAD Associate Editors: SYLVIA EBERHART, CAITILIN GOR- needs, I DON, Lois SCHMITT costl Assistant Editors: MARTHA COLLINS, STEPHEN cosly KEPPLE, EDITH MEYERS loss of Book Reviews: KATHERINE LIVINGSTON, Editor; LIN- interlibr DA HEISERMAN, JANET KEGG Letters: CHRISTINE GILBERT Illinois Copy Editor: ISABELLA BOULDIN Production: NANCY HARTNAGEL, JOHN BAKER; ROSE There a LOWERY; HOLLY BISHOP, ELEANOR WARNER; JEAN individu ROCKWOOD, LEAH RYAN, SHARON RYAN, ROBIN WHYTE lists, ar Covers, Reprints, and Permissions: GRAYCE FINGER, researcl Editor; GERALDINE CRUMP, CORRINE HARRIS Guide to Scientific Instruments: RICHARD G. SOMMER contribi Assistants to the Editors: SUSAN ELLIOTT, DIANE systems HOLLAND Membership Recruitment: GWENDOLYN HUDDLE The n Member and Subscription Records: ANN RAGLAND EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE: 1515 Massachu- librarieq setts Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20005. Area code sharing 202. General Editorial Office, 467-4350; Book Reviews, 467-4367; Guide to Scientific Instruments, 467-4480; iS essenr News and Comment, 467-4430; Reprints and Permis- t sions, 4674483; Research News, 4674321. Cable: Ad- Stages vancesci, Washington. For "Information for Contribu- the Wa tors," write to the editorial office or see page xi, Automa Science, 27 March 1981. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE: Area Code 202. position Membership and Subscriptions: 4674417. networl Advertising Representatives interlibr Director: EARL J. SCHERAGO Production Manager: GINA REILLY vices su Advertising Sales Manager: RICHARD L. CHARLES holding Marketing Manager: HERBERT L. BURKLUND O Sales: NEW YORK, N.Y. 10036: Steve Hamburger, 1515 journals Broadway (212-730-1050); SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J. 07076: C. Richard Callis, 12 Unami Lane (201-889-4873); CHI- tween c CAGO, ILL. 60611: Jack Ryan, Room 2107, 919 N. tween n Michigan Ave. (312-3374973); BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF. 90211: Winn Nance, 111 N. La Cienega Blvd. (213-657- lies in 2772); DORSET, VT. 05251: Fred W. Dieffenbach, Kent routine Hill Rd. (802-867-5581). ADVERTISING CORRESPONDENCE: Tenth floor, informa 1515 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10036. Phone: 212- 730-1050. BLACK, SCIENCE pects for Research Libraries quality of the science and technology collections in America's ity research libraries is deteriorating under the onslaught of stable or ,hing acquisitions budgets coupled with double-digit inflation. Over t several years, almost all research libraries have been forced to their book purchases and subscription lists to journals and other 'ublications. Domestic book prices increased 3.5-fold and journal 3.3-fold during the past 10 years, while the median budget for ition of Research Library members increased only 1.7-fold. The ifmodest budget increases is evidenced by the change in the median of gross volumes added to the member libraries over the same 10- riod: 94,314 in 1969 to 1970 and 67,742 in 1979 to 1980. arch libraries' traditional goals of local self-sufficiency and develop- f in-depth collections in all areas of active research can no longer be red realistic. Instead, collection policy now reflects the needs of programs only. Collecting in areas of peripheral research interest is y most libraries can ill afford. The long-term implication of current is not attractive. With materials acquired principally in areas of iate interest, libraries will lack the breadth to accommodate new or ig research directions. Collections will exhibit discontinuities as fcurrent interest flourish and those offormer interest wither. For the user it will mean fewer books and journals locally available for ig-a popular information-gathering habit of many researchers. Ititles that are prime candidates for cancellation are less-used or -language titles. With most libraries in similar straits, the same titles bchosen for cancellation across the country, leading .to the virtual barance of current subscriptions to certain titles, such as foreign- ,e specialty journals. Another problem is the inevitable increase in ption prices as production costs are distributed over fewer subscribers. ased interlibrary borrowing is a possible solution to satisfy local but the system as currently conducted has problems. It tends to be and the wait involved means decreased productivity and can cause project momentum. Most large libraries have noted an increase in rary loan traffic. For example, in-state borrowing from Southern University at Carbondale has about doubled in the past 4 years. ire several reasons for this. Rising journal prices have caused many ual scientists and small academic libraries to pare their subscription nd both groups are relying on using or borrowing material from Ih libraries to satisfy their needs. On-line bibliographic searching has uted to increased demands for interlibrary loans as computer-based s identify obscure but pertinent sources of information. nost practical solution to the library budget crunch is the adoption by s of computer technology to assist the development of resource- systems. But development offaster, more efficient delivery systems tial to their success. Library computer networks are still in the early of implementation. Four networks, the Research Libraries Group, ashington Library Network, the University of Toronto Library ation System, and OCLC, are in the process of consolidating their ns within the American library community. The first step toward k resource sharing was taken in 1979, when OCLC initiated its rary loan subsystem. To date, the networks have emphasized ser- ach as shared cataloging over resource sharing. Computerized book rs lists are commonly available, but the programming to integrate s and serials into the systems is inadequate. Incompatibilities be- computing systems also limit communication and cooperation be- networks. All in all, it appears that the future of the research library interlibrary cooperation mediated by computerization of library s. Thus equipped, we should be better able to match the user and the ttion with a minimum of wasted time and resources.-GEoRGE Morris Library, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale 62901 o n A p ril 5 , 2 0 2 1 h ttp ://scie n ce .scie n ce m a g .o rg / D o w n lo a d e d fro m http://science.sciencemag.org/ Prospects for research libraries G Black DOI: 10.1126/science.7256274 (4509), 715.213Science ARTICLE TOOLS http://science.sciencemag.org/content/213/4509/715.citation PERMISSIONS http://www.sciencemag.org/help/reprints-and-permissions Terms of ServiceUse of this article is subject to the trademark of AAAS. is a registeredScienceAdvancement of Science, 1200 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005. The title (print ISSN 0036-8075; online ISSN 1095-9203) is published by the American Association for theScience Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. 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