> Date:          Fri, 18 Apr 1997 09:53:53 EST
ON THE ABOVE DATE ALBERT HENDERSON REPLIED
TO MY E-MAIL AS FOLLOWS:

> I am always surprised to find a librarian in disagreement with
> justifications for better library collections. What's up?

WHAT LIBRARIANS AND ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS REQUIRE
IN THE CURRENT INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT IS NOT
INCREASED SPENDING  ON LIBRARY COLLECTIONS FOR THE SAKE
OF IT. WHAT IS REQUIRED IS BETTER ACCESS TO INFORMATION
RESOURCES IN THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE MANNER, WHETHER
BY BUILDING UP COLLECTIONS FOR HEAVILY-USED (?) MATERIAL,
ONLINE ACCESS, DOCUMENT DELIVERY, CURRENT-AWARENESS
SERVICES OR INTER-LIBRARY LOANS.
PERHAPS HE KNOWS LARGE NUMBERS OF ACADEMICS WHO HAVE
TIME TO SPARE BROWSING LIBRARY COLLECTIONS, BUT I
CERTAINLY DO NOT.

Keith D. Renwick,
Head of Technical Services & Administration,
UMIST Library & Information Service,
P.O.Box 88,
Manchester M60 1QD.
Tel : (44) 161-200 4940
Fax : (44) 161-200 4941
E-Mail : K.Renwick@umist.ac.uk