Application of modern technologies to interlibrary resource‐sharing networks

Examined in this article is the hypothesis that it is now technologically and economically feasible to move the content of documents electronically among nodes of a library network rather than the documents themselves or photocopies thereof. Comparisons are made on the basis of response‐to‐request time, quality of reproduced copy and cost factors. The conclusion is reached that electronic interlibrary resource‐sharing networks are ideally suited to situations where there are high‐frequency occurrences of internode requests for information contained in serials, where nodal separation distances do not exceed a few tens of miles and where copy is in six‐point type or larger. A three‐node network is examined in detail. Specifications for each element of the network are given, with emphasis placed on a highly critical element, the bound‐document scanner. The results of an economic study of interlibrary electronic networks are also presented.