Perspectives on organisational network communities: a review paper for library and information service managers

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is becoming firmly embedded into library work through the use of electronic mail, and it is likely that computer-supported collaborative working, using e-mail and other forms of computer-conferencing and groupware products, will have a key role to play in the development of integrated digital libraries across sectoral, national and international boundaries. This review paper draws on a literature survey which was undertaken as parr of British Library funded research into the use of e-mail in academic libraries between 1995-1997. It aims to provide a digest of some influential perspectives from the literature which are likely to be of relevance to managers, team leaders and systems staff in information services who are interested in optimising the use of text-based CMC across and between library organisations and within teams.