CREATING THE LIBRARY OF THE FUTURE - INCREMENTALISM WONT GET US THERE

We must begin to plan the National Electronic Library immediately. It is easy to believe that the electronic information-rich environment envisioned by members of the academic community will soon come to pass-the necessary electronic infrastructure is being deployed, government policies to encourage its creation are being formulated, and the popular and trade press abound with predictions of ''electronic libraries.'' Unfortunately, the appearance that the electronic library is imminent is an illusion. This is not for technological reasons, but because of logistical, organizational, financial, and legal obstacles. The new ''data highways,'' which indeed are fast becoming a reality, will be dominated by commercial transactions, entertainment services (e.g., video and games), and general information services (e.g., shopping, banking, news). An intense and concerted effort to develop a radical and effective model for the electronic library is required to overcome the obstacles blocking its realization. In fact, we do not have a choice but to undertake this effort. The urgent financial crises of our libraries make it clear that the traditional library will not scale into the next decade. A National Electronic Library would not only bring significant new functionality but would directly address and resolve the economic issues that are fast eroding the viability of the traditional library. To initiate the necessary discussion a business plan for an electronic library is proposed. Several key principles are articulated and arc used to evaluate different models for the financial and organizational structure of a National Electronic Library. This analysis shows that only a non-profit corporation model has the appropriate characteristics for effective implementation. Ten specific features that any successful business plan for a National Electronic Library must have are presented: voluntarism, institutional (not individual) payments, use of existing infrastructure, cooperation of all stakeholders, initial focus on strategic academic information, new models for licensing, technical standards, adequate tools, appropriate tax incentives, and endorsement of trends towards common or shared library holdings. An analysis of current circumstances reveals that incremental change will not be effective and delay will be costly. There must be an immediate effort to make radical changes. We must begin now.