Managing tradeoffs in the electronic age

An overview of the development of electronic resources over the past three decades is provided, discussing key features, disadvantages, and benefits of traditional online databases and CD-ROM and Web-based resources. This analysis of gains and losses as information resources have shifted to the Internet provides a basis for identifying key issues in the decision to shift collections and resources toward purely digital formats. Ownership of content, licensing terms, and the proliferation of user interfaces are especially important and still unresolved concerns.