ABSTRACT
The availability of resources in both print and electronic formats poses a selection dilemma for librarians dealing with rising costs of materials and stagnating or declining budgets. Should a choice between formats be made? There are readily identifiable differences between print and electronic resources and each has strengths and weaknesses. Traditional selection criteria are still valid for evaluating electronic resources but additional issues such as technology, access method, overlap between indexed publications and the library’s collection, service implications, archival concerns and availability of new product information must be considered. Decision models can allow for easier comparison of information formats. A collection development 80policy that incorporates electronic resources is a necessity that both justifies decisions made and ensures that resource collection supports the library’s goals. Experiences shared by today’s librarians illustrate the complexity of this selection dilemma and highlight the fact that there is no simple answer.[Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678, E-mail address: <getinfo@haworthpressinc, com Website: https://www.haworthpress.com" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://www.haworthpress.com ]
