ABSTRACT
SUMMARY. Two technological developments, library automation and electronic publishing, are having a great impact on acquisitions in academic libraries. Automated acquisitions systems have evolved beyond the fundamental ordering and receiving functions, with the advent of integrated systems, external interfaces with suppliers and local control through microcomputer-based support. Electronic publishing will bring about dramatic changes; among them, a change in focus from the acquisition of resources to access to information in electronic formats. This growing trend will influence traditional ordering policies, budgets and supplier services. Developments point to a shift toward a distributed acquisitions operation in academic libraries of the future. This shift will bring about a redefinition of both the process and the organization of acquisitions. Ultimately the future of acquisitions will be determined by how successfully operations adapt to the changing technology.
