page 1-2
by Yan Hong and Hongjie Wang
page 3-12
Educational leaders confronted with the demand for and challenge of electronic document delivery (EDD) in academic libraries have to decide what to do with this unconventional, yet increasingly important methods of information delivery and how to proceed. For them to make a sound decision, they need to examine the importance of EDD as well as its pros and cons. They need to explore both issues that center around EDD, and those that supervene. A full understanding of the situation will help them make informed decisions and avoid potential pitfalls. A literature review, as first step toward a full understanding of its past, progress and future, will provide the educational leaders an overview of the literature on the topic, alert them to the problems and gaps that might exist in this research area and suggest the need for future study.
by Cristina Yu
page 13-19
by Robb M Waltner
page 21-28
From Jan.-April 1996, the University of Evansville Libraries compared the EBSCODOC and CARL UNCOVER document delivery services in the context of fulfilling article requests that were not completed using the OCLC/ILL subsystem as well as in providing "rush" service. Both services had comparative strengths and weaknesses. EBSCODOC's strength was its comprehensiveness; its weakness was speed of delivery. CARL UNCOVER's strength was the speed was the speed and reliability of delivery; its weakness was a 41% rate of fulfilment. Recommendations include further testing of full-text document suppliers in order to identify the best service or services to completely meet the needs of academic libraries.
by David Rogers
page 29-34
by Craighton Hippenhammer and Keith Reel
page 35-44
OCLC's ILL PRISM Transfer (IPT) is a method for transferring the data from an electronic interlibrary loan form to OCLC'c ILL Review File. This article explains IPT process and Olivet Nazarene University's IPT program development using HTML forms, C programming, and OCLC formatting. The authors provide their IPT development as freeware to the Internet and library communities.
by Gwen Gregory and M Marlo Brown
page 45-59
by Sonja Landes
page 61-72
ARIEL is a high-speed, high-quality, cost-effective document delivery system that runs on the Internet. Journal articles can be sent from one place to another by scanning the article directly from the journal. The text and graphics are digitized into the computer, transmitted over the Internet, and printed on a laser printer at the receiving end. Developed in 1990 by the Research Libraries Group of the Research Libraries Information Network, ARIEL is becoming the document delivery system of choice for a rapidly growing number of users in the U.S. and abroad. The key advantages which ARIEL has over the fax are: (1) no long-distance phone charges; (2) high image resolution; (3) original source can be scanned; (4) can send and receive documents at the same time; (5) does not require dedicated equipment; and (6) documents can be stored and forwarded at a later time. In the very near future, ARIEL software will incorporate MIME (Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions) technology which will enable documents to be transmitted to the screen via e-mail from one individual to another. This paper describes the hardware and software requirements, the cost of getting started, and one library's experience, as part of a pilot project, with the ARIEL document delivery system.
page 73-88
Transcribed by Kirsty A Smith
17 April 1997