It simply expresses the obvious, that books and electronic materials in many libraries will continue to co-exist. The virtual library , on the other hand, does need to be defined. It is the extension of the digital library to a state where there is no single physical access locale and there may be no single point of electronic storage. We can imagine it, but we cannot see how at this stage such an entity would be managed, and we have said already that a requirement for the digital library is that it should manageable. More important is the recognition that whilst some principles of information management endure, information technology has changed the world.
All revolutions cause turbulence and anarchy, after which there is a new order.
We are at that stage in library and information services. The last few years have seen massive development. From a situation only six or seven years ago where digital libraries were the tentative proposition of a few enthusiasts and often regarded with scepticism and hostility, they are now receiving endorsement and support at national and international level. In the United Kingdom, for instance the eLib programme in higher education has now funded over sixty projects involving the majority of UK universities. This programme has had a massive impact on strategic thinking in the university sector, not only on how libraries will develop, but more fundamentally on how teaching, learning and scholarship will be conducted in the digital age.