Collection development vs. access to information As more teaching supplements and topical information are made available in electronic formats, school libraries find themselves lagging behind in print acquisitions. Librarians look more to online and other electronic sources to meet the information needs of students and teachers. Acquisitions and selection criteria take on entirely new meaning when considering access to online services. Traditional materials evaluation measures have little meaning when applied to Internet sites. Even though many information and literature sites exist on the Internet, few believe that online data will take the place of all books and audio-visuals.
Librarians seek out and evaluate appropriate information resources online.
Knowledge of students and curriculum remains the foundation of good school library service regardless of the format of the information provided or the source. Worldwide computer networks make sharing resources easier than ever before. Libraries advertise their holdings to the world, offering to loan materials on a cooperative basis. Libraries which participate in such arrangements offer their patrons a wider variety of materials from which to choose. Librarians can count on cooperative libraries to provide infrequently used materials.