Yet few of us do so because this painful process violates basic assumptions, for example, that we must maintain current staffing levels and build attractive new buildings. If we think of our total library budget as an information delivery system, we realize that only a small portion of the dollars we spend goes toward placing information in the hands of the user. Most library dollars go for salaries, binding, shelving, and physical plant needs, not for the purchase and delivery of information. When electronic publishing matures, however, the cost of handling and storing information will decrease. Electronic publications do not need to be bound and shelved.
Many people can read a single publication simultaneously, even when the library is closed.
These savings translate into dollars that could be used for the purchase of information. The most significant savings will accrue to libraries that purchase information only when it is needed. We know that many books remain on the shelf untouched for years, and it is not always possible ascertain which journals are used, let alone which articles are read. In college libraries usage is higher still, but purchasing the right information remains an inexact science. Electronic publishing allows librarians to purchase information at the time of need.