The user often has to conduct another search in order to have the information delivered to him, e.g by way of lending service, IBL, electronic document delivery of even online access. The goal of the project 'Integration of heterogeneous resources' at the Amsterdam University Library is to make progress towards a more integrated access to information and service. We believe that integration can make searching and retrieval of information more efficient and in some cases even more effective. Integration of sources and service offers the opportunity for new structuring, no longer prescribed by the characteristics of the information offer, but based more on the demands of users. In this situation the information specialists of the Amsterdam University Library will be able to set up integrated information portals according to academic discipline.
Portals are a first step towards a personalised services for users.
At present the department of Electronic Services together with various employees of the Amsterdam University Library is determining the requirement for integration. It's important to take an interest into the developments within the complex environment of our library, where publishers, software vendors, service providers, other libraries and users all play their part. Also we consider the possibility for work together with partners during the project. An authorization system that meets a number of technical and functional requirements needs to be implemented. Boy de Haas .