History of Electronic Resources

Abstract

This chapter describes the history of the development and use of electronic resources in libraries in the United States. It provides an overview of the major developments in the field with a focus on library catalogs, electronic databases, e-books and e-serials. The chapter is intended to convey the broad sweep of change that has characterized these electronic resources from the 1960’s to the early 2000’s, as well as a sense of the underlying issues that remain the same. The author hopes that an understanding of the history of the development and use of these resources may lead to a better understanding of the current environment and provide inspiration for the future.