Use of Electronic Publications in the National Library of Lithuania and its Impact on Library Services

As society moves into the information age changes need to be made in Library services. Readers will be able to choose their information source. Electronic publications are a key to fast and high quality information. Using electronic publications in the National Library of Lithuania (NLL) started in 1992 when the first CD-ROM was received. Internet services were arranged in 1995, but we had only one computer dedicated to these services. Our task was to arrange a reading room for the use of electronic publications and on-line databases. Finance for arranging the Internet Reading Room was received in 1996. In March 1997 this project was implemented and now our readers have favourable conditions for the use of CD-ROMs and Internet. The acquisition of a CD-ROM collection is a very important task for any library. There are over one hundred and twenty CD-ROMs in the NLL. Our acquisition of electronic publications focused on bibliographical information, the humanities and social science and justice. We have also started to collect exact and applied sciences periodicals and patents databases. Not all publications from our CD-ROM collection are popular. Readers request new information, so the CD-ROM published in earlier years are used very seldom. On the other hand we have a lot of problems in seeking for scientific articles published in the period 1960-1980. Prices of CD-ROMs are also very important. Unfortunately, many wonderful publications are very expensive, so we must choose printed books and periodicals or their electronic versions. The Library needs to investigate the problems related to the use of electronic publications. Information about our collection of electronic publications was presented at the computers and telecommunications exhibition "lnfobalt'97". It was the second such exhibition in which the Library took part. The conclusions of this exhibition are the following: 1. More and more people request faster ways of finding high quality information; 2. Rapid change in computer technology impact ways of searching of information and establishing personal contacts; 3. Electronic publications are very useful for practical information; 4. Popular publications and databases are very expensive and the majority of readers cannot afford to subscribe to them; 5. The majority of exhibition visitors were not aware of electronic Publications