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Algermissen, Virginia, Penny Billings, Sandra Grace, Barbara Guidry, and John Blair. “Subminute Telefacsimile for ILL Document Delivery.” Information Technology and Libraries, I (Sept., 1982), 274–5.

In the early 1980s, driven by the economics of trying to sustain library operations in stringent financial times, maintain labor productivity, and respond to user demands for informational resources, public libraries in Massachusetts began to seek more efficient and effective ways to function internally while maintaining services for users. Automated technologies provided a partial solution to these library needs. The design, financial support, organizational structure, and evolution of a program to support the automation of libraries and promote resource sharing among libraries are detailed. A sidebar by Governor Dukakis expresses his views on the roles and importance of libraries.

The process of developing a computer based resource‐sharing program for Massachusetts is described. Activities include the development and linking of bibliographic databases, the establishment of document request and delivery procedures, and the provision of computer literacy/training for librarians. Standards, funding, governance, egislation and public information components of the plan are also reviewed.

This response has been prompted by the article “Automated Systems for Small Libraries: Selection Guidelines” by Margaret Martinez in the July/August issue of this newsletter. While database management systems (DBMS) software has been receiving well‐deserved positive reviews on its many capabilities, and this article does a good job in this area, the primary issue of the amount of time it takes to master and effectively use DBMS is not addressed.

E-government involves the use of technology for the betterment of government and for making government more responsive to the governed. However, as practiced, some barriers complicate the achievement of this goal. This chapter provides an overview of e-government at the US national level; identifies access barriers; proposes a research agenda intended to make e-government more accountable and helpful to the audiences it intends to serve; and discusses the implications of e-government to the library community.

If I had about $150,000 extra in my budget this year I'd probably be in the market for a fancy Integrated Online Library System and a nice new minicomputer. Unfortunately, all I've got is free time…dBase III and an M300 Personal Computer. The intent of this article is to show exactly how powerful these special resources and tools can be.

Different Perspectives on Libraries and Librarianship