Examines trends in costs of conventional library operation and costs of electronic devices which may pervade libraries of future. Library costs in 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, library automation, total library operating expenditures for university and college libraries, and rate of adoption of electronic techniques are covered. Sixty-three references…

This article begins with an introduction to recent developments in information technology, including investment activities related to the technology in Europe, Japan, and the United States. It then deals with the challenging issues of access to electronic information of the U.S. government, fee or free for electronic information in publicly…