The word "changing" is often used to describe today's libraries,
for both the perception and the reality of the library field are
experiencing transformations. Such transformations are
increasingly apparent in the Purdue University Libraries. From
nearly any location on the West Lafayette campus in the 1970's,
you were just steps away from one of the 28 libraries. Each
library placed subject-related books and journals close to
primary users, and each library provided space for use of the
collections, as well as access to librarians knowledgeable in
the literatures of the discipline. Today, while the libraries
have been consolidated into 14 locations, the emergence of
electronic access places you even closer to collections,
services, and experts. Electronic access brings the catalog as
well as journals, theses, dissertations, archival materials and
more, to your computer screen, whether you are on campus, at
home, or anywhere in the world. It also enables you to
communicate with highly trained librarians and s