Abstract
The design and implementation of a network-based document distribution service within a university entails careful planning, considerable communication, and coordinated action between computing center and library staffs. Northwestern University's experience in developing an Electronic Reserve System (ERS) offers a case study of the several elements requiring coordination, including software distribution, system design, the recruitment of faculty for testing and early implementation, and evaluation. This review of Northwestern's ERS highlights how coordination between the two organizations was accomplished, what conflicts were faced and how they were resolved, and how ongoing development of this successful service is being managed. A number of useful insights into organizational roles and boundaries have emerged from this experience, offering a perspective on the relationships between service offerings of library and computing center organizations and how such offerings might change in the future.