Abstract
Libraries have traditionally collected a wide assortment of tangible scholarly works, such as books, periodicals, newspapers, and microfiche. Libraries have handled these materials for years and continue to do so effectively. Over the past decade there has been a sharp increase in the purchase of non-tangible information products which can't be easily cataloged and filed on a shelf. These products range from creating a specialized database, to purchasing a compiled database and mounting it locally, to purchasing search rights to an electronic journal or Internet database. This paper reviews how two different libraries have been wrestling with this problem, both in public and technical services. It explores how the acquisition of electronic resources has affected traditional staff roles, who is involved in the decision-making and purchase processes, and how faculty and students are coping with this new information environment.