URN_NBN_SI_DOC-JTNGQ1L6

EXCHANGE OF DOCUMENTS ON FLOPPY DISKS Rodcs Trautman Library Scientists Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A. The phrase „electronic document delivery" in the context of completely replacing print media, causes negative feelings in many librarians It evokes cost fears in others when they associate it with exotic telecom ­ munication networks. However, suppose the medium for delivery is a floppy disk sent by international post for use on the ubiquitous Personal Computer. Now, we can expect positive feelings about a really practical electronic document that can be read and manipulated, provided only that originator and recipient each have compatible equipment. With a few standard programs, we could exchange not only ordinary text, but spe­ cialized documents, such as scripts, macros, templates, entire runtime applications, and updates to any of these. Currently, we can and do exchange disks containing so-called DOS text files using the 256 ASCII character set, as extended for national alphabets and graphics by IBM. That is possible because every librarian has some sort of TYPE, VIEW, BROWSE, or LIST program that displays and prints such files. However, many of our services to our patrons involve more than just making electronic text available. We should be able now to use and to link all sorts of exchanged documents to others we already have or will be getting in our collections. One example follows from the availability of online business systems that permit downloading of econometric data into certain well-known spreadsheet programs. Library usage statistics are not needed by enough people to warrant their inclusion in online databases, but library directors in IATUL certainly should be able to exchange spreadsheet templates on floppy disks. 16 Knjižnica. Tematska Sl. IATUL 1989