Being asked for my thoughts on the future of Library Services for off-campus/distance education has given me a rare opportunity to consider what we are currently dealing with, where we are heading, and what we should be doing. For those who want a short answer: the future holds demand for more and more service. I anticipate that this "more service" will be provided with fewer staff, fewer funds and fewer resources in a politically tough climate. Lastly, "how will information technologies affect these services?"--enormously, because the expectation will be that only technology can bridge "more" with "less".

Let me first outline the context within which my remarks should be placed: a medium-sized Western Canadian university library with an automation reputation. This university is currently focused on its on-campus situation and, while off-campus interests are going to assume an even greater role eventually, the concern for the next five years will be its aging faculty-staff and funding. I expect that over the next five to ten years, the arena in which we will see the greatest flexibility in achieving an equitable blend of off-campus/on-campus interests, perhaps including allocation of library services, will be the colleges.

Politics has had, and will continue to have, considerable influence on distance education. Reduced funding has resulted in the downsizing of staff/services and an emphasis on rationalization and cost-recovery. The pervasive spread of technology--microcomputers, networking, Internet, tele/video/audio-conferencing, etc.--has driven provincial politicians to offer the promise of educational programming irrespective of distance, with little thought to program support, e.g. library services. Governments which have underwritten the development of the Internet are now pushing educational institutions to be accountable to their constituents by making use of this new teaching tool. Funds are being directed specifically to develop off- campus/distance education programs to be delivered over the high-tech infrastructure. However, in order to receive funding, institutions must match this expenditure by committing hardware and staff expertise. While it is difficult to determine how long this fostering climate will last, it is pretty clear that at best, it will be only for the next few years (2010?), or at worst, until the next major change of government (1997, 2002 or 2007).

In a short few years, however, this focus will result in a wide range of programs--traditional university level courses, up-grading certificate programs, and "life experience" workshops--offered to any and all who are interested: students, professionals and the elderly. There will also be a corresponding range of delivery methods, including mail-based correspondence-style, instructors travelling or broadcasting to remote sites, and computer-mediated conferencing and/or live interactive two-way broadcasting over asynchronous high-speed lines. However, those who are developing such programs tend not to consider any of the ancillary services which assure added value, such as library support. The prevalent thinking of tomorrow will probably still be "the Library can absorb demands for materials and service for these new programs because they are already doing this for on-site users." If this is indeed the approach, then off-campus library services will remain reactionary and traditional, instead of being integrated creatively and thoughtfully into new technology initiatives. This is attitude must be addressed NOW, and primarily through committee work and instructional development. While I find the current era potentially both exciting and challenging, I fear that "off-campus library service programs as after-thought" will continue to plague librarians for some time to come.

Computers and networks can make library services, staff and resources more readily available; this is especially good for off-campus library staff because, with appropriate training, they can enjoy surmounting the challenges, knowing that their work truly makes a difference for remote students. It is less good if technology merely perpetuates existing patterns of delivery and service. It is bad if there is too much divergence between the latest technology being offered (e.g. computer-mediated conferencing) and the skills or experience required to competently use the technology. The future requires that we meet these training needs with a responsive, up-to-date library service. This is especially true when it comes to off-campus library services.

Another element which will impact the future of off-campus library services involves the increasing number of cooperative ventures with other academic institutions. This cooperation will be driven politically and financially as educational organizations become more cost-conscious. Libraries of all kinds will be making agreements among themselves to underwrite the high cost of technology-oriented services such as networked journal indexes, full-text resources, and even their own library catalogues. Such "split the cost and share"plans may result in less restrictive limits on services for off campus users.

One concern that I have personally for the future of off campus library services involves the drift towards increasing disparity between the technology-rich and -poor. Once off-campus services become technology-driven, they must stay the course. The problem is that this is all very expensive--microcomputers and servers, Internet connectivity, technical up-grades and software--plus staff to develop, maintain and train users of Web-based resources, etc. It will be increasingly difficult over the next five years to renew these services, and gaps will begin to appear.

Some other concerns are: how we examine ourselves to justify our programs (i.e. comparative statistics and cost-analysis); competition among parallel programs in our region, instead of support or cooperation with each other; development of relevant and useful services such as electronic reserves, Web-based class notes, use of FTP to send scanned materials directly to requesters or to other off-campus sites for pick-up; copyright and intellectual freedom issues; and equitable access. The next few years should be interesting and fun!

Chris Adams
University of Saskatchewan
Chris.Adams@usask.ca

Chris Adams came to the University of Saskatchewan Libraries in 1993, where he is currently filling a dual role as Coordinator for Off-Campus Library Services and Acting Head, Main Library / Circulation. He has been involved with distance education and off-campus library services for many years, previously at Athabasca University (1985-1987). Other work experience has been in public services areas as a collections development/reference librarian, and as coordinator of on-line searching services. While preferring public services within an academic environment, Chris has also worked in technical services as a serials cataloguer, and in public libraries and technical institutions. He earned his M.L.S degree from the University of Alberta in 1983.