PUBLIC LIBRARY RESOURCE SHARING IN THE UNITED STATES

When considering the extent to which resourse sharing occurs in the United States, several factors have to be taken into account including the many networking patterns, interlibrary loans, intralibrary loans and reciprocal borrowing. Data about the magnitude of resource sharing is not easily located. Acceptance of bibliographical access to books as a substitute for physical access is an assumption made by librarians, but rejected by users. Creating many large book collections seems to be the best approach to providing actual rather than potential service. US librarians seem prepared to purchase elaborate systems for potential rather than results, unlike British librarians who, because of the service provided by the British Library Document Supply Centre, incur expense only if there is actual usage.