Recent developments in remote document supply in the UK Available to Purchase

Recent trends and developments in remote document supply in the UK are examined, including a suggestion of what to call the activity itself. The impact of recent legislation covering copyright, legal deposit and electronic signatures on RDS is discussed as is the effect of electronic journals deals. Changes at BLDSC are noted, particularly the introduction of a secure electronic delivery service. But BLDSC will have to operate in a changing environment as envisaged in a new interlending scheme, BLDSC Plus. The central importance of BLDSC however is underlined by two important studies. The future prospects of a number of RDS systems are mentioned, but the reliance on an unreliable transport scheme for the delivery of returnables threatens to undo much of the good work. The conclusion is that RDS and related activities are in a transitional phase.