Beyond reasonable doubt? Academic experiences of the virtual law library
Abstract
Like many similar institutions, Murdoch University Library has been moving rapidly towards the substitution of electronic for print resources, and access for holdings (document delivery). This move has been motivated by two compelling and common reasons. The first is a belief that electronic resources, by comparison with their paper counterparts, provide - or should provide - equal if not greater intellectual value, combined with greater accessibility. And the second is a gradually diminishing capacity to acquire all those print resources which would once have formed a substantial and focussed local collection. Legal publishers were early adopters of the technology which permitted large bodies of literature to be made available online (eg Lexis-Nexis, WestLaw). Universities, with their experience of using services such as DIALOG to access bibliographic information, were quick to begin using this material. Their academic staff and students, however, have had some concerns about the quality of electronic legal publishing. Experience at Murdoch indicates that there are a number of issues which need to be resolved before academics, in particular, will be convinced that electronic documents are valid substitutes for printed ones, and that the 'virtual' legal library with its reliance on off-site resources is an acceptable substitute for shelves of leather-bound volumes. This paper outlines issues raised by a survey of Law staff and student use of electronic resources, and makes suggestions for resolving the problems which now exist in the area of legal electronic publishing.
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