Libraries everywhere in the world have always been people’s only access to impor

Libraries everywhere in the worldhave always been people’s only access to important sources ofinformation.  This historical function of libraries has worked out forcenturies and has made libraries a necessity to people.  Now, thatfunction has been called into question by the fast development ofdigital media over the past several decades. In order to continue to hold thepublic interest, libraries everywhere are forced to develop means of grantingaccess to these expensive new services to average people.

     In the past, thepublishing industry maintained the rights of libraries to freely providepublished materials on the condition that libraries bought so many of theirbooks. Since the new electronic publications can easily be copied in theircompleteness by the library readers, the publishing industry is reconsideringits former support of the library system. There have even been attempts to stoplibraries from delivering digital media.

     In addition to thereluctant cooperation of the publishing industry, there is the problem that thenewer forms of information are much more specialized than those which theyreplace. Deciding how to transfer already limited resources is increasinglydifficult as there are more methods. While a single reference index(索引) might have covered anentire field in the past, now there are frequently several specialized indexesavailable in electronic form. Above all, in order to continue to make use ofthe newer technology, libraries must decide which kinds of material are mostuseful to the majority of their readers. There are many different solutions beingapplied, but only the process of trial and error will help find out the mosteffective method.

（Note: Answer the questions or complete thestatements in NO MORE THAN 20 WORDS）

1. What has been called into question?

2. In the past, publishers cooperate withlibraries because ______________.

3. The most important way to use the newtechnology is to determine ________

4. According to the passage, how can bestsolutions be found?

试题答案

【答案】

【解析】略