Online Vs Cd-rom Delivery of Information

Everybody in the information chain seems to be nervously exploring the possibilities of new technologies. Authors try desktop publishing, publishers go online with full text databases, libraries test scanning and OCR techniques, to name only a few activities. A common denominator seems to be the uncertainty about the behaviour of the evasive end user. The paper concludes with a suggestion for co-operation between publishers, libraries and intermediaries based on the Dutch saying "cobbler stick to your last". So, the underlying principle for such a co-operation is mutual recognition and respect of the essentials of the various roles of the participating parties. What are these essentials as seen through the eyes of a librarian ? If such a co-operation can be achieved the information medium (paper, optical, magnetic or electronic media) can be chosen to meet the end user's needs instead of playing a role in a diffuse competition amongst numerous suppliers. The question of the end user's needs is raised.