As distance education has evolved, differences between the way information specialists view and provide information and the ways that information is actually needed and used have emerged. Instruction once primarily delivered through correspondence courses has been transformed to a multi-module system of delivery by technology. These changes, combined with the occupational demands of the information age, have created a new type of mainstream student - the adult independent learner. In response to the growing numbers of these students, academic libraries must create a new system of support - Distance Library Services (DLS). Influenced heavily by accreditation agencies, the goal of DLS is simply to create an informational system that allows the adult independent learner access to library services that are equal and equitable to those provided traditional students. Consequently, the delineation of the primary goal of the DLS reflects the traditional role of the library in an academic environment - to provide resource, reference and referral services and support to all its users through:

1. Access to Electronic Resources

2. Reference & Referral Services/Support

3. Library User Training (bibliographic instruction)

4. Borrowing Privileges

5. Document Delivery

6. Course Reserve Services

The DLS system depends on seven identified input variables: the operating budget, student requests, faculty requirements, librarians, library policy and procedures, library connectedness, and course assignments. The operating budget is essential to the system as it controls the systems resources, i.e. the development of web-based materials and the level of access for e-mail, fax, and 1-800 phone system. Another input to the system is faculty requirements which include request for materials and the placing of materials on reserve for student use. In addition, student requests for services are a major component of the system since they are the principal users of system. Librarians also play and essential role in the input process by processing information received from students and faculty and returning information to all parties. The procurement of effective policies and procedures assists in providing organization to the DLS system and mandates the use of the system as well as user behavior. Finally, the connectedness input variable changes the concept of libraries as presently conceived by providing access through online databases. In the future, the primary source of document delivery will not depend on the physical size of the library, but the number of links to other sites.

In DLS, the predominant output is providing informational materials. Whether those materials are actual books, articles, or media based on reference or research materials, distance library services provide the connection between the needed information and the user seeking it. This output is also associated with the satisfaction of requests by students and faculty members. To ensure that the responsibility of providing materials is fulfilled and that student/faculty requests are satisfied, librarians and on-line services perform the task of providing reference and research assistance. This assistance, usually in the form of a help desk, provides the user with immediate aid and support in using the library. Reference and research assistance are included as outputs because this assistance is vital to the successful utilization of distance library services. Another output provided as a result of a DLS system are library-use skills that students acquire as they become library literate. These skills are a direct result of bibliographic instruction which contributes to the development of information instruction in three forms that aid the student to: a) find information b) evaluate information and c) use information, i.e. convert information into learning. These are essential skills that will be required by the work force in the next millennium.

The stakeholders of DLS are: the students, faculty, librarians, and library administration, as well as the college, and the community with which the library is affiliated. All of them benefit from the services provided. Although the first two, i.e. the students, and faculty, are separate components that participate both internally and externally administrators have to understand and address the needs of the staff and students. Consequently, the input items in this system are interdependent on one another. If the library does not have sufficient operating expenses, the quality and size of the collection, and the library administration and librarians would be negatively affected. These factors would then have a direct effect on the students or faculty members looking for information services.

The feedback built into this system would include both formative and summative evaluations. To assure that both internal and external factors are taken into consideration, evaluation materials would be gathered through surveys from all of the major stakeholders. Written materials would be gathered through surveys disseminated to the students, staff of the library, the faculty and administration. Technical assistance reports would also be analyzed and included in the report. Due to the diverse schedules of student's participating in distance programs, and the potential of having students in a variety of time zones, requests for assistance and the ability to report difficulties should be ongoing. To accomplish the a three tier system would be included. The students would be able to contact the library staff via a comment section on the web board, an e-mail address, or by phone. A technical assistant would be on-call 24 hours a day to monitor these three types of communications and to assist in any way possible.

The library's administrative staff would conduct semi-annual internal reviews. This information would be reviewed with the staffing of the library. This report would include an overview of the submissions provided through surveys as to where the library is succeeding and what areas are in need of improvement. This report would also include an overview of the technical assistance requests, what has been done, what is pending, and, when applicable, problems that could have been avoided.

A cost benefit analysis of the library services would also be included. This data may provide the library personnel with information on portions of the services that are being run effectively and others that may be in need of revision. The cost benefit report would also include a breakdown of the mechanical aspects of the program, the physical system in use, and the cost and benefits projected with the replacement of such items.

All of the information gathered would be shared and discussed with the library staff. Group discussion and analysis of the information would be taken into consideration for the implementation of systemic changes.

Feedback gained through the stakeholders within the system would aid in the revisions of the procedures and policies of the distance library services. The primary focus in the analysis of the information would be to keep the system as user friendly as possible, while achieving the goals of the system effectively and efficiently. To accomplish this, the information received would be reviewed and processed by the administrative staff of the library. Consistent or severe discrepancies in the information would be addressed immediately by administrative staff through emergency meetings of the library personnel; others would occur through semi-annual, scheduled meetings. The action steps taken as a result of the evaluations would be dependent on a combination of the results of the surveys, the discussions and analyses of the group. Changes could range from methodology to process and may include updates of the equipment utilized. Changes would be based on the following criteria: performance rating of the consumers, ability of the library to substantiate such transformation, and cost benefit analysis of the project.

Students and faculty would also aid in the decisions made with regard to the collections maintained by the library. Materials that faculty members request, either for their own use or as recommended readings for courses, would be ordered and placed on reserve in the library or sent to the instructor. Student requests that cannot be filled by the library would be documented as such and then ordered through the inter-library loan service. When three requests for the same materials are noted, these materials would be suggested for purchase. Reports of technical difficulties would be processed within 48 hours of their submission. Based on the information gathered through the Technical Difficulties Form, one of two actions would be taken. If the difficulty is minor in nature and could be repaired in a timely manner, at a minimal charge, it would be repaired. If the difficulty is more severe, then there are two paths that could be taken. With the more severe issues, a decision matrix would be utilized to determine whether it would be more efficient to repair or replace the damaged item. Factors such as advancements in technology and new demands on the system that have been made since it's implementation would be part of the matrix.

The addition of a distance education program presents many problems for the host institution. Student registration, testing, and the delivery of instruction are some of the more obvious ones. However, the delivery of library services to distance learning students is a problem that often is overlooked. Not only do students need access to library materials to complete assignments, they also need user instruction to enable them to conduct research when assistance from reference librarians is not available.

This problem requires decision makers to effect a solution that satisfies student needs within budgetary constraints. To assist decision makers in meeting this challenge, a DLS cost-benefits analysis can be used.

At the outset of the analysis, management must understand that a real problem exists. For educational institutions engaged in distance learning, many indicators of the problem can be found in public access catalog user files and other student activity records. In many cases, records of library use by distance learners show moderate or little activity. While some members of management may overlook these indicators, external influences necessitate that administrators address user underutilization. Specifically, most regional accrediting agencies require equal and equitable access to library resources by distance learners. Since institutional accreditation is essential to the success of the organization, management must confront this issue. With the problem clearly identified, the components of any solution strategy can be delineated, and their related costs can be compared to any benefits derived from the program.

The majority of the costs can be identified in five major categories; development, personnel, materials, delivery, and facilities. These cost descriptors along with their associated values are detailed in figure one.

Figure 1

Item	Components	Related Costs	DLS Percentage	Total
Development	Planning Staff BI	3 @ $42/hr Course materials = $11,000	900 hrs 100%	$37,000 $11,000
Personnel	Administration Librarians Support	1 @55/hr 2 @ $35/hr 2 @ $27/hr	65 hrs 300 hrs 250 hrs	$3,575 $10,500 $6,750
Materials	Job Aids Website Collection	5 @ $500ea Maintenance/ $125/month Reserve materials/ $600/month	100% 100% 100%	$2,500 $1,500 $3,600
Delivery	Postal Phone Reproduction	Shipping & Handling $950/trm 1-800 service $500/month Xerox $100/month	100% 100% 100%	$2,850 $6,000 $1,200
Facilities	Library Shipping and Receiving	$97/sqft x 3000 $80/sgft x 1300	25% 5%	$72,000 $5,200
Total for First Year of Program				*$163,675

*First year program enrollment = 63 students, All salaries are based on days paid (260)

A cost analysis of the current DLS system reveals that the cost of providing these services to distance learners is approximately $2,598 per student. However, if the number of students increases, economies of scale can be realized because some of the budget items are startup or fixed costs. For example, the facilities budget would not increase unless enrollments increased by several orders of magnitude. Additionally, development costs would fluctuate more from feedback needs as opposed to increases in enrollment.

Once the costs of the system are identified, they can now be compared to the benefits provided by the system. Tangible benefits of the system relate directly to the system outputs and include the following;

1. Students will attain mastery of library research skills.

2. Materials required by students to complete assignments would be delivered in a timely fashion.

3. Assistance would be provided by librarians to students conducting bibliographic research.

4. Information-literate students would acquire skills necessary to become independent, lifelong learners.

5. Independent learners would require less assistance from reference librarians reducing staff costs on the system.

6. Successful students would obtain better paying jobs, pay more taxes, and increase the revenue base for state-funded institutions.

Although not directly related to the outputs of the DLS system, the most important benefit of the system is its impact on the learning process. Distance learners do not enjoy the resource-rich academic environment afforded to their on-site student colleagues. They must pursue learning far removed from the traditional collegiate setting. The demands of family and career further exacerbate the situation. By making the resources of the college and research library accessible beyond the barriers of time and place, the DLS system affords the distance student with learning opportunities far beyond the limitations of the traditional correspondence course.

As is often the case in higher education, calculating the value of these benefits in terms of dollars is very difficult. However, statistics directly related to the financial impact of education on the individual and society are readily available. For example, the Congressional Record of May, 1995, indicates that people with an A.S. or A.A. degree earn approximately $6,000 more than people with only a high school education. Library skills acquired through distance library services not only contribute to the successful completion of a two year degree, but they also continue to benefit students as they continue their education. Theoretically, library skills acquired from the DLS system could eventually contribute to the successful completion of a doctorate degree and an average annual income of over $50,000.

Conversely, failure to complete a post-secondary degree is strongly associated with the profile of convicted felons. In 1991, the U.S. department of justice reported that less than 13% of inmates had completed any college coursework or degrees. Additionally, 8 out of every 10 inmates had not completed high school. Even more revealing are statistics related to re-arrest rates. According to the Correctional Education Association, prisoners who receive at least two years of higher education have a 10 percent re-arrest rate compared to the national re-arrest rate of 60 percent. Since the average annual cost of incarceration per inmate is approximately $30,000, the benefits of the DLS system and education in general clearly outweigh the costs.

Since the nature of Distance Library Services has shifted so drastically, the paradigm of a library comprised of four walls and racks of books is woefully inappropriate and ineffectual. Planning and implementing an effective distance library system necessitate understanding both its infrastructure and the human factors supporting the system. Managers must comprehend the nature and flow of information consumption, the structure of the information chain and the human side of information access. Salisbury, Reigeluth,and Soulier (1994) delineated project management competencies... as the ability to set objectives, plan, schedule, organize resources, establish appropriate staffing patterns, and control all of the complex processes that are required during the design and implementation stages of systems change (p. 77). There are three primary distance library services managers; the associate vice president, the circulation librarian, and the interlibrary loan librarian.

The associate vice president's responsibilities include standard administrative skills; creating budgets, setting policies, performing evaluation; and because of his position and duties he serves as an important node on the feedback loop. Because he plans, implements, regulates and evaluates, his focus is on realizing the goal of the system by redefining the distance library and how well it serves its patrons. Simultaneously, he must rethink the basic library structures and processes while trying to anticipate future developments and changes. Gaining support for the library's programs is another vital function he performs.

The circulation librarian acts as director of distance library services. His duties include being the first point of contact between the student and the library, directing student inquiries to the appropriate sources, initiating the document delivery process, and acting as a reference librarian when that type of assistance is needed. So, he is acutely aware of the inputs and outputs of the system as well as the information requirements of the library and the capacity of the human and information structures to respond to those needs. He serves as a node on the feedback loop and helps the associate vice president make informed decisions.

The interlibrary loan librarian works closely with the circulation librarian to secure materials not available from the in-house collection or available as full-text on-line. Monitoring and maximizing interfaces between this system and outside information suppliers are his particular responsibility.

The DLS system's inputs, transformations, feedbacks and outputs all interrelate to provide resources, references, referral services and support to all its users. Its underpinnings are: examining the requisites of the desired goal of creating an informational system that allows the adult independent learner access to library services that are equal and equitable to those provided traditional students, understanding and describing how the DLS components cooperate to respond to evolving electronic/print hybrid library instructional challenges, and assessing how well all of the stakeholders needs are being met by the system. It serves as a practical cost accounting and managerial resource for distance library planning, implementation, and adjustment processes.

Sallisbury, D. Reigeluth, C. Soulie, J. (1994, January). A professional development program in educational systems design. Educational Technology. 34(1), 73-79.