The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, I will discuss the influence of accreditation commissions' standards on library services to off-campus or distant learners. Second, I shall discuss the apparent needs of distant learners and the challenges which accompany service to fill these needs. As part of this discussion, I shall highlight the Internet as a powerful reference tool. Finally, future trends in these areas of librarianship will be presented.

Distance education via technology has been in use for approximately 25 years; however, in the very broad sense distance education has been around for centuries. For our purpose, let us define the term. In general, distance education is a "term used to encompass distance learning, distance teaching and the study of those processes, together with the creation of suitable teaching/learning/assessment materials and methods for using them" (Haythornwaite, 1990, p. 31).

Looking at the wide range of distance education applications that either exist today or are emerging, we see "television broadcasts, closed circuit television systems, cable television, satellite transmissions, computers and computer-based access to external learning resources, videotape and interactive video disc, audio by disc, tapes or broadcasts and other such information and telecommunications systems that alone or in combination assist in teaching and learning. (Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, 1995, p. 82).

2. THE EVOLVING LIBRARY

The demand for information followed by the demand for more and faster information has resulted in major changes in libraries. The automation of many library services and the creation of the virtual library have been ongoing trends for a few decades. These trends have been accepted and implemented in libraries because they are supported by solid science and technology bases, by increased funding and staffing, and by continued user demand.

With the introduction of technology in libraries, information is much more accessible today than it has ever been in history. Not only do academic libraries serve the on-campus community, but also they are challenged to offer increased service to remote constituencies as well.

3. ACCREDITATION OF LIBRARY SERVICES

The main role of the academic library remains unchanged as the provider of information resources to the curriculum. According to the criteria of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools:

One solution to providing service to distance learners is to develop operative agreements with other libraries. Clearly stated is the standard of the Western Association of Colleges and Schools (1988, p. 62) which emphasizes that "institutions having formalized agreements to supplement their own collections with those of other institutions have mutually agreed upon arrangements with other institutions and contribute appropriately to the maintenance of those resources." On the surface, this appears to be a simple procedure, but it is not. Much thought and planning is required in the development of these agreements to delineate exactly the services provided by the other library as well as the privileges of the distant learner. In many cases, a fee is involved which could range from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars per student. In all cases, however, it is highly advised that cooperative agreements are used only as temporary solutions and should be supplemental in nature. Accrediting agencies warn that institutions should not depend on other libraries to serve as the main resource for distance learners. According to Garten and Hartwell (1994, p. 91) "the intent of the regional accreditation bodies is that those individuals who propose offering academic work in remote or off-site fashion be especially responsive to the ways and means through which they provide learning resources to their students."

4. LIBRARY NEEDS OF DISTANT LEARNERS

The library needs of distant learners are not unique. They are similar to those of on-campus students. Apart from the manner in which they are accessed, requested and delivered, the same resources are required, the same questions are asked, and the same quality of service is expected.

How can libraries provide the most efficient service for accessing, requesting and delivering information to distant learners? New trends in these areas indicate a genuine interest and effort on the part of libraries to meet their needs.

For instance, the following policies and procedures are currently in effect by libraries with distance education programs:

• State- or Region-Wide Borrowers Cards

These cards eliminate having to deal with different rules and regulations for individual libraries. Such problems as restricted borrowing privileges and charging fees for cards would be solved. For example, a resident of the State of Rhode Island may obtain a library card from the University of Rhode Island. In turn, this card is recognized for reciprocal borrowing privileges at five other academic libraries within the state, all members of HELIN, the Higher Education Library and Information Network.

• Consortium Membership

The American Library Association along with regional accrediting agencies encourage the participation in consortia. This permits one academic community to use library resources at other local or regional academic institutions; and likewise, allows the other members reciprocal privileges. Depending on the level of uniformity in automation systems, users not only have online access to shared catalogs and databases, but also the option to conduct unmediated interlibrary loan transactions online. Within some consortia, local or regional delivery systems are available reducing the turn-around time of interlibrary requests.

• Toll-Free Telephone Numbers

To be really accessible, offering a toll-free telephone number to distant learners encourages direct communication with the librarians on campus. Generally, these professionals are in contact with the faculty, and are familiar with the assignments and the collection which helps to provide better and accurate service.

• Telefacsimile Communication

"Faxing" is an excellent means of document delivery. It is useful in sending reference requests and in delivering them. Whenever time is crucial, this is the best service possible. Depending on the number of copies requested together with the size of library staff, requests could be filled on demand within minutes, certainly within 24 hours.

• Networks

Let us look briefly at two broad types of networks that exist today in many libraries: Local Area Networks (LAN) and Wide Area Networks (WAN).

A LAN is "a cluster of PC's and other computer peripherals in a relatively small area interconnected for the purpose of communication, file transfer and sharing of peripheral hardware" (Machovec, 1993, p. 63). LANs are the most common network used in libraries because they save space and cost for optimal resource sharing. For example, a library may connect its online public access catalog (OPAC), one or more electronic serials indexes, a full-text electronic database, a CD-ROM Encyclopedia, and a printer. Rather than offering exclusive online access to stand-alone workstations by single individuals, a LAN allows multiple users to access a variety of resources.

A Wide Area Network or a WAN is "a communications network that spans large areas (hundreds or thousands of miles) by using telecommunications lines provided by a common carrier (e.g., the phone company)" (p. 114). A WAN is especially useful for resource sharing within multi-campus institutions and consortia. It offers the same benefits as a LAN only across greater distances.

• The Internet

The world is shrinking. No, the Earth is not reducing in size. Paris is still 504 kilometers away from Amsterdam, and it still takes 18 hours to fly between San Francisco and Hong Kong. What is really shrinking is the amount of time it takes to communicate with someone just about anywhere in the world. "Today, you can use the Internet to communicate with family, friends, and colleagues, participate in global discussions, play games, conduct scientific research, read presidential campaign speeches, figure out what the weather is in the Catskills, converse with doctors, get pictures from NASA spacecraft, read books, query library databases around the world, and much, much more" (Engle, 1993, p. 2).

We are witnessing the emergence of the most powerful reference resource ever. Apart from vast information potential, the Internet is also reshaping traditional reference service. Today, a situation exists "to the extent that access to certain basic library services is no longer necessarily a function of a physical proximity" (Tomer, 1992, p. 89). Distant learners use e-mail to communicate their information needs to librarians in remote locations. In turn, librarians fill these requests using the same medium or by Telefacsimile.

Why should librarians use the Internet? Let us enumerate some of the immediate benefits:

By the year 2000, the "technology revolution" in libraries will still be waging. When will this "attack" wane? I do not presume to know the answer, though I certainly realize that the electronic or virtual library needs more time to mature. It will change the way we work. It will provide us with opportunities to change the way we currently perform library services and tasks.

Consider basic reference services. With the emergence of multimedia telephony, a distant learner will be sitting at a workstation communicating with a librarian at a remote site. Each person can see the other on a screen. A real-time reference interview will ensue; resources will be discussed. Finally, the distant learner can retrieve text, images, and video clips from the library's databases.

Another example is bibliographic instruction. This application extends to creating a virtual classroom, consisting of librarians and students in totally different places, united, by means of videoconferencing links connected to personalized multimedia terminals. Classroom and textbooks will be enhanced, and learning will be customized to the student via access to remote expertise that will reside in multimedia expert-system databases. For example, should a student need assistance in preparing a bibliography, he or she would make that request with a simple keystroke and a multimedia lesson on bibliographies would display. In this way, the infinite possibilities of information technology will assist distant learners to meet these growing needs and demands in education.

John Mayo, the President of AT&T Bell Laboratories, (1993, p. 9) explained it this way, "the key information technologies of electronics, photonics, computing and software will advance dramatically beyond today's powerful capabilities. Electronics technology may possibly mature in about a decade, but the others have about two more decades to go. And we may see the emergence of some entirely new technologies..."

6. CONCLUSION

"If you don't know where you are going, how can you expect to get there?" This quotation has been attributed to Basil S. Walsh, who went on to say, "An intelligent plan is the first step to success. The man who plans knows where he is going, knows what progress he is making, and has a pretty good idea when he will arrive. Planning is the open road to your destination" (Handbook of Business Quotations, p. 135).

If your destination is service to distant learners, then planning should be the first item on your agenda. Several issues which librarians should consider include:

REFERENCES

Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (1995). Proposed criteria: Distance learning. Washington, DC: Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.

Engle, Mary E., Lutz, Marilyn, Jones, Jr., William W., & Engle, Genevieve (1993). Internet connections: A librarian's guide to dial-up access and use. LITA Monographs, 3. Chicago, IL: Library and Information Techno-logy Association.

Garten, Edward D., & Hartwell, Cynthia (1994, Spring). "Adversaries or colleagues? The nontraditional entrepreneurial university and the challenge posed to library administrators. Library Administration and Management, 8 (2), 87-95 (Spring, 1994).

Haythornewaite, Jo (1990, January). Distance education and the information scientist, Aslib Proceedings. 42 (1), 31-39

Lightfoot, Charles Robert (1991). Handbook of business quotations. Houston: Gulf Publishing Company.

Machovec, George S (1993). Telecommunications, networking and internet glossary. LITA Monographs, 4. Chicago, IL: Library and Information Technology Association.

Mayo, John S (1993). Telecommunications technology and services in the year 2010: Remarks Delivered at the AT&T Bell Laboratories Technology Symposium, Toronto, Canada, October 13, 1993. n.p.: AT&T.

New England Association of Schools and Colleges (1992). Standards for accreditation. Winchester, MA: New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1992) Criteria for accreditation: Commission on colleges. Atlanta, GA: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Tomer, Christopher (1992, Fall). Emerging electronic library service and the idea of location independence. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 4, 89.

Western Association of Colleges and Schools (1988). Handbook of accreditation. Oakland, CA: Western Association of Schools and Colleges.