From Vision to Reality: The Evolution of a Library Model

ABSTRACTThis paper discusses the way in which the establishment of an academic library has been managed at a new university in the ‘information age’. Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland was established in 1987 as the first private university in Australia. In its ten-year history the university has suffered mixed fortunes which have been reflected in the development of the library.The paper investigates the model proposed to support the vision of an electronic library in the late 1980s, and the issues associated with its implementation in an environment of emerging technologies. It outlines the impact of the model in shaping the future development of the library, and how it was altered to accommodate the available technologies and to meet the changing circumstances of the university. The paper does not focus on the personalities and controversy surrounding the proposed model.