INTRODUCTION

The Colloquium on Library Science Research is an annual meeting organized by the University Center for Library Science Research (Centro Universitario de Investigaciones Bibliotecológicas, CUIB), an agency of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM). CUIB was established in 1981 to foster the development of LIS research in Mexico. At the present time, the CUIB team carries out 38 main research projects and 11 accessory academic projects on diverse LIS subjects. CUIB also publishes numerous books and the scholarly journal "Investigación Bibliotecológica" (Library Science Research) that includes papers from Mexican and Latinamerican scholars and practitioners. Some activities and projects of CUIB are supported by Unesco and IFLA.

In 1998, CUIB gave us the assignment of organizing its XVI Colloquium on Library Science Research. The theme for this colloquium was "Internet, metada and information access to libraries and networks in the electronic age, " which could not be more relevant today. Currently, librarians are striving to adapt to the accelerated changes that new information formats have brought into our discipline and labor environment, so we considered that it was the right time to rethink our role as information organizers. Consequently, the main objective of the colloquium was to approach the numerous issues involved in the organization of electronic resources and to discuss options for an adequate resource organization in the electronic age.

During three days, August 5-7, scholars, professors, and practitioners from California State University, Dakota State University, Colegio de Bibliotecología de la UNAM, Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico de la UNAM, Dirección General de Bibliotecas de la UNAM, El Colegio de México, Harvard University, Lund University Library, Iowa State University, New Mexico State University, State University of New York at Buffalo, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Universidad de Colima, and CUIB, met to talk about: catalogers and metadata systems in the organization and retrieval of digital resources; the role of subject access and library classification in the electronic age; electronic information in the future library; and electronic resources for supporting research activities.

After the discussions and interchange of points dealing with the colloquium topics, there was agreement among the attendees at this XVI Colloquium on Library Science Research. Certainly, the generation and delivery of information has changed substantially; however, the necessity of its adequate organization continues to be of crucial concern. During many years librarians have organized adequately different kinds of information resources, and now, they should apply those skills to the organization of electronic resources. Effective information of organization in the electronic age involves many challenges but catalogers own the knowledge and tools to successfully face those challenges.

It is our hope that these papers, submitted to the XVI Colloquium on Library Science Research, will contribute to an increased understanding of electronic resources organization.

Dr. Filiberto Felipe Martínez Arellano, College of Library Science Coordinator and CUIB Researcher (felipe@servidor.unam.mx )

Lic. Lina Escalona Ríos, CUIB Researcher ( escalona@cuib.unam.mx)