NEW TECHNOLOGY - FRIEND OR FOE

The developments in the world of information technology are bringing t ogether librarians and archivists working with paper-based materials w ith those working with sound and image recordings. The article is not an attempt to explain the intricacies of the wide range of new technol ogical developments. This task is performed by the many technical maga zines and journals that cover this field. What this article tries to d o is to explore the potential of ''New Technology'' to be a help or a hindrance to a text library - a Friend or a Foe. Many librarians are c onsidering using these new systems for the storage of traditional prin ted materials and a number of questions are discussed. Underlying the article is the clear perception that the sheer quantity of decaying ma terial in storage makes a full examination of the benefits and drawbac ks of new technology by all custodians of collections imperative.