The USMAI implementation of Aleph and the introduction of SFX/Metalib functionality have presented the USMAI consortium and its member institutions with important opportunities to examine the place of electronic resources in the catalog. Local practices for providing access to records and information about a variety of electronic resources indicate differing approaches and philosophies for treating information in electronic formats. These resources include online databases, cover-to-cover full-text journals, ebooks and ebook aggregators, patents, government documents, digitized collections, etc.

Fundamental questions about the role of the catalog as portal, the role of the USMAI's Research Port as portal, and fit between specific resources and the tools used to identify and access them resulted in establishment of the ERIC Task Force to review all aspects of this complex issue, and to make recommendations. Some of the questions and issues that the Task Force has examined include:

• What electronic resources do users expect or want to see represented in the catalog or in Research Port?
• What role will Research Port play as a portal for electronic resources?
• What role will the catalog play as a portal, and how can the catalog provide access to information about electronic resources so that the integrity and maintenance of the catalog can be maintained given current staffing and resources?
• Which tools provide the best opportunities for resource discovery by maintaining both precision in locating known resources and recall of information relevant to the user's search (serendipitous discovery).
• What technical mechanisms are needed to provide appropriate authorization, updating, URL checking, etc., in Research Port or the catalog?

  The Task Force has examined these issues through the use of campus surveys, outside readings, and discussion. Our plan is to present a number of options, to outline recommendations for the short-term, and to articulate long-term goals that focus on the bigger picture of access to the range of print and electronic resources available to USMAI patrons.

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