off-campus library services in higher education in the United Kingdom

THIS ARmcLE IS A CRITICAL survey of the library services currently provided for off-campus courses by higher education institutions in the United Kingdom. A short section on the general administrative and educational background of the main types of institutionsuniversities, polytechnics, and colleges of higher education-is followed by a definition and brief history of off-campus library services. The central part of the article consists of a description and assessment of the relevant library services offered by these bodies. Much of the material presented here is based on the results of a survey carried out in 1989. After a description of the Open University and its library support, the article concludes with a short summary of current practice and problems, a prediction of future developments, and some recommendations.