Knowledgebases: The Cornerstone of E-Resource Management and Access

Over a decade ago, knowledgebases entered the library marketplace as stand-alone products to facilitate electronic resource management and end-user access. Keeping pace with the increasing availability of electronic content, these systems have grown exponentially and have become integral components of electronic resource management and discovery product suites. This review article traces the evolution of knowledgebase systems and highlights recent initiatives to standardize and improve e-resource metadata. Looking to the future of electronic resource management, knowledgebase-centric systems not only have the potential to improve the automation of e-resource management tasks, they also can foster increased collaboration among libraries, thereby transforming how libraries work and provide services to end users.