User information quality in a scientific digital library

In the digital age we live in, the transmission of knowledge takes place through channels which provide informations to users who emigrate toward search engines and commercial sites, in order to fulfil their requirements. This innovatory background requires an up-to-date library function, offering new services and becoming fully conscious of its inexpensiveness, timeliness and quality principles. The categorical imperative "library towards users" changed the concept of information transaction, introducing the customer directly in the enormous reference room of lnternet, allowing access to OPACs and databases on the Web. The CNR Centrai Library, as national scientific and technical library in Italy, oriented its services pursuing goals for users' needs, with new models improving interfaces, icon-based searching, interlibrary loan and collection development. Particularly the Web represents the mean for verify the relationship between library and users, enhancing the Document Delivery service through e-mail, gathering statistical data, offering cooperation in Research Projects and making discussion among researchers easier. All this goals are in the benefit of user requirements who doesn't need to see physically the library in its holdings, but is in the condition to obtain, from the same remote library, the accomplishment of his objectives.