What is the link between information and development? Terms such as information superhighway, information revolution, and information economy are used routinely to illustrate the profound role of information in modern societies. Yet it is easy to make unverified assumptions about the nature of benefits being generated in an information society. Despite the high profile enjoyed by information issues, especially those involving new information technologies, it is perhaps ironic to find that many library and other information services are feeling increasingly vulnerable in the tight funding environment that is prevalent today.