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The National Library of New Zealand, based in Wellington, had launched a large project to redevelop the computer systems it used for interfacing with its customers. Because of the expense involved, it had decided to undertake the project jointly with the Australian National Library. The general idea underlying the National Document Information Service project was to allow library users to access library information holdings electronically, so that as many people as possible could utilize library information resources without having to physically come to the library itself. During the design phase of the project, the worldwide web emerged as a new kind of universal interface, causing the designers to pause and rethink the system''s architecture with the web in mind. The National Document Information Service project also gave rise to numerous organizational and managerial issues within the library itself. This case draws the reader''s attention to the emergence of ''digital libraries'', and the many challenges real libraries face as they try to embrace the electronic future.