Why Research Libraries? Building Local Web-Based Collections: LOCKSS in Production Vicky Reich Director of LOCKSS Program Stanford University David Rosenthal Distinguished Engineer and Chief Scientist, LOCKSS Program Sun Microsystems For those who believe local collections are key to the future viability of research libraries, there is the LOCKSS initiative (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe). Established by Stanford University, the LOCKSS system allows libraries to create, manage, and maintain persistent caches of electronic journal content with minimal cost and effort. Libraries retain their role of acquiring, retaining, preserving, and building means of access to collections. First presented at CNI in 2001, the LOCKSS system will be in production in the first quarter of 2004. This briefing will discuss collection development efforts in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, as well as business sustainability issues and progress. http://lockss.stanford.edu