Universal Availability of Publications - and of art publications - can only be achieved by efficient national exercise of certain functions: publishing, distribution - and, by libraries, acquisition, retention, and interlibrary supply. Improved availability is needed in most countries if availability in general is not to decline, and, especially when resources are in short supply, this is most likely to be achieved by combining the best or most appropriate elements of different systems but also through either centralization and/or strong coordination.