The present invention provides an interactive library system having a computer
in telecommunication link with at least one user computer and computer of at least
one content provider requiring payment for information access. The interactive
library system provides information from the content provider to the user by the
following steps: Receiving, by the library system computer, user identification
and password from the user computer. Comparing, by the library system computer,
the received user identification and password with authorized user identifications
and corresponding passwords stored in the library system to determine whether to
grant access to the interactive library system. If the comparison results in grant
of access, then the interactive library system provides the following steps: Receiving,
by the library system computer, input from the user computer specifying type of
information desired by the user. Establishing, by the library system computer,
telecommunication link with the content provider computer. Transmitting, by the
library system computer, the type of information desired by the user as search
request to the content provider computer. Receiving, by the library system computer,
result of the search request from the content provider computer. And providing,
by the library system computer, the result to the user computer.