The National Center for Educational Communication (NCEC) contracted with Rand to develop a range of potential objectives and structures for the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) system that could render it more effective in the future. The Rand study team surveyed the scope and sources of education literature and studied the operations of the current ERIC system. Team members conducted numerous interviews with researchers, educators, officials at USOE and HEW, managers of Information Resource Centers, Clearinghouse (CH) directors and staffs, and people in relevant professional associations. Findings include: (1) The literature dealing with education is characterized by high volume, narrow focus, and findings that are often conflicting; (2) Practicing educators rely heavily for information on face-to-face communication with colleagues; (3) Besides ERIC, hundreds of journals, newsletters, and indexing services vie for the user's attention; and (4) Relatively few educators appear to have more than passing familiarity with ERIC. The following set of six alternative system models were developed: (1) A procedural Change Model, in which changes are made in the operating procedures; (2) A Divisional Model, in which a second level of management is inserted between Central ERIC and the existing CHs; (3) A Consolidated Model, in which the current 19 CHs are merged to form 8; (4) A Functional Model, which distinguishes 7 CH domains; (5) A Centralized Model; and (6) A Regional Model. (Author/CK)