Four papers on university libraries and other general research libraries were presented at the 1986 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference. "Activities of the National Centers for Overseas Periodicals" (Keinosuke Imamura, Japan) describes the functions of the eight Japanese university libraries designated as National Centers and their role in the Japanese science information system. In "Japanese University Libraries in a National Network," Tamiko Matsumura of Japan discusses interlibrary cooperation, the provision of photocopy service in interlending, the provision of reading service to external users, and the government's role and the science information system. Statistics on university libraries are presented in six tables. "Union List of Periodicals (ULP) Database and Science Information System (SIS) for the Academic Researchers of Japan" (Masamitsu Negishi, Japan) considers the ULP as a function of the SIS, problem areas in library automation, periodicals systems and the ULP, and system use fees. The text is supplemented with two figures. Finally, in "Scientific Journals and Electronic Publishing," Ulrich Wattenberg of Japan briefly considers the future of electronically distributed scientific journals. (KM)