Jiban K. Pal ¹

Affiliations
1 Documentation and Information Science Division, Indian Statistical Institute, 203, B. T. Road, Kolkata, 700108, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

Over the last two decades, there has been a sea change in knowledge production and dissemination world over; thereby libraries are growing in a rapid changing environment. Numerous ongoing phenomena, such as - information as a commodity, growth in quantity, increased user demand, diminishing budget, raising cost of publications, complex technological requirements, and changing concept of ownership to access are the serious concern; which cannot be reversed. However, price escalations in journal subscription and confusing array of pricing models have prompted the significant growth in number of library-consortia. This paper discusses on consortium as an organization, and is one of the emerging toolkits for libraries to survive; demonstrates the characteristics of successful consortia; recognizes the constrains specific to northeast region; and suggests the formation of a consortium solely for the North Eastern Regional Libraries (NERL) in India. The study draws an attention to the environmental circumstances (viz. topographical, climatic, economic, political, cultural, etc.) that are unique to north-eastern part of India; which makes the NERL potentially different from the mainland, thus hampers the consistent growth of consortia in the region. The paper examines various supportive measures to initiate the Consortium, and uses a model approach to be known as PLACON (stands for PLANNER Consortia); expected to trigger the balanced development of the NERL, in order to take up the challenges of twenty-first century. It highlights basic principles, major projects, and model structure of the Consortium; which would be a centralized, efficient, highly cost-effective system and emphasizes the constant source of external funds that will provide further subsidies in acquisition of online resources. The proposal puts forth major recommendations where 'information infrastructure' is prerequisite to ensure a sustainable growth of the NERL is also discussed. It also presents the strategies for making decisions and proper executions as well as follow-up-actions to be required for implementation of the Consortium in order to achieve the resultant benefits in a real situation.

Keywords

Collection Development, Consortia Initiative, E-Resource Management, India, Library Consortium, North Eastern Regional Libraries (NERL), PLACON.

Full Text

     

Jiban K. Pal ¹

Affiliations
1 Library, Documentation and Information Science Division, Indian Statistical Institute, 203, Barrackpore Trunk Road, Kolkata 700108, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

Library cooperation has been experienced by librarians for long. Indeed mutual efforts were viewed as essential by the early leaders of modern librarianship. This paper reviews the progressive development of library cooperation, and draws attention to the mutual-efforts done in libraries during sixteenth century and beyond. Thus gradual development of strategic alliances between the libraries has been discussed, and success stories are noted emphasizing on the initiatives in India. It also provides a brief historical sketch of library consortia, which was evident in the 1930s. The paper recognizes the importance of electronic consortium and their growth in the present century. Consortia are being treated as means for libraries to survive. Finally, as technological advancements have been alleviating many ills of information sharing activities; therefore, the spirits of cooperation are reinforced and mode of cooperation has undergone transformation and consortia boom is prevalent across the globe.

Keywords

Collaborative Librarianship, Consortia Boom, India, Library Cooperation, Mutual Efforts, Strategic Alliance.

Full Text