Resource sharing activities,.

1. NETWORKING AND
RESOURCE SHARING IN
LIBRARY AND INFORMATION
SERVICES
Okeagu, G., Okeagu, B., (2008). Networking and resource
sharing in Library and Information Services : the case for
consortium building. United Kingdom : Information, Society &
Justice. From www.fhpotsdam.de/~IFLA/INSPEL/01-1kasu.pdf

2. INTRODUCTION
The so-called “information Revolution”
has made Libraries around the world
to adopt new philosophies and
technologies for science delivery and
also reduce the cost of information.
Maintaining the dept and depths of
collection of a single greatest
challenge confronting libraries, be it,
academic, special, national, or public.

3. INTRODUCTION
Libraries have realized that no mo
matter what they are well funded, it is
difficult to acquire all the materials
needed by the clientele. In fact
partnership and cooperation in local,
national and international have
become enviable for all libraries. In
achieving cooperation is through the
establishment of consortium.

4. LIBRARY COOPERATION
AROUND THE WORLD
1. United Kingdom
Burkyley (1999) explained the formal
cross sectional cooperation in 1930’s
with setting of RLS for inter-lending and
catalogue sharing.
60’s and 70’s- more local cooperatives not
only concentrated inter-lending,
encompassed sharing of information
and training and facilitated personal
contacts between librarians.

5. 1. United Kingdom
1986- a LIP (Library and Information Plans)
was launched with the philosophy:
1. That LIP services are a national heritage
and require conscious national effort to
maintain them.
2. The resources can’t be fully exploited
unless provision is coordinated nationally
and locally
3. Strategic planning will maximize existing
library and information services,
productivity and value.
4. Planning will be the most effective if first
done at local level.

6. United Kingdom
•JANET- the development linked all higher
education institutions
•OPAC’s- consortium purchasing of
electronic materials inter-loans and
•e-mail- are part of its use by the academic
community
•EARL (Electronic Access to Resources in Libraries) -
a project camp up in the consortium of
Public Library Networking
•LASER (London and South Eastern Library
Regional Library System)
- provides detail of services of 165 partners
and gateways to specialist sites of interest
to Public Library User.

7. 2. South Africa
1992- South African Library and
Information services sector was
transformed w/ the establishment of
the first formal Library consortium,
Cape Library Cooperative (CALICO).
1992-1998, five academic library
consortia were established.
1998- 2003, South Africa consortium
consolidating their roles with the
addition of new members.

8. Objectives of South Africa Consortia are:
1. Promote formal relationship between
members to foster collaborations and
networking.
2. Promote collection building and resource
sharing.
3. Support optional access to information
members through regional and national
cooperation.
4. Improve information literacy skills and to
share training resources and expertise
5. Provide support for the implementation and
management of common Library system.

9. 3. Nigeria
• Five Libraries are participating in the
scheme out of the hundred that joined at
inception.
2004- the Committee of University of the
Nigerian Universities (CULNU) formed the
Nigerian University Libraries consortium
(NULIC). The objectives includes:
1. Promote resource sharing among
members Libraries.
2. Make the academic resources of each
member library available to others.
3. Ensure that member institutions contribute
meaningfully towards sustaining the

10. 3. Nigeria
•NUNET (Nigerian University Network)
- is another initiative by the National
Universities Commission to encourage
Universities to network and share
information for academic and administrative
functions.
•NPI (Nigerian Periodical Index) of CULNU and
NADICEST( National Documentation and Library
Center for Science and Technology) aimed at
providing access to current and
retrospectives information on Science
and Technology to Facilitate research.

11. ELEMENTS OF CONSORTUIM
BUILDING
1. Mutual Objectives
Each of the partnering entities
needs to have a clear
understanding to have a clear
understanding of its objectives
which must be developed and
combine with those of the other
partners.

12. ELEMENTS OF CONSORTUIM
BUILDING
2. Join decision making process
All problems and decision whenever
possible must be jointly owned and
resolved by the team.
3. Continuous improvement
All partners must continue to receive
worthwhile benefits from the
arrangement. This demands a
continuous review of the partners’
performance over the life of consortium.

13. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
OF CONSORTIUM BUILDING
• A shared vision and Philosophies
• A well focus org
• Perceive cost effectiveness
• Accessibility of the network’s
resources through local nodes
• Staff skills, Attitudes and Commitment
• The quality of response provided

14. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
OF CONSORTIUM BUILDING
• The depths and the range of
resources available
• Network visibility and the image
projected to the outside world
• An ability to adopt overtime

15. ADVANTAGES OF
CONSORTUIM BUILDING
• A comprehensive collection is possible
• Avoidance of duplication of non core
collection development among the
participating libraries.
• Reduction in the cost of information
services
• Quality of services is enhanced

16. ADVANTAGES OF
CONSORTUIM BUILDING
• Facilitation of the use of common
library system
• Promotion of best practices
• Implementation of staff skills
development programmers
• Implementation of staff skills
development programmers.

17. CHALLENGES OF
CONSORSUIM BUILDING
• Team Work
Recognition of the value of each
team member and his specialty,
respecting each member’s opinion
and seeking understanding of each
other’s views contribute to team
members feeling being valued and
part of the team

18. CHALLENGES OF CONSORTUIM
BUILDING
• Trust, openness and honesty
Trust will be build over time with each
of the partners delivering their
commitments. Trust will drastically cut
down the cost of running a consortium
where partners constantly cross check
information from other partners
constantly cross check information
from other partners to avoid being
advantage of.

19. CHALLENGES OF
CONSORSUIM BUILDING
• Trust, openness and honesty
Trust also requires openness and no
room for hidden agenda. Libraries
coming together to form consortium
must make careful choice of partners.
If every member is treated fairly then
no one will need to waste time
worrying money issues.

20. CHALLENGES OF CONSORTUIM
BUILDING
• Win-Win Approach
All partners should receive an
acceptable benefit from it rather than
working for individual short terms
gains, the benefit of the consortium as
a whole is considered.
Once the win-win is mindset is in
place, the energies will be noticeable.
The contributions of all members
should be recognized and appreciated
no matter how small is.

21. Thank You
May Joyce M. Dulnuan