Critical success factors for library consortia

Abstract

Budget cuts and increased prices are forcing libraries to consider alternate methods of providing resources for their users. Consortium agreements are one method of attempting to counterbalance economic stresses. The main features of resource sharing are collaborative collection development, resource sharing via interlibrary loans, collective bargaining for resources, shared storage, union catalogues and collective access to electronic resources plus shared purchase of research materials. This essays examines library literature and lists those factors that appear to be necessary to the creation and continuance of library consortia in academic and research libraries. It also examines the reasons behind their creation and what they attempt to achieve and whether they do achieve the savings promised. This essay also examines reasons why consortium agreements are stronger in some countries such as the United States while attempts in other countries fail. The second part of the essay looks at consortium agreements around the world. In New Zealand there is no mention of any formal consortium or resource sharing agreements between academic and research libraries, however some informal agreements do exist. The final part of the essay considers why consortium agreements are not prevalent in New Zealand, possible reasons for this lack and what we may attempt given our circumstances.