ERIC Number: ED190163
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1979-Sep-28
Pages: 8
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The Small Academic Library and the New Cooperation.
Smith, Harold F.
Although spiraling costs and reduced budgets require that small academic libraries form clusters to share resources and services, consortia and library networks so far have taken only tentative or shallow steps in this direction. Real and meaningful steps can and must be taken to develop joint acquisition policies, effective and timely interlibrary loan procedures, cooperative reference services, and division of responsibility for periodicals. Resource utilization in the areas of technical processes, staff, and equipment can be improved, and librarians need to adopt an attitude of interdependency and shared mutual responsibility. Clusters of five to ten libraries within a limited geographic proximity offer a feasible framework with an individual in each committed to seek out, develop, and maintain cooperative programs. (RAA)
Descriptors: Academic Libraries, Budgets, Consortia, Costs, Higher Education, Library Cooperation, Library Networks, Library Services, Resources
Publication Type: Opinion Papers; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Note: Paper presented at the Missouri Library Association Annual Conference (September 28, 1979). For related documents, see IR 008 715-720.