BARRIERS TO DEEP RESOURCE SHARING AMONG LIBRARIES

The Research Support Libraries Programme (RSLP) has commissioned a study of
barriers to resource sharing among libraries, with particular reference to
institutions of higher education.

Appended is a note describing the project.

The study team has consulted UK University Librarians (via lis-sconul), has
visited and interviewed key players in seven metropolitan areas and will be
conducting focus discussions with researchers in different groups of
disciplines.

The team would also like to ascertain the potential for, and barriers to,
deep resource sharing among libraries on a subject basis, and in particular
to identify differences from subject to subject. We are therefore inviting
members of subject-based lists in the LIS field to contribute their
thoughts.

We do not wish to inflict upon you a long questionnaire, but we would be
very pleased to receive any comments you wish to make on the following three
questions. We would be particularly pleased if officers of formally
established subject groups were able to
respond on behalf of those groups.

Please send your responses by 7 December to Anne-Marie Martin
([log in to unmask])

1. Is there currently significant sharing of resources (which could be
stock, staff, expertise, technology, space, etc) in this subject area of
LIS?

2. Are there areas in which further resource sharing would benefit the work
of LIS staff and users in this subject area?

3. What barriers have you experienced or would you expect to arise to
further resource sharing in this subject area?

Many thanks for your assistance.

Jan Wilkinson
University Librarian
University of Leeds
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A Study for the RSLP on Barriers
to Resource Sharing Among Libraries


The Research Support Libraries Programme (RSLP) has commissioned a study on 
barriers to resource sharing among libraries.  This is being undertaken 
between August 2001 and January 2002 by The Higher Education Consultancy 
Group and CHEMS Consulting working in partnership.  This note describes the 
study, and invites responses from librarians within the higher education 
sector.

The study team consists of four people, all of whom have extensive 
experience of higher education and two of whom are librarians currently 
heading institutional library services:

·     Allan Schofield, Head of the Higher Education Consultancy Group who will 
act as Project Director.
·     John Fielden, Director of CHEMS Consulting.
·     Professor Colin Harris, University Librarian, Manchester Metropolitan 
University.
·     Jan Wilkinson, University Librarian, University of Leeds.

A theme of funding body concerns in recent years has been the need to 
enhance institutional collaboration, and this was echoed in both the 
Follett and Anderson reports on libraries. Resource sharing in the shape of 
collection and acquisition rationalisation has obvious potential appeal in 
terms of economy and improved service to users, but numerous barriers 
remain to achieving these benefits in practice. The RSLP programme (see 
www.rslp.ed.ac.uk) itself emphasises the importance of collaborative 
collection arrangements, and as other initiatives begin to have an effect 
(eg the new BL approach to collaboration, the UKNUC study, CURL work, etc) 
new solutions may be found to existing barriers to collaboration. Some of 
these may be system-wide, which may require new contractual, service level 
or financial models; others may be local and may be overcome by exposure to 
good practice elsewhere. This study will address both.

In this context the purpose of the study as defined by the RSLP is to 
investigate and report on barriers to resource sharing with particular 
reference to HE libraries.  In summary a number of activities will be 
undertaken including:

·     Reviewing practice in six metropolitan areas (Edinburgh, Glasgow, 
Manchester, Sheffield, West Midlands, M25) and one city (Sunderland) 
leading to three more detailed case studies.
·     Reviewing cross-sectoral arrangements in resource sharing.
·     Examining 'deep resource sharing' in at least one non-UK location.
·     Reviewing the attitudinal, organisational, technical, financial, and 
legal barriers to resource sharing.

In addition to the activities in the metropolitan areas that the RSLP has 
identified as a priority, library collaboration elsewhere will also be 
reviewed.  In order to do this, in September an emailed invitation to 
supply information and comments will be sent to all higher education 
librarians via the SCONUL mailbase.

For more detailed information on the study please contact Allan Schofield 
at [log in to unmask]  and for details of the work of RSLP contact 
Ronald Milne, Programme Director, RSLP at [log in to unmask]
[Note: this study is separate from the current work of the HEFCE/RSL Group 
on libraries, although the study team is in contact with them in order to 
avoid duplication.]