Cooperative Collection Development and Research Services: Past, Present and Future

Abstract

The future direction of research libraries clearly lies in increasing cooperation with other research libraries. This paper surveys the history of American cooperative collection programs, such as the Farmington Plan, the Research Libraries Group (RLG) Conspectus, the Library of Congress Cooperative Acquisition Program (LC– CAP), and the activities of the Center for Research Libraries as well as more recent examples such as the resource sharing program within the University of Wisconsin (UW) System, and the UNC–Chapel Hill – Duke University cooperative Africana collection. The paper explores some of the methodologies and technologies used to facilitate cooperative initiatives between libraries at the regional, national and international level. Examples include: OCLC Worldcat; shared regional system library catalogs such as the UW System’s Ex Libris Alma based catalog, and shared acquisition systems such as YBP-Gobi used by the UNC–Chapel Hill – Duke University project. The paper also examines potential areas for future collaboration and cooperation, for example in cooperative research services. The paper also discusses issues that may hinder the development and future success of cooperative initiatives. The paper examines the need for a shared understanding of collective and institutional collection priorities and philosophies between institutional partners. Of crucial importance in this regard is developing a shared understanding of the appropriate balance between usage-driven acquisitions policies and the collection of infrequently used research-level materials.