This document discusses the changing nature of large academic libraries from individually large print collections to more collaborative digital collections and services. It asks whether the CONUL consortium of Irish university libraries could expand its existing collaborative activities such as licensing and services to become a more fully integrated library network. Specifically, it raises questions about allowing open access to all member libraries, expanding digital content licensing, regulating staff exchanges, creating shared storage and circulation, planning integrated systems, and developing collaborative collection management strategies including print deduplication across the network. The document debates how far collaboration could or should go and whether the scale of individual member libraries remains relevant in the digital age.

1. Size does matter…but not in the way
you think.
Christopher Pressler, University Librarian
Dublin City University

2. Overview
• What did we mean by ‘big’ libraries?
• What do we mean now by ‘big’ libraries?
• CONUL combined libraries…
• What already exists?
• Are we sharing enough?
• What is the CONUL model?
• How far should we go in partnership?
• Do you believe CONUL should…

3. What did we mean by ‘big’
libraries?
• Millions of print monographs held by a relatively
few institutions
• Tens of thousands of journal titles held in de
facto ‘national sets’ of collections
• Thousands of Official Publications
• Millions of unique (or nearly) items in archives
and special collections
• Prescriptive access policies

4. What do we mean now by ‘big’
libraries?
Some of the same but the web is creating a level playing field:
•Shared collections
•Open digital environments for multiple content formats
•Mass digitisation (for profit and free access)
•Crowd-sourced metadata (and the ‘Expert Cloud’)
•Digital texts such as ECCO (200,000 vols, 32m pages)
•Online exhibitions
•Open Access repository holdings (articles and etheses)

5. CONUL combined libraries…
• Over 1000 staff
• 885 kilometres of shelves
• 25,000 study spaces
• 240,000 users
• 20 million books
• 3 million print loans p.a.
• 250,000 repository items
• 3500 named special collections
• €26million journals spend p.a.

6. What already exists?
• Consortial licensing (IReL)
• Shared services in digitisation, conservation
• ILL services
• Print deduplication initiatives (UKRR)
• Shared storage (Ivy League+)
• Portal services (DART-Europe, RIAN)
• Staff exchange / benchmark exercises

7. Are we sharing enough?
How much of our work still needs to change?
Is our collection management sustainable?
Are we planning for the hybrid future?
Are our libraries aligned to global trends?
ageing populations / eastern influence /
global connectivity / environment
Are we truly open?

8. What is the CONUL model?
Serve our host organisations and clients
with agreed collaborative activity
•Is this now too narrow?
•What is the rate of duplication?
•What is the rate of sharing?
•What is the risk of digital holdings?
•What is the future of national print buying?

9. How far should we go in partnership?
• Independent Libraries:
Acquire and relegate without recourse, restrict
membership, locally competitive
• Consortial Libraries:
Block negotiate, share some services, monitor access
• Networked Libraries:
Interdependent CM/CD, open to all, shared strategy and
vision, competition is international

10. Do you believe CONUL should…
• Work to allow access to all member libraries?
• Work to expand digital licenses to all members?
• Regulate staff exchanges between libraries?
• Create shared storage and circulation?
• Plan for shared library management systems?
• Develop shared retention & deduplication plans?
• Does the print scale of individual libraries still matter?
• Could CONUL be developed into a full network?

11. Thank you