The document discusses establishing a university library consortium in Sri Lanka to promote resource sharing among university libraries. It notes that individual university libraries are facing budget cuts and increasing costs, wasting resources by not cooperating or sharing. A consortium could help address these issues by developing cooperative collection policies, a union catalog, and overcoming barriers like ownership concerns, size differences, and administrative obstacles. The document recommends a model where the University Grants Commission would provide centralized governance and policies to facilitate resource sharing between the libraries of Sri Lanka's 15 state-funded universities.

1. UNIVERSITY LIBRARY CONSORTIUM:
A TOOL FOR RESOURCE-SHARING AMONG
UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
WHICH ARE COMING UNDER
THE GOVERNANCE OF
UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION,
SRI LANKA
T. Ramanan
Snr. Assistant Librarian/ Eastern University of Sri Lanka
(Mrs.) S. Jayasuriya
Librarian/ Central Library, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

2. Brief of the Presentation
• Introduction
– Library Resources
• Objectives
• University Library Resources
• University Library Consortium & RS
• Conclusion – negatives
• Conclusion – positives
• Recommendation

3. Introduction (a)
• Sri Lanka – developing country
- small island
= good communications to
encourage networks
• 15 universities funded by UGC
• Reducing budget allocations; increasing
costs of service purchases & provision
• Pointers to need for increased co-
operation, rationalization of funds, sharing
of resources.

4. Introduction (b)
• In these situations individual univs’ and
national resources being wasted;
• IT developments encourage networking &
consequently resource-sharing
• However statistical evidence indicates that
these situations are not being exploited
• A concept paper (with no consequent
actions yet) suggests centralized
governance of resources allocated.

5. Objectives of Study
1. Current situation & problems faced
2. Analyze existing resource-strengths /
weakness of individual univ. libs.
3. Identify hindrances – human, political,
administrative, technological etc to
concept of consortia
4. Devise acceptable model for future
development.

6. Univ. Libraries – existing resources
• Monetary
• Collections’ strengths (& weaknesses)
• Expertise (HR)
• Automation capabilities
• Increasingly sophisticated user demands
• Services’ delivery shortcomings

7. Univ. Library Consortium - RS
• Elements observable in current practices
– Interlibrary Lending
– Sharing of achieved articles/ Doc. Delivery
– Searching Online Bibliographic data
– Transfer of technological advances
• Obstacles to introducing consortium practices in
libraries
– Absence of cooperative collection development
policies/ acquisition policies, least use of union
catalogues, etc.
• Barriers to establishing a consortium at
universities’ and national levels

8. Barriers to Consortia
• Ownership – challenged
• Size & status consciousness
• Egoistic barriers
• Physical/ geographical barriers
• Urgency of user needs
• Administrative barriers – audit issues &
• Traditional barriers

9. Something on Connection
• “To communicate with one another, even if
we know each other very well, is
extremely difficult. Understanding comes
when we meet on the same level at the
same time…”
- J. Krishnamurti
(‘The First and Last Freedom’; 10 p.)

10. Conclusions - negative
• Current financial resource allocations
inadequate to meet current user needs
• Lack of current resource-sharing practices
• Administrative obstructions
• Uncooperative human attitudes
• Fear of loss of autonomy / status consciousness
• Insufficient existing infra-structure

11. Conclusions - positive
• Libraries experiences exploiting existing subject
networks – AGRINET, HELLIS, etc.
• World Bank IRQUE / HE project - financial
support
• PERI/ INASP – making available of e-Resources
• National level support i.e. SCOLIS, UGC
• Slow realization of need for action
• Slow awakening appreciation that consortium
may provide solutions to problems.

12. Recommendation - Model
University of University of University of University of
Moratuwa Peradeniya Kelaniya Sri J’ pura
Librar Librar Librar Librar
y y y y
University of University of
Ruhuna Jaffna
Librar Librar
y y
Open University of University of
University of Colombo Sabaragamuw
SL Librar a
Librar Librar
y y y
University of Eastern
Wayamba, SL University, SL.
& Control
Policies
Librar Librar
y y
Univ. of Visual South Eastern
& Performing University of
Arts Librar SL Librar
SCOLIS -
y y
UGC
University of Rajarata
Uva Wellassa University of
SL
Librar Librar
y y

13. Any Questions....?
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