Library consortia and open access initiatives: collaboration at different level

Abstract

Library Consortia evolved as a group activity over the years to empower the collective bargaining with publishers. The libraries felt the urge to collaborate not only for viable economics, but also for enhanced information access and also to utilize the technology for resource sharing. Consortia and bargaining are considered to be complimentary to each other and this has necessitated the librarians and publishers to strike a relationship for a better understanding of budget distribution. In a developing country like India, it is absolutely necessary to keep a check on the optimum utilization of allocated budget in any library. How far the collaborative gesture will help the libraries to achieve their target of accessing unlimited information in limited budget? The concept of Consortia practice has been discussed in only a small percentage of libraries in India, and can this be a yardstick to conclude whether the Consortia culture has really caught up aggressively or should we admit that we have a long way to go? Consortia that work together faces an array of challenges yet may also reap significant rewards. In this paper I have attempted to highlight the pros and cons, advantages and pitfalls, when consortia collaborate.