1. Consortial Purchasing: Small Colleges Working Together Can Get a Break Beth Avery

2. DEFINITION An agreement, combination, or group (as of companies) formed to undertake an enterprise beyond the resources of any one member. »Merriam-Webster Dictionary

3. Why? Basic philosophy of librarianship –Cooperation is in our blood – Sharing Economy of scale It works –180 on International Coalition of Library Consortia website

4. History Advocated in LJ in the 1880s Traditional –Purchasing agreements –Resource sharing –Systems OCLC

5. Types (from Kopp, 1998) Large concerned primarily with computerized functions Small concerned with user services Limited purpose by subject area Limited purpose by service

6. TYPES Formal or informal Single or multi-type libraries Local, regional, state, or multi-state Voluntary or state Decentralized or centralized

7. Western Colorado Academic Library Fort Lewis College Mesa State College Adams State College CMC-- Leadville, Steamboat Glenwood Western State College Add Your Text

8. THE PROCESS Delicate balance Discontents Demanding Compromise

9. SELECTION Interest Trial –Product evaluation –Work out bugs – authentication –License agreement Discussion Buy-in –Renewal cycles

10. COSTS Allocation Models –FTE –Combination –Equal % –Use –Bids Administration

11. LICENSE AGREEMENT What rights are being acquired Copyright issues Liability for misuse Confidentiality of users Notice of misuse by licensor Authentication Notification of changes Termination rights

12. The Good Collaborative – everyone contributes Flexibility Share expertise Creates an increased sense of community Expands professional connections Find out about new resources Reduce redundancy and duplication of effort The Intangibles

13. The Challenges Overlapping consortia Home library culture and policies Introducing new technologies and methods Strained budgets Sustainability Staff Shortages Inter-consortia cooperation Retreat

14. Questions & Comments

15. THANK YOU!