Harnessing the Benefits and Potentials of Consortium among Special Libraries in Malaysia: Proposed areas, Policy, Framework and Strategies for successful Collaborations

Abstract

The library and information world of today, experience greater need for cooperation partnership and strategic alliance as the world becomes borderless, more globalized and face dwindling financial resource. There is greater sharing and cooperation among libraries of today than before to meet the need to share resources, experience and reduced costs. Consortiums of various types and scope of activities are formed to serve libraries and knowledge centre as avenues for active participation in exploiting information resources beyond one's collection. Such cooperatives ventures are initiated through MAPEG and Medical Library Consortium. However the number of consortium is still small considering the special library community is comparatively large. The second half of the paper therefore attempts to propose areas for co-operations, examine policies needed, and determine the framework and strategies for a consortium to function. This paper hopes to highlight that consortium must offer the greatest benefits in terms of gains, value, impact and enhanced information delivery and services to customer. In return this will ensure a continuous participation from participating libraries in respective consortium.