1. Introduction
In the contemporary landscape of libraries, the realisation prevails that solely relying on one's collection to organise library services is impractical. Libraries must inevitably rely, to some extent, on external resources due to soaring journal costs, increasing pressures on space, and the expenses associated with maintaining vast collections. These factors underscore the need for effective collaboration among various libraries. Library cooperation in resource sharing has become imperative due to a shift from 'permanent acquisition' to 'temporary ownership.' While the former emphasises acquiring materials to anticipate the information needs of scholars and students, the latter, termed 'temporary ownership,' is criticised for its short-term application, primarily catering to immediate information requirements.The philosophy of 'access' to information resources is an integral part of the broader framework of library resource sharing. Cooperative collection development and inter-library loan activities significantly contribute to facilitating access. Crucially, the principle of resource sharing operates on the concept of equivalency, suggesting that libraries should not only receive resources but also contribute, irrespective of the size of their contribution. To facilitate such arrangements effectively, all participating libraries must see each other's existing resources and future acquisitions.
Information sharing among libraries is bolstered by networking, which has been a part of library service goals for several years. However, the shift in the 1980s and 1990s saw a significant enhancement in the efficiency of resource sharing through the use of telecommunications networks. Additionally, this unit delves into the implications of modern information technologies on Library Resource Sharing Services, offering case studies that highlight developments in resource-sharing within the academic sector, particularly in India.
2. Concept of Resource Sharing
The concept of resource sharing in libraries has long been an integral part of library cooperation, aimed at maximising resources for the collective benefit of participating institutions. Library cooperation historically took various forms, such as cooperative acquisition, centralised cataloguing, and inter-library loans, all geared toward leveraging available resources efficiently and avoiding duplication of efforts among libraries. Inter-library loans notably improved access to materials from diverse library collections, fostering knowledge accessibility within and across libraries.Resource sharing broadens the scope of library cooperation by emphasising reciprocity and partnership, where each participant contributes and receives something valuable from others. This concept emerged significantly in the 1950s and 1960s due to constrained library budgets and escalating costs of books and periodical subscriptions.
Allen Kent defines resource sharing in libraries as: “Resource sharing in libraries is defined as a mode of operation whereby functions are shared in common by several libraries in its most positive effects: Resource sharing entails reciprocity, employing a partnership in which each member has something useful to contribute to others and in which every member is willing and able to make available when needed. The term 'Resource' is used to designate any or all of the professional and non-professional staff's materials, functions, services and expertise. Resource implies a thing, a person or an action to which one turns for aid and help”.
The term 'sharing' implies contributing what one owns for the benefit of others, fostering a partnership for mutual advantage. Library resources, including print and non-print materials and human resources, are shared to elevate service quality without compromising participating libraries' individual identities or objectives. However, minor operational adjustments may sometimes be necessary to facilitate effective resource sharing without undermining the interests of participating libraries.
IGI Global: “Resource sharing refers to the sharing of library resources by certain participating libraries among themselves based on the principle of co-operation. This applies in sharing documents, workforce, services, space, and equipment.”
3. Objectives of Resource Sharing in Libraries
Resource sharing in libraries is a cooperative strategy to optimise information resources, infrastructure, and human expertise among multiple libraries or information centres. It enables libraries to collectively provide better services to their users by overcoming budget, collection size, and technical capacity limitations. The ultimate goal is to ensure that every user, regardless of location, has equitable access to the broadest possible range of information.- Optimum Utilisation of Resources: One of the primary objectives of resource sharing is to ensure that the resources available in various libraries are used to their full potential. Many libraries possess valuable materials that remain underutilised due to limited awareness or accessibility. Through cooperative networks, these materials become available to a broader audience, reducing duplication and wastage of funds. This leads to maximum utility of existing resources—both human and material—across participating institutions.
- Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Optimisation: Library budgets are often limited, and acquiring all required materials individually is impractical. Resource sharing helps libraries reduce acquisition and subscription costs by sharing resources or purchasing jointly through consortia. Collective negotiation for e-journals, databases, and licenses results in significant cost savings. This allows libraries to allocate funds more efficiently and support diverse user needs without compromising service quality.
- Expanding Access to Information: Resource sharing extends access beyond a single library's physical and financial limits. By participating in networks and consortia, libraries enable their users to access books, journals, theses, reports, and digital content from other libraries. It ensures that information is available to everyone, regardless of their institution’s size or budget. This is particularly beneficial for smaller or rural libraries that may not have extensive collections.
- Avoidance of Duplication of Efforts: Without coordination, libraries may acquire the same materials repeatedly, leading to unnecessary duplication. Resource sharing eliminates this by coordinating acquisitions and cataloguing among libraries within a network. Shared catalogues and union databases help identify holdings of each library, allowing them to make informed decisions about new investments and avoid redundant purchases.
- Promoting Cooperation and Collaboration: Another primary objective is strengthening inter-institutional cooperation among libraries. Resource sharing builds a collaborative culture where libraries assist each other in achieving common goals. It fosters professional relationships, exchange of ideas, and technical cooperation among library staff. This cooperation ultimately develops a unified information community and a stronger library network.
- Improving User Services: Through resource sharing, libraries can provide better and faster user services. Users gain access to a vast pool of materials from multiple sources via interlibrary loan, document delivery, and online databases. This improves the overall quality of library services and user satisfaction. It also helps libraries meet diverse information demands efficiently, thereby enhancing the user experience.
- Strengthening Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and Document Delivery: Resource-sharing systems are designed to support interlibrary lending of physical and digital materials. This ensures users can borrow or obtain copies of materials unavailable in their home library. A well-coordinated ILL system helps libraries fulfil user requests quickly, regardless of geographic location, and contributes to equitable information access across institutions.
- Promoting Technological Advancement: Resource sharing encourages libraries to adopt modern technologies and integrated systems to support online cataloguing, digital repositories, and automated circulation. In India, networking initiatives like INFLIBNET, DELNET, and Shodhganga have motivated libraries to digitise collections and implement compatible software for smooth data exchange. This collective adoption of technology enhances interoperability and national-level digital integration.
- Facilitating Research and Academic Collaboration: Libraries contribute to research development and knowledge dissemination by sharing academic and research materials. Access to various scholarly works, theses, and datasets fosters innovation and interdisciplinary studies. Researchers benefit from faster access to relevant literature, while libraries gain visibility through contributions to shared repositories. Hence, resource sharing supports the growth of research ecosystems.
- Ensuring Equity in Information Access: A key social objective of resource sharing is to promote information equity—ensuring that all individuals and institutions, regardless of financial strength or location, have access to the same knowledge resources. This democratisation of information supports education, lifelong learning, and national development by narrowing the information gap between urban and rural or rich and underfunded institutions.
- Supporting National and Regional Information Systems: Resource sharing contributes to developing national and regional information infrastructures. By linking libraries through networks such as INFLIBNET, DELNET, and NASSDOC, libraries collectively strengthen the country’s knowledge base. It aligns with government initiatives like Digital India, National Education Policy (NEP 2020), and Open Access Movements, helping create a more connected and informed society.
- Enhancing Professional Development: Through collaborative networks, librarians gain opportunities for skill enhancement, knowledge exchange, and capacity building. Participation in shared systems requires learning new technologies, metadata standards, and management techniques. Regular workshops and training programs conducted by library consortia promote continuous professional development and a sense of community among information professionals.
- Promoting Innovation and Experimentation: Resource sharing encourages joint innovation in library practices. When multiple institutions collaborate, they can develop shared systems, digital repositories, and open-source tools to improve information management. Such innovation helps libraries remain relevant in the digital era and prepares them to meet future challenges effectively.
4. Forms and Methods of Resource Sharing in Libraries
Resource sharing in libraries can take various forms depending on the type of materials involved, institutional objectives, and available technology. Each method aims to enhance access, minimise duplication, and promote library cooperation. The main forms and methods of resource sharing are explained below in detail.- Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and Document Delivery: The interlibrary loan (ILL) is the most traditional and widely practised form of resource sharing. It allows one library to borrow materials such as books, reports, theses, or journal articles from another library on behalf of its users. This system ensures that no library user is deprived of required materials due to local collection limitations. Document delivery services, a modern extension of ILL, provide users with copies of specific parts of documents—such as journal articles or book chapters—via physical mail or digital transmission. These services save time and costs while promoting equitable resource access across institutions. In India, networks like DELNET and INFLIBNET have made ILL and document delivery more efficient through automation and online request systems.
- Consortial Purchasing and Shared Licensing: Another effective method of resource sharing is consortium-based purchasing, where a group of libraries collectively negotiate subscriptions for e-journals, databases, and digital resources. Instead of each library subscribing separately, they pool their funds to get better prices, broader access, and favourable licensing terms. This method reduces costs, avoids duplication, and ensures equitable access to digital content across member institutions. Examples include UGC-INFONET Digital Library Consortium, CSIR E-Journals Consortium, and ShodhSindhu, which provide access to thousands of online journals and databases to participating universities and research institutions.
- Union Catalogue and Shared Cataloguing: A union catalogue is a combined database that lists several libraries' bibliographic records and holdings within a network or region. It helps users and librarians identify where a particular resource is available and facilitates interlibrary lending. Libraries participating in union catalogues often engage in shared cataloguing, where bibliographic records created by one library are shared with others, reducing duplication of effort. Union catalogues such as those maintained by DELNET, INFLIBNET, and the National Library, Kolkata, allow member libraries to access a collective national database of resources.
- Reciprocal Borrowing and Access Arrangements: In this method, libraries enter into mutual agreements allowing the users of one library to access or borrow materials directly from another. Such reciprocal arrangements strengthen cooperation and make various materials available without duplication. This is common among universities within the same region or system, where faculty and students can use each other’s collections under predefined rules. It benefits institutions in proximity and fosters user mobility within academic and research environments.
- Shared Print and Collective Collection Programs: Shared print programs, or collective collection initiatives, are collaborative agreements where libraries coordinate to retain and share physical materials. Instead of each library storing duplicate copies of seldom-used items, participating institutions designate specific libraries to preserve and manage certain materials for the collective benefit. This approach saves physical space, ensures long-term preservation, and provides reliable access to rarely used but historically or academically valuable materials. These programs are gaining importance with the growing shift towards digital resources.
- Digital Resource Sharing and Institutional Repositories: With the advancement of technology, digital resource sharing has become one of the most critical methods. Libraries digitise their materials and contribute them to institutional repositories or digital libraries, which are accessible to other institutions and users. These repositories use metadata standards like Dublin Core and interoperability protocols like OAI-PMH to enable sharing and discovery across systems. In India, platforms like Shodhganga, National Digital Library (NDL), and Digital Library of India (DLI) exemplify large-scale digital resource sharing initiatives. Such sharing supports open access, promotes scholarly visibility, and strengthens the nation's digital knowledge infrastructure.
- Cooperative Acquisition and Collection Development: In cooperative acquisition, libraries plan and purchase resources collectively to ensure balanced and comprehensive coverage of subjects across institutions. This method reduces overlap in acquisitions and ensures that different libraries focus on complementary areas. It is often used among university or regional library networks to develop subject-specialised collections, thereby improving user access while saving funds and effort.
- Joint Cataloguing, Databases, and Metadata Exchange: Libraries within a network often cooperate in joint cataloguing or contribute to shared bibliographic databases. This method enables libraries to reuse cataloguing data created by others, maintaining uniformity and saving time. It also promotes interoperability and integration among library systems. Through metadata exchange standards such as MARC21 and Z39.50, libraries can share and access data seamlessly, forming the technical backbone of resource-sharing systems.
- Cooperative Reference and Information Services: Some library networks extend resource sharing to include reference and information services. Librarians from different institutions collaborate to handle user queries, share subject expertise, and develop joint reference databases. Digital technologies have enabled virtual reference services, where users can seek information through chat, email, or web portals and receive assistance from librarians across multiple institutions. This collective expertise enhances the overall quality of reference services.
- Shared Technology Infrastructure and Networking Systems: Resource sharing also involves sharing technological infrastructure, such as servers, software, and networks. Libraries may use shared Integrated Library Management Systems (ILMS), cloud-based platforms, or common servers for digital storage. Examples include shared access to library automation software like Koha or SOUL, and joint participation in networks such as ERNET, INFLIBNET, and DELNET. Shared systems reduce technical costs and promote standardisation across member libraries.