FRAMEWORK

The wealth and richness of Illinois libraries include both research collections that support doctoral study as well as those unique localized collections that constitute pockets of excellence (local collections with particular specializations). These "pockets of excellence" can range from collections that support technical education to local history to intensive collections in an aspect of a topic such as Irish drama, post cards, etc.

This document assumes that CARLI will sponsor collection strengths and information needs assessments and will disseminate the results. Subsequent CARLI funded projects will focus on the research and educational information needs which are appropriate for the missions of community colleges, four year colleges and universities in the state of Illinois. The document recognizes that funding for all of these resources adds richness to the pool of information (the State meta-collection) available for all users.

Although enhancement and growth of libraries' special collections, such as manuscripts, rare materials, or realia, have generally fallen outside the range of CARLI concerns, information about the content and location of special collections, even if they do not circulate, is important for the identification of intersection of interests and of partnerships. As the statewide Illinois digital collections grow, CARLI will sponsor digitization projects within the Collection Enhancement Awards Program so that access to these unique collections can be made available.

The results of the statewide collection assessment project provide an information base for libraries to identify intersecting interests on which to build cooperation, called "collection partnerships." One role for CARLI is to support these collection partnerships.

Specifically, CARLI funding is to foster, encourage and support collaboration and cooperation among libraries and librarians for their collections, based on identified needs within the state. Funding is to facilitate access (such as ILL improvement, paying for relocation to last copy centers, digitization, and web access to information about ownership and location of collections).

The CARLI Collections Working Group and the CARLI Director of Collections Services will contact member directors annually, asking them to reaffirm areas of excellence, library partnership commitments, and provide names of responsible bibliographers.

DESCRIPTION OF COLLECTION PARTNERSHIPS

Partnerships may exist at many different levels:

Informal networking: Based on the results of collections assessments, the bibliographers will have a knowledge base for informational networking. CARLI supports this level of networking by sponsoring informal meetings or workshops for bibliographers
Shared information: Libraries and librarians may share information about new purchases, cancellations, deselection, evaluation of new information products, URL sites, etc., and work together to create resources such as bibliographies or indexes, web sites, union lists, as well as to provide subject and reference expertise.
Collection support partnerships: Partnerships may address support for collections regarding specific concerns, such as preservation assistance, archiving, technical assistance to create databases, web access.
Formal written agreements: Partnerships should formalize agreements such as last copy commitments for monographs, serials, and other formats, cooperative purchasing, and cooperative collection building. See last copy guidelines document.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PROPOSALS FOR FUNDING FOR PURCHASES OF MATERIALS

It is appropriate that CARLI fund projects and activities that support and encourage appropriate partnerships at all of these levels. In addition, CARLI projects will be developed to fund materials acquisitions that grow out of the formal partnerships addressing identified needs in the state. A partnership would submit an application for this funding, addressing the following criteria.

All proposals will:

Identify the partnership and its collection strengths; identify the collection need; specify the expected outcome and benefits to the state; and detail appropriate methods of publicity and assessment.
Specify materials to be acquired (materials in any format are acceptable). (See section on electronic resources below.)
Specify how bibliographic access to these materials will be made available in an online, electronic form such as I-Share or other publicly accessible online public catalogs or databases.
Verify that these materials would be available for circulation and ILL.
Address the issue of last copy for all formats.
Address whether duplicate titles will be acquired. Selective duplication of materials in the state would be acceptable, and at times, even desirable.
Include a statement that the participating libraries agree to a long-term commitment to the partnership.
Address methods of communication to be established and maintained for the partnership.
Include a method of evaluation of the project and plans for annual reports of additions to collections made as a result of proposal funding.
Specify that all materials purchased with CARLI funds will be catalogued in a timely manner, that is, within two months of receipt.

WITHDRAWAL FROM PARTNERSHIPS

The long term commitment is crucial to qualify for materials funding. There may be rare occasions when it is necessary for a library to withdraw. In such a case, a library may withdraw from funded collection partnership agreements with written notice from the library director to CARLI at least one year in advance of withdrawal so that alternate agreements can be substituted and transferred in an orderly fashion.

THE ROLE OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES IN COLLECTION PARTNERSHIPS

In addition to the initiatives established by CARLI, cooperative partnerships should consider collaborative purchasing of specialized electronic products (identification, evaluation and/or purchase).
The partnerships could consider cooperative activities in web page design and maintenance.
To support partnership projects, the partners should consider inclusion of web resources (i.e., creation, identification, organization and evaluation of web sites for the specific subject area).
A collection partnership involving webpage or database creation requires partners to commit to long term maintenance on the server.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

The primary purpose of the following assessment strategies is to identify the successes and shortcomings of CARLI collection enhancement partnerships. The anticipated outcomes of the assessment are twofold: to assess the impact of current collection partnerships, and to guide the development of new partnerships.

Short-term Evaluation & Assessment

Each group of libraries applying for funding from CARLI for support for a collection enhancement partnership shall provide for evaluation at the end of each year of funding. See page 2.

Long-term Evaluation & Assessment

CARLI will give priority to funding projects which analyze the effects of collection enhancement partnerships on the collections of academic libraries in Illinois. The list below is intended to be illustrative, not exhaustive.

interlibrary loan studies
circulation studies
holdings studies
collection analysis programs (e.g. OCLC WorldCat Collection Analysis)
uniqueness analyses

CALENDAR FOR FUNDING OF COLLECTION PARTNERSHIPS

The CARLI Collections Working Group will put out a call for proposals for new collection enhancement partnerships at least two months in advance of the annual call for proposals.

View Calendar

Email Lists

Print this page