University Library Consortium: A Tool for Resource-Sharing among University Libraries which are coming under the authority of the University Grants Commission, Sri Lanka

Abstract

The paper looks into the need and avenues for resource-sharing among university libraries in Sri Lanka. There are, at present, 15 universities in Sri Lanka, which are coming under the authority of the UGC, are offering degrees in various fields of knowledge. Each university has a main library and faculty and/or institutional libraries. These libraries are primarily funded by the UGC that administers the universities. However, budget restrictions and the rising price of information materials is an impediment to better services rendered to users. This study is intended to discover the need for efficient and effective resource-sharing cooperation between academic libraries in the Island. It will examine the rationalization of expenditure on library collections and services. Most importantly, the study seeks ways to devise a consortium model for these institutions by investigating on the library resources strengths and to provide a positive attitude towards library cooperation without which there can be no resource-sharing.