Abstract

Author(s): Shilpa S Uplaonkar and Kalikadevi G. Badiger

A new paradigm has emerged for libraries. No library, however big it may be, is able to satisfy all the needs of its user due to various constraints. It is because of this phenomenon that the concept of library consortium has developed. The phenomenon of consortia or group of libraries buying e-information together has become very important in the last few years. Consortium of libraries is well known for sharing of resources all over the world. Information explosion, emergence of internet and particularly World Wide Web as a new medium of information storage make the concept more come into sight than earlier. This paper aims to explore or briefly discusses the concept, need, factors, advantages, disadvantages of library consortia. Consortia is a kind of co-operation among libraries which come together to share eresources. Due to limited budget and rising the cost of e –resources library consortia are the alternative source to tide over the financial constraints. This paper aims to explore the concept, advantages, disadvantages, and overview of different types of consortia like CERA, , etc .and discusses them briefly.