A Case Study of One IT Regional Library Consortium: VALE - Virtual Academic Library Environment

Abstract

Historic models of library management are being tested and modified in the digital age because of several interrelated factors. First, the importance of place or a home library space changes as electronic opportunities for dispersal of library collections increase with IT innovations and availability. Second, the high cost of IT has made library managers more sensitive to issues of cost in general while the ability of IT systems to provide easy access to managerial data, data previously difficult to capture, has allowed library managers to begin to differentiate costs for services based on use. As a result of these two factors, new, partially cost-focused models for delivering IT systems and information sources to library users are being developed. The new IT library regional models raise many questions about appropriate organizational and funding strategies. In this case, one strategy is examined in depth. Suggestions for alternative managerial strategies and economic models for IT regional library managers to pursue are given, based on the lessons to be gleaned from this experience and an examination of the literature describing other regional IT digital library ventures.