Cooperative print archiving

Given the current economic climate and ever-present pressures on space planning, a growing number of libraries are exploring collaborative approaches to managing physical collections. Chief among these initiatives are cooperative print archiving projects, in which partner libraries commit to long-term retention for selected titles, effectively redistributing print preservation responsibilities across a group of institutions and reducing redundant library investment.

A major obstacle to progress in this area, as documented in a 2009 report by OCLC Research (Shared Print Policy Review, 2009), has been the absence of infrastructure for recording and sharing information about local and regional print archiving commitments. In response to requests from members and following a preliminary requirements gathering effort, OCLC is pleased to announce a new program of work to support cooperative print management through disclosure of archived holdings.

Specifically, OCLC will:

• Allow libraries to record and disclose selective retention commitments and other print archiving actions at the item level in the 583 (Preservation Action Note) tag of local holdings records (LHR) in WorldCat;
• Facilitate resource sharing of archived materials; and
• Support regional and national print management efforts by aggregating and exposing data about print archive holdings.

Further, OCLC will:

• Work with the library community to gather and evaluate additional requirements for cooperative management of print collections, including relevant business intelligence services;
• Continue an ongoing program of research in System-wide Organization and Shared Print Collections that is exploring the evolution of library organizational models associated with the shift from locally-owned print inventory to jointly managed print and digital collections.

As of November 2010, OCLC has started implementing and evaluating processes for recording and disclosing print archiving commitments through a limited pilot program with a cohort of international academic and research libraries. A timeline for the pilot project is under development in consultation with participating libraries. As work in this area progresses, OCLC and the pilot participants will share findings and recommendations with the broader library community.

For additional information, please contact Kathryn Harnish, Senior Product Manager.