Towards a National Shared Print Collection Network

September 15, 2020

The Canadian Collective Print Strategy Working Group (CCPSWG)—a joint working group of the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) and Library and Archives Canada (LAC)—today released its final report with recommendations for the succesful establishment of a national shared print network in Canada.

• Final Report of the Canadian Collective Print Strategy Working Group
• Rapport final du Groupe de travail sur la stratégie canadienne de préservation des collections collectives d’imprimés

New CARL-LAC Report Proposes National Shared Print Network for Canada

Tuesday, September 15, 2020. – A joint working group of the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) and Library and Archives Canada (LAC) today released its final report, laying the groundwork for a collective shared print program across Canadian libraries.

Launched in July 2018, the Canadian Collective Print Strategy Working Group (CCPSWG) brought together 14 representatives from key academic, public, and government libraries, and from regional consortia with active shared print programs. The group studied existing shared print initiatives within Canada and the US, as well as existing library storage facilities across the country, and ran a pilot overlap study that looked at print federal government publications held by 26 participating libraries. The final report from this overlap study is included as an appendix to this report. The working group gained many useful insights that will be valuable in shaping future rounds of collection analysis at the national level.

From the report: “This national strategy provides libraries with a means to consolidate print collections while ensuring long-term content retention and access for users. We have considered digitization as a critical factor that impacts print retention requirements and the provision of access. While the strategy encompasses all categories of print (monographs, serials, government documents), we have a primary focus on Canadian materials.”

This report outlines thirteen recommendations for the successful establishment of a national shared print network in Canada, including a proposal that the Council of Pacific and Prairie University Libraries (COPPUL) serve as the administrative host for the national network. In its consultations with libraries and consortia, the CCPSWG found a tremendous level of interest and eagerness to actively participate in such a network, and anticipates that its steering committee will be in place by early 2021.

Final Report of the Canadian Collective Print Strategy Working Group

Summary of Recommendations

This report includes the following recommendations for the successful establishment of a national shared print network in Canada:

1. The formation of a national shared print network that coordinates the activities of existing regional shared print initiatives and provides a path to participation for other interested libraries not yet in a shared print program.
2. The network be governed by a national steering committee with representatives from the regional academic library consortia, existing shared print projects, Library and Archives Canada (LAC), Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC), and others.
3. The formation of an operations working group with representatives from participating libraries and shared print programs, who bring relevant frontline expertise on collection management, metadata, holdings disclosure, and access.
4. Hiring a part-time network coordinator.
5. The Council of Pacific and Prairie University Libraries (COPPUL) act as the administrative host for the national network.
6. An initial three-year commitment in order to allow time to secure further funding through grants and partnerships, to make initial progress, and to review and solidify the network.
7. A Year 1 budget of $115,000 with cumulative cost of living increases of 3% in Years 2 and 3.
8. A cost-sharing model for the first three years of operation.
9. Adherence to the current industry best practices for recording and exposing shared print commitments in local library management systems.
10. Recording shared print commitments in the OCLC Shared Print Registry and CRL’s PAPR registry, as appropriate.
11. Developing a more complete set of standardized metadata elements for future phases of the national network’s program.
12. That the national network remains closely in touch with groups such as OCLC, CRL and the Partnership for Shared Book Collections so that we can assist participating libraries to stay up-to-date with and support new developments.
13. The national network incorporate program evaluation into the third year of its work, but plan for this from the outset.

(Via Canadian Association of Research Libraries)