PACSCL December 3, 2003 Symposium

A PACSCL Symposium

Consorting with the Future:
Issues and Opportunities for Consortia of Academic, Research, and Special Collections Libraries

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Wednesday, December 3, 2003
1:00-4:45 p.m.

More than 100 special collections librarians gathered at The Historical Society of Pennsylvania to consider the shape, scope, and function of research/special collections library consortia in the years to come. Special emphasis was placed on the ways national associations and funders would like to see or are willing to help special collections libraries and museums in a given region come together to serve their audiences and fulfill their missions more effectively through collaborative effort.

Attendees included directors and senior staff of members of both the Independent Research Libraries Association and the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries as well as representatives from other research or special collections libraries and foundations and other funding entities in the Greater Philadelphia area.

The speakers offered a set of diverse perspectives on collaboration and have generously shared their texts or overheads. Deanna Marcum and Robert Martin offered provocative visions of the nature of collaboration in the future; James Michalko, Bernard Reilly and Duane Webster reported on projects and research conducted by their associations and the potential implications for collaborative ventures.

	Deanna Marcum, Associate Librarian for Public Services, Library of Congress "Cooperation: Panacea or Myth?" When does cooperation solve problems? When does it become a complicating factor? read text (Adobe Acrobat file, 33KB) Related link: Library of Congress homepage
	Robert Martin, Director, Institute for Museum and Library Services "Keeping Good Company: A Vindication of Collaboration." A look at the issues surrounding collaboration generally, and an examination of specific aspects of collaboration for museums, archives, and special collections. read text (Adobe Acrobat file, 35KB) Related link: IMLS homepage
	James Michalko, President, Research Libraries Group "Who else knows we're special?" What we know about the current and potential audience for special collections materials based on the work done by RLG as an aggregator and access provider, followed by comments about the future opportunities and the steps that might be taken by the community. view overheads (Adobe Acrobat file, 1.3MB) Related link: RLG homepage
	Bernard Reilly, President, Center for Research Libraries "Unilateralists vs. 'the Chocolate-Making Countries': Prospects for Collective Action to Preserve Printed Heritage Materials read text (Adobe Acrobat file, 26 KB) Related link: CRL homepage
	Duane Webster, Executive Director, Association of Research Libraries "Next Steps in Accessing Hidden Collections: Results of ARL Symposium" view overheads (Adobe Acrobat file, 33 KB) Related links: ARL homepage \| ARL Hidden Collections Symposium Pages