Sharing resources of Russian libraries: 10 years of consortia services development

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the current situation and history of cooperation and resource sharing in Russian libraries. The resources and services provided cooperatively are described. Design/methodology/approach – A narrative combining description, surveys, analysis and evaluation. Findings – Fundamental changes have occurred in Russian libraries as a result of the development of consortia services development, particularly in resource sharing. Research limitations/implications – Digital libraries and databases subscriptions were not within the scope of this study. Social implications – The paper demonstrates the efforts of many libraries cooperatively producing services at a national level. Originality/value – One of the few articles to describe the current state of resource sharing and consortia development in Russia.