Library Collaboration as a Strategic Choice: Evaluating Options for Acquiring Capacity

The OCLC Research report Library Collaboration as a Strategic Choice: Evaluating Options for Acquiring Capacity explores library collaboration as a key strategy for academic libraries in acquiring needed capacity, but also contextualizes it as one sourcing approach among a range of options available to libraries. The decision for academic libraries to collaborate can yield distinct benefits, but not without an often-significant investment of effort, attention, and resources. Library collaboration needs to be weighed against the pros and cons of alternative ways of acquiring capacity. In short, collaboration is a decision that needs to be approached strategically. This report provides insight and tools to support academic libraries in making intentional decisions about cross-institutional collaboration opportunities to acquire capacity, including: A menu of common sourcing strategies available to libraries Key considerations and trade-offs associated with these strategies A summary of foundational economic concepts that help deepen understanding of the collaboration option.