UGC-INFONET Digital Library Consortium: Present Services and Future Endeavours

The higher education system in India is very large and complex. India has the third largest higher education system in the world behind China and the United States, comprising more than 471 universities, 22,064 affiliated colleges, and 5.21 lakhs faculty. The UGC-INFONET Digital Library Consortium, launched in 2004, provides differential access to 5,790 journals to 160 universities covered under 12B Act of the UGC. The article describes major activities, operations, and services of UGC-INFONET Digital Library Consortium. It briefly describes resources subscribed, major items of negotiation and terms of license, core member universities and associate members, access management technologies, etc. The article outlines governing structure, committees, participating universities/institutions and their roles. It elaborates on methods used for promotion of e-resources amongst member universities. The article briefly touches upon the economics of the UGCINFONET Digital Library Consortium and outlines model for implementation of college consortium. Lastly, the article elaborates on future endeavours of the UGC-INFONET Digital Library Consortium.