Recent trends in statewide academic library consortia

HISTORICALLY, ACADEMIC LIBRARIES FORMED consortia for the primary purpose of sharing printed materials. Recently, academic libraries are forming consortia to provide common access to electronic resources across the Internet, and they are forming these consortia on a statewide basis. This article describes five of these newer statewide efforts: GALILEO in Georgia, the Louisiana Library Network, OhioLink, TexShare in Texas, and VIVA in Virginia. In describing these consortia, particular attention will be paid to participating libraries, core programs, the reason for formation, funding, the involvement of the larger academic libraries in the state, and governance. Similarities and differences are discussed and emerging patterns in statewide academic library consortia dilineated.