Resource Sharing and Networking: An Overview

Resource sharing is a method of overcoming the limitations of the individual libraries in respect of their resources by way of co-operation and coordination among the participating libraries. On demand, each participating library should voluntarily come forward to share its existing resources with the other participating libraries. Thus, in this system, each library is both a giver and a receiver. There is, thus, an imperative need to develop a spirit of co-operation among the librarians, information scientists and documents lists. This spirit of sharing the resources would entail the participant libraries in a system to benefit for advancing their individual goals and objectives.

Resource sharing implies sharing of library resources by participating libraries among themselves on the basis of mutual co-operation. This can be implemented in the areas of documents, manpower, facilities, services, building, space or equipment. The advantage of this cooperative venture is that the users of participating libraries can make use of the resources of not only his own libraries but also those of all the other participating libraries. Thus the total collection of all the participating libraries will be accessible to their users. In a way, libraries can improve their library collection and extend their library and information services to a larger user community.