International Coalition of Library Consortia

The International Coalition of Library Consortia (ICOLC) is an informal, self-organized group of library consortia from around the world; it exists for strategic and practical discussion of issues of common interest among the consortia members. The ICOLC first met informally as the Consortium of Consortia (COC) in 1997. Over time, its name was adjusted to reflect its increasingly global character. A library consortium is any local, regional, or national cooperative association of libraries that provides for the systematic and effective coordination of the resources of school, public, academic, and special libraries and information centers, for improving services to the clientele of such libraries. Consortia conduct their business to advance research and learning, share risk, provide easy access to information, provide high-quality content (electronic resources), enable continuous professional development, strengthen library leadership as education and information providers, and to shape the future. All library consortia, anywhere in the world, may be part of the ICOLC. There are no membership fees or barriers to participation. The ICOLC gathers its strength from sharing information and strategies about the benefits that its members bring to libraries and their users. These benefits can include: Cost reduction through group purchasing; Greater ability to advocate for library needs; Improving expertise through professional development programs for library staff; Encouraging resource sharing (content, technology, expertise, and funding); Creating opportunities for joint advocacy, marketing, and fundraising for libraries; and Undertaking special initiatives for the group, such as digitization, technology implementation, information sharing, or creation of a union catalog.