The Controlled Digital Lending Implementers (CDLI), of which ReShare is a member, will be hosting its inaugural public conversation about controlled digital lending (CDL) on Wednesday, October 7, 3:00-4:30pm EST.
The forum will include a brief overview of the Controlled Digital Lending white paper and lightning talks about the various ways libraries and organizations have implemented CDL. Discussion topics will include approaches to creating and supporting a CDL community of practice. All are welcomed to attend. Registration is required in order to receive the Zoom information.
CDLI was established in April 2020 by a group of collaborating libraries, consortia, software developers, and resource sharing leaders with a shared goal of implementing controlled digital lending services within their respective communities.
Join Kristina Rose of New York University and Sebastian Hammer of Index Data as they present an innovation session, “Recognizing opportunity: A path forward for controlled digital lending,” at The Charleston Conference on Thursday, November 5, 2020 at 5:20 Eastern Daylight Time.
The presentation will introduce the concept of CDL and explore the viability of its implementation in libraries in terms of risk tolerance and integration into existing workflows. It will describe the work being done by Project ReShare to create a minimum viable product for controlled digital lending, including workflow models, prototypes, and early software demonstrations. Finally, it will explore a long-term vision for CDL in libraries, including consortial CDL models and the establishment of a CDL Implementor’s group to promote collaboration, best practices modeling, and systems interoperability.
The Charleston Conference is an informal annual gathering of librarians, publishers, electronic resource managers, consultants, and vendors of library materials in Charleston, SC, in November, to discuss issues of importance to them all. For more information and registration details, visit https://www.charlestonlibraryconference.com.
Join Brian Lin of the The Alberta Library and Kristen Wilson of Index Data as they present “Sharing is caring: Community-led resource sharing from the ground up” at Access 2020 on Friday, October 23, 2020 from 10:05-10:25 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.
This presentation will include a demo of the platform as well as discussion of the project’s guiding principles and future goals. The presenters will also describe how the project partners are working to improve the resource sharing experience for library users and staff with a focus on a recent pivot to digital delivery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, made possible through the community development process.
Access is Canada’s premier library technology conference bringing librarians, technicians, developers, programmers, and managers together to discuss cutting-edge library technologies. Access is a single stream conference featuring in-depth analyses, panel discussions, lightning talks, hackfest, and plenty of time for networking and social events. For more information and registration details, visit https://accessconference.ca.
Project ReShare announces the release of ReShare Returnables 1.0, the first production software to come out of the open source, collaborative community. The Returnables software represents the first step in ReShare’s goal of creating a consortial resource sharing system that will enable sharing of the collective collection in all formats, regardless of integrated library system, and empowering library-driven and user centered workflows.
ReShare Returnables supports interlibrary loan of physical materials between members of a consortium. The software, built using the open source FOLIO platform, uses an app-based approach to resource sharing workflows. The apps that make up the 1.0 release include a member directory, queues to manage requesting and supplying workflows, and a bulk update tool. A shared inventory app allows ReShare libraries to pool their bibliographic metadata for discovery and fulfillment purposes. More information about the Returnables product and a video demonstration can be found at https://projectreshare.org/products/returnables.
“As libraries face increasing pressure to share resources, the release of ReShare Returnables 1.0 represents a huge step forward in transforming the library resource sharing marketplace,” said ReShare Steering Committee Chair Jill Morris. “For many years, commercially available options have struggled to keep pace with libraries’ and users’ expectations. ReShare’s open source nature empowers groups of libraries to innovate and collaborate toward building truly collective collections, with the ability to share our disparate holdings and materials in a cost-controlled, system-agnostic, and user-centric way.”
Development of ReShare Returnables has been focused on standards compliance and interoperability. The software is the first consortial implementation of the ISO 18626 protocol for interlibrary loan transactions, and use of this standard positions the ReShare system for seamless communication with other protocol-compliant systems. ReShare Returnables also takes advantage of the NCIP and Z39.50 standards supported by many local library management systems to create local integrations and reduce duplicate workflows.
ReShare Returnables integrates with the VuFind discovery tool for an out-of-the-box consortial search experience for library users. ReShare users will also have the option to ingest metadata from the shared inventory into their existing commercial or local discovery environments, allowing them to offer users a single point of access for library and consortial requests.
“This is a tremendously exciting milestone,” said Sebastian Hammer, co-founder of Index Data, the lead software developers on the project. “Project ReShare breaks new ground in so many different areas: in its modular architecture; in its strong commitment to open standards and breaking down boundaries between consortia and platforms; and, most importantly, in its nature as a community-owned good. I believe that Project ReShare should inspire other groups of libraries and vendors to innovate together. It has been a privilege to be a citizen in the community so far, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.”
With the 1.0 release completed, the ReShare development team will continue to work on Returnables functionality, with the goal of releasing versions 1.1 and 1.2 in October 2020 and January 2021, respectively. As a member of the Controlled Digital Lending Implementers (CDLI) group, ReShare has begun concurrent development of a minimal viable product to support controlled digital lending within the ReShare platform, expected in late fall 2020.
Background
The ReShare Community is a group of libraries, consortia, information organizations and developers, with both commercial and non-commercial interests, who came together in 2018 to create Project ReShare – a new and open approach to library resource sharing. The ReShare Community has a bold vision for building a user-centered, app-based, community-owned resource sharing platform for libraries to set a new standard for how we connect library patrons to the resources and information they require.
With the COVID-19 pandemic preventing many libraries from engaging in physical resource sharing this fall, Project ReShare announced at a community meeting held July 13 that its fall roadmap will include support for controlled digital lending (CDL). Work will continue concurrently on development of consortial resource sharing features required by ReShare’s early implementers.
ReShare plans to develop a minimum viable product to support CDL, the process of digitizing a physical item and lending a secure, electronic copy in its place. The CDL product will run on the ReShare platform, and can be used independently or alongside the system’s traditional resource sharing functions.
The CDL release will be scoped to support CDL within a single library and will rely on external software to support scanning and digital rights management (DRM) workflows. ReShare will repurpose many of its current features to support CDL, including real-time availability checking, integrations with local library management systems, and a state model for tracking requests. The project plans to have a testable prototype for CDL before the end of the year.
Throughout fall 2020, ReShare will aim to complete two smaller releases that support the lending of returnable items within a consortium. These releases will include support for patron account creation and management, real-time availability checking in the VuFind discovery tool, and more integrations with integrated library systems. The 1.1 and 1.2 releases are scheduled for October 31, 2020 and January 31, 2021, respectively.
Project ReShare and Stanford Libraries of Stanford University announce the launch of the Controlled Digital Lending Implementers (CDLI) group to explore and coordinate broad and thoughtful implementation of controlled digital lending (CDL).
The digital equivalent of traditional library lending, CDL enables libraries to digitize a physical item from their collection and lend out a secured digital version to one user at a time, while the print copy is simultaneously marked as unavailable. When connected with the various workflows, decisions, policies, and mechanisms similar to those used in traditional inter-library loan, CDL offers an effective means of safely and securely circulating library materials to users—especially those for whom physical access presents a hardship—while also protecting the rights of the publishing community.
“With the COVID-19 pandemic and loss of access to our physical collections, controlled digital lending has suddenly become a top priority, not just for our library, but for so many institutions,” notes Tom Cramer, Associate University Librarian and Director for Digital Library Systems & Services at Stanford University. “CDLI will enable those implementing CDL to exchange ideas, approaches, and know-how, creating a community of practice that will benefit libraries as a whole.”
CDLI will provide a forum for implementers to coordinate efforts, develop best practices, and establish a CDL community, meeting the distinct needs of individual institutions while taking into account the larger technology and services ecosystem. Initial collaborators include libraries, consortia, software developers, and resource sharing leaders who envision the wide acceptance of CDL as an approach to library access services in support of institutional missions.
Currently, there is a lack of technical infrastructure to support the implementation of CDL. In response to this gap, Project ReShare has committed to include CDL in its development roadmap. Established in 2018 by libraries, consortia, software developers, and open source advocates, the ReShare community is designing an open source, highly-scalable platform that supports workflows for discovery, fulfillment, and delivery of library materials. CDL functionality will expand the impact of ReShare on the library community.
“A widely adoptable and sustainable technical infrastructure for CDL does not exist in today’s marketplace, and there is a great demand due to the impact of COVID-19,” says Jill Morris, Project ReShare’s Steering Committee Chair and Executive Director of the PALCI academic library consortium. “ReShare’s CDL development initiative represents the type of innovative model Project ReShare is designed to support, with tools and infrastructure that are freely available and driven by the needs of our community. Through ReShare’s participation in CDLI, we aim to coordinate our efforts in the broader library community to ensure that our libraries’ physical collections are accessible and usable by scholars and the general public.”
The 1.0 release of ReShare is scheduled for July 2020. Soon after, ReShare development partners Index Data and Knowledge Integration will begin integrating CDL into ReShare.
CDLI welcomes institutional and individual participants from any library, consortium, technology or industry partner. Reach out to cdl-implementers@googlegroups.com for more information or if your institution is interested in joining CDLI.
Project ReShare Welcomes Two Founding Members – Grand Valley State University and Lehigh University
For Immediate Release
April 22, 2020
Project ReShare is pleased to announce two new members — Grand Valley State University and Lehigh University.
ReShare’s Founding Members Program allows libraries and consortia to contribute to Project ReShare and have a clear voice in the project’s direction. By becoming Founding Members, these organizations have expressed enthusiasm for the development of this community-owned interlibrary loan infrastructure, as well as a demonstrated commitment to ensuring Project ReShare remains a user-centered, innovative force for resource sharing in libraries. Project ReShare, together with these new members, will continue in its mission to work directly with libraries to improve the value and impact of resource sharing networks and the tools used to support them.
Grand Valley State University Libraries is dedicated to advancing collaborative work, enhancing open community, and advancing the professional ecosystem of Libraries. “We are actively reviewing our infrastructure to ensure longer term sustainability,” said Annie Bélanger, Dean of University Libraries. “Partnering to support the development of a new ILL and document delivery system aligns with our priorities and needs. We love the idea of a system for libraries created by libraries and champion vendors.”
In addition to a financial commitment, GVSU Libraries will be dedicating staff with expertise in interlibrary loan and in accessibility and usability. Staff will develop a high-level overview of staff interface user experience and accessibility issues and will audit ongoing development of the user interface. GVSU also is contributing governance support through one of the members of its Library Executive team.
Lehigh University Libraries are at the forefront of developing innovative open source software with work done on OLE, OLF, FOLIO, VuFind, GoKb, VIVO, Islandora and more. “Project ReShare governance and scope is uniquely ambitious to assist us and other networked libraries to address fundamental issues around allocation of resources and staff related to collection building and analysis at scale across libraries and systems,” noted Boaz Nadav-Manes, University Librarian. “It will be congruent with development of Library staff to think and act in a network-first frame of mind.”
Lehigh’s contribution to the project will be a halftime developer who already has been participating in weekly meetings of the development team. The developer’s focus will be on NCIP/Z39.50 integration with local library management systems, an area where Lehigh brings deep experience from its work in the FOLIO project.
ReShare plans a beta release of the software this April, with the platform ReShare 1.0 release planned for late Summer 2020. ReShare announced its Founding Member Program in June 2019 and is currently accepting applications. For more information on how to get involved and support the project, please visit: https://projectreshare.org.
ReShare plans an alpha release of the software later this Fall, with additional releases planned in Spring and Summer of 2020. ReShare announced its Founding Member Program in June 2019 and is currently accepting applications. For more information on how to get involved and support the project, please visit: https://projectreshare.org.
About ReShare
The ReShare Community is a group of libraries, consortia, information organizations and developers, with both commercial and non-commercial interests, who came together in 2018 to create Project ReShare–a new and open approach to library resource sharing. The ReShare Community has a bold vision for building a user-centered, app-based, community-owned resource sharing platform for libraries that will set the standard for how we connect library patrons to the resources and information they require. Contact info@projectreshare.org for more information.
About Grand Valley State University Libraries
Grand Valley State University Libraries was the proud recipient of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) 2012 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. The University Libraries purposefully collect, teach, display, discover, disseminate and preserve information, in all its forms, to support the university curriculum and fuel the intellectual life of the university. We connect scholars and learners to resources. We create spaces and programs that inspire the university community and promote inquiry as an essential life skill. Each library’s collection is tailored to its location and the programs it serves, with daily deliveries of physical materials between all University Libraries locations.
The University Libraries are committed to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. We strive to provide an environment in which all members of the campus community feel welcome, safe, supported, respected, and valued. All library staff and faculty are active in the ongoing work of identifying and eliminating barriers to ensure that all members of the library community are able to fully participate in library spaces and services. We work to ensure that our tools, devices, services, and environments are available and usable by as many people as possible.
About Lehigh University Libraries
The Lehigh University library collection comprises over 800,000 volumes and more than 100,000 electronic books. Our journal subscriptions number more than 25,000 periodicals, the majority of which are in electronic format. Linderman Library houses the humanities collections, including the history collection, and Special Collections.
Fairchild-Martindale Library houses materials for science, engineering, mathematics, and the social sciences, including business and education. A federal government depository since 1876, Fairchild-Martindale Library holds federal and Pennsylvania documents. A third library facility, the Library Materials Center (LMC), is a storage facility located on the Mountaintop Campus, and holds lesser-used books and journal runs, as well as some Special Collections materials.
Lehigh’s Digital Library highlights various aspects of the collection, ranging from “Digital Bridges” (books on 19th century bridge construction) to “Beyond Steel” (materials examining the social and cultural impact of the Lehigh Valley’s industrial past). In addition, Special Collections holds over 30 separate archival collections that focus on industrial and regional history.
January 14, 2020 – Project ReShare is pleased to announce it will hold a Town Hall event in Philadelphia, PA during the American Library Association’s Midwinter Meetings. The project’s Steering Committee invites attendees to join the meeting on Sunday, January 26 from 1:00PM – 3:00PM in Room 104AB of the Philadelphia Convention Center.
The meeting is set to include a live demonstration of ReShare’s alpha demonstration software release, the latest updates to the project’s development roadmap, and news about preparations for the first round of implementation and library testing. Members of the Steering Committee and product management and development teams will be on hand to answer your questions and talk about ways libraries and other organizations can contribute to the project.
Questions about the event or the project may be directed to info@projectreshare.org.
Register for the ReShare Town Hall at ALA-MW on Sunday, January 26, from 1-3PM. Seating is limited.
About ReShare
The ReShare Community is a group of libraries, consortia, information organizations and developers, with both commercial and non-commercial interests, who came together in 2018 to create Project ReShare – a new and open approach to library resource sharing. The ReShare Community has a bold vision for building a user-centered, app-based, community-owned resource sharing platform for libraries that will set the standard for how we connect library patrons to the resources and information they require. Contact info@projectreshare.org for more information.
Project ReShare Welcomes
Seven New Founding Members
For Immediate Release
November 15, 2019
Project ReShare
is pleased to announce seven new members, including the ConnectNY library
consortium, and libraries including Louisiana State University Libraries,
Michigan State University Libraries, Millersville University of Pennsylvania
McNairy Library and Learning Forum, Texas A&M University Libraries, The
University of Alabama Libraries, and the University of Chicago Library as the
newest participants in the community’s Founding Members Program.
ReShare’s
Founding Members Program allows libraries and consortia to contribute to
Project ReShare and have a clear voice in the project’s direction. By becoming
Founding Members, these organizations have expressed enthusiasm for the
development of this community-owned interlibrary loan infrastructure, as well
as a demonstrated commitment to ensuring Project ReShare remains a user-centered,
innovative force for resource sharing in libraries. Project ReShare, together
with these new members, will continue in its mission to work directly with
libraries to improve the value and impact of resource sharing networks and the
tools used to support them.
Donald L.
Gilstrap, Dean of University Libraries at The University of Alabama, expressed
his excitement about Project ReShare and its potential to positively impact
library services. “Ever since our discussions on ReShare took place at WOLFCon,
the energy for this project has continued to increase in very positive ways.
Having an ecosystem for distributed resource sharing that draws on the
strengths of the library community both in its development and use can help us
greatly improve the effectiveness of how we provide services for our users in
years to come.”
Pam Jones,
Executive Director at ConnectNY (CNY), added “The flexibility to adapt
components of ReShare to create specific workflows makes ReShare very different
from current platforms. CNY is looking for a new approach to resource sharing
and ReShare provides the opportunity to be part of a library-developed, owned,
and managed product, which is something new in the resource sharing
environment. I am very pleased that CNY will be part of the ReShare community
and look forward to seeing the strategic collaborations that come out of its
development.”
“Interest from
the library community is indicative of the need for change in this space, and
we’re thrilled to welcome these libraries to the project as Founding Members,”
said Jill Morris, ReShare Steering Committee Chair. “ReShare represents a
unique opportunity to shift the paradigm in how libraries and consortia work
with commercial organizations as partners, and how we gain agency in improving
services to our users. These new members are lending their expertise and
financial contributions to the project, and by doing so, they are giving a
voice to their library staff and patrons that is simply not possible in typical
pay-for-service models.”
ReShare plans an
alpha release of the software later this Fall, with additional releases planned
in Spring and Summer of 2020. ReShare announced its Founding Member Program in
June 2019 and is currently accepting applications. For more information on how
to get involved and support the project, please visit: https://projectreshare.org.
About ReShare
The ReShare
Community is a group of libraries, consortia, information organizations and
developers, with both commercial and non-commercial interests, who came
together in 2018 to create Project ReShare–a new and open approach to library
resource sharing. The ReShare Community has a bold vision for building a
user-centered, app-based, community-owned resource sharing platform for
libraries that will set the standard for how we connect library patrons to the
resources and information they require. Contact info@projectreshare.org for more information.
About The University of Alabama Libraries
The University of Alabama, the state’s
oldest and largest public institution of higher education, is a student-centered
research university that draws the best and brightest to an academic community
committed to providing a premier undergraduate and graduate education. UA is
dedicated to achieving excellence in scholarship, collaboration and
intellectual engagement; providing public outreach and service to the state of
Alabama and the nation; and nurturing a campus environment that fosters
collegiality, respect and inclusivity.
The
University of Alabama Libraries is essential in advancing the educational
mission of the University. The libraries provide innovative instruction,
services, and resources to facilitate teaching, research, and learning. The
system is comprised of five branch libraries and is committed to be
student-centered and research-focused in order to support discovery, learning,
and creativity at The Capstone. The University Libraries is an EBSCO FOLIO beta
partner. As the oldest academic library
serving as a U.S. Government Documents Regional Depository, the University
Libraries serve the academic community and the public. The University Libraries
maintain memberships in the Association of Research Libraries, the Center for
Research Libraries, the Coalition for Networked Information, centerNet,
LYRASIS, the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, the HathiTrust,
Scholars Trust, the Rosemont Alliance, the Network of Alabama Academic
Libraries, and the Alabama Digital Preservation Network. The University
Libraries homepage may be accessed athttp://www.libraries.ua.edu .
About ConnectNY
CNY (ConnectNY), Inc. is a
consortium of independent academic institutions in New York State. The mission
of CNY is to share collections, leverage resources, and enhance services
through cooperative initiatives and coordinated activities. CNY focuses on the
community, empowering members to provide vital resources to their patrons when
and where they are most needed. Since its inception in 2001, CNY has expanded
its services and programs to include a robust e-book program, a shared print
trust, and most recently, an OER program. Proudly membership-driven, the
organization strives to be adaptable, future-facing, and dedicated to the user
experience.
About the University of Chicago Library
The University of Chicago Library is the ninth largest academic library
in North America, with 12.3 million volumes in print and electronic form. The
Library empowers intellectual discovery, rigorous learning, and global
engagement through its deep and rich collections, extensive expertise,
innovative programs, and diverse spaces.
The Library’s strategic directions include cultivating an inclusive
community; empowering faculty and staff with Library services, collections, and
spaces; advancing digital scholarship; enhancing access to scholarly resources;
extending the University of Chicago’s impact through local and global
engagement; and excelling in a changing environment.
About McNairy Library & Learning Forum, Millersville University of Pennsylvania
The McNairy
Library & Learning Forum is a learner-centered hub for the Millersville
University community, dedicated to educating, inspiring, and connecting people
with ideas, information, and each other. Millersville University of
Pennsylvania is a top-ranked, public university located in the northeast region
of the United States. It is committed to offering students a high quality,
comprehensive university experience of exceptional value. Dedicated to
providing nationally recognized programs that embrace the liberal arts,
Millersville offers academic opportunities that are supported by outstanding
faculty who are accomplished scholars and practitioners. Founded in 1855 as the
first Normal School in Pennsylvania, Millersville University is one of 14
universities within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
About Louisiana State University Libraries
LSU is the
flagship institution of Louisiana and is one of only 22 prestigious
universities nationwide holding land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant status.
LSU’s roots run deep, shaping contributions to the state, the nation and the
world for nearly 160 years.
The LSU Libraries supports the academic
mission of the university by fostering teaching, learning, and research.
Through its commitment to excellence in collections, services, and spaces, the
Libraries serves as an indispensable intellectual resource for the state of
Louisiana, and to communities worldwide. The LSU Libraries is a member of the
Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the top research libraries in the U.S.
and Canada, with holdings of 4.3 million volumes. The main library is an active and energetic
part of academic life at LSU. Students and faculty find a great variety of
academic support and resources for research available through the library.
Subject specialists are available to students and faculty in person and online
for personalized research consultations, copyright support, and help navigating
our world-class collections and resources.
About Michigan State University Libraries
The Michigan
State University Libraries are at the center of academic life at MSU and
provide expertise, collections, and infrastructure for discovery and creation.
The Libraries facilitate connections that support research, teaching, and
learning in local and global communities. This investment in making connections
includes a commitment to providing equal access to Library collections,
services, and facilities for all library users. The Libraries employ an Open
Educational Resources (OER) and Student Success Librarian and recently launched
a faculty incentive program for course affordability. Earlier this year, the
Libraries joined the Open Textbook Network, a diverse community of higher
education institutions that promote access, affordability, and student success
through the use of open textbooks. The MSU Libraries have nearly eight million
unique titles. Last year, MSU Librarians conducted 646 instruction sessions and
workshops, reaching a total of 27,167 people. The reference staff handled
14,331 questions in person, by phone, and online. The Library borrowed 16,163
items from other libraries for MSU users and loaned 63,939 items from our
collections to other libraries.
About Texas A&M University
About Texas A&M University Libraries
Texas A&M,
established in 1876 as the first public university in Texas, is one of the
nation’s largest universities with more than 66,000 students and more than
440,000 living alumni residing in over 150 countries around the world. A
tier-one university, Texas A&M holds the rare triple land-, sea- and
space-grant designation. Research conducted at Texas A&M represented annual
expenditures of more than $905.4 million in fiscal year 2017. Texas A&M’s
research creates new knowledge that provides basic, fundamental and applied
contributions resulting, in many cases, in economic benefits to the state,
nation and world. The school’s Lead by Example campaign is a comprehensive
effort to raise $4 billion by the year 2020, making it the largest higher
education campaign in Texas history and the second largest conducted nationally
by a public university. Aggies are known for their deep commitment to the
success of each other and their strong desire to serve.
Project ReShare is pleased to announce The Alberta Library (TAL), a multi-type library consortium based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS), a multi-type consortium serving over 650 member libraries in Indiana and Michigan, as the first two consortial participants in its new Founding Consortial Partner Program. Both consortia have made substantial contributions and have joined the project’s Steering Committee.
The Midwest Collaborative for Library Services has pledged up to $150,000 in funding to Project ReShare over the next three years. The Alberta Library has also pledged $10,000 in funding to the project. In addition to substantial monetary contributions which will speed along development of the open source code being developed, each consortium also commits time and expertise from its staff and member institutions that promises to uniquely benefit Project ReShare. Both MCLS and TAL are the first members to bring public library perspectives to the project’s leadership groups. With these new partnerships in place, Project ReShare will continue its mission to build a user-centered resource sharing platform for libraries of all types, in all places.
“MCLS and TAL are part of a growing number of libraries and consortia who are joining ReShare. The Steering Committee recognized both of these consortia as strategic partners and I’m thrilled to welcome them to the community. Each consortium represents the diverse needs of public and academic libraries, which is perhaps one of the most exciting elements of these partnerships. The addition of TAL and MCLS rounds out our ability to represent library resource sharing needs more broadly,” said Jill Morris, ReShare Steering Committee Chair. Previously ReShare Steering Committee members represented only college and university library interests.
MCLS Executive Director Scott Garrison and his staff are excited about the potential opportunities Project ReShare offers. “We hope that Project ReShare becomes a viable solution for hundreds of libraries in the two states we serve, as well as for the broader library community. MCLS believes in innovating for libraries and their users, and our Board of Directors, staff and I feel that Project ReShare is a fresh, innovative approach to resource sharing for users everywhere,” Garrison said.
Tim Janewski, CEO of TAL is eager to participate with ReShare: “We are excited to join Project ReShare as we see great potential for a community-developed resource sharing platform owned and managed by libraries. We look forward to working with ReShare partners on this scalable and cost-effective project. ReShare will be a great fit for The Alberta Library.”
ReShare announced its Founding Partner Program in June 2019 and is currently accepting applications. For more information on how to get involved and support the project, please visit: https://projectreshare.org.
About ReShare
The ReShare Community is a group of libraries, consortia, information organizations and developers, with both commercial and non-commercial interests, who came together in August 2018 to create Project ReShare – a new and open approach to library resource sharing. ReShare has a bold vision for building a user-centered, app-based, community-owned resource sharing platform for libraries to set the standard in how we connect library patrons to the resources and information they require. Contact info@projectreshare.org for more information.
About MCLS
MCLS is a non-profit, member-owned multitype library consortium serving libraries in Indiana and Michigan. MCLS dedicated to providing our member libraries with the tools and training they need to better serve their communities. To this end, MCLS provides a range of services including group purchasing, strategic planning consulting, meeting facilitation, library-specific and community engagement-related training, and, in Michigan, statewide materials delivery. Since 2004, MCLS has also provided implementation, training, and support services for MeLCat, Michigan’s statewide resource sharing system.
About The Alberta Library
The Alberta Library (TAL) is a multi-type resource-sharing library consortium serving more than 300 locations in Alberta, Canada. Created in 1997, TAL was a response to challenges that included the information explosion, the development of new technologies, the emergence of the Internet and a changing government philosophy. Today, TAL is internationally recognized for cooperation and collaboration and working with its members to take advantage of changing technologies, share resources, find creative solutions and seize new opportunities.
