Solving Collection Problems through Repository Strategies: Proceedings of an International Conference Held in Kuopio, Finland, May 1999

Citation

Pymm, B. (2002), "Solving Collection Problems through Repository Strategies: Proceedings of an International Conference Held in Kuopio, Finland, May 1999", Collection Building, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 184-184. https://doi.org/10.1108/cb.2002.21.4.184.1

This well‐presented collection of papers covers the establishment and role of repository libraries in a wide number of countries. The introductory section includes a useful paper from Graham Cornish, of IFLA, describing the Universal Availability of Publications (UAP) program and how the notion of a repository library can provide the basic underpinning for such endeavours. There follow some 20 papers, most of which describe examples of repository libraries and how they are managed. There is a Scandanavian bias to the proceedings (as might be expected), but there are also contributions from the UK, France, USA, South Africa and, somewhat unexpectedly, Tanzania.

The notion of a centralised repository library has been around for some time, but in recent years, with increases in published output (in whatever format) and decreases in the ability of individual libraries to readily fund improved storage facilities, there has been a growing interest in the repository option, with the establishment of several purpose‐built repositories. Generally, a repository library aims to acquire, store, preserve and make accessible materials that are no longer economically viable for the original owning library to retain. This cooperative venture, usually established on a subject or geographic basis, aims to provide economies of scale by the use of large, purpose‐built, high capacity storage centres with relatively low staffing levels providing inter‐library loan facilities as requested.

Starting with the National Repository Library of Finland, authors describe, frequently in considerable detail, the establishment and management of various facilities. Thus the Finnish library has been in existence ten years and is seen as a very effective way of encouraging “steady state” collection development levels in the research libraries of that country. A detailed paper on the Harvard Depository Model outlines the costs and savings of using a centralised repository; the British Library ponder the intangible benefits of these schemes and how their cost/benefits can be assessed, and the South African author relates the role of national and repository libraries and considers the unique difficulties faced in his country.

This is a well‐produced volume and quite timely. Many of the papers have extensive footnotes and bibliographies, providing an up‐to‐date introduction to the current thinking on repository libraries. However, there is also a lot of very specific information which is probably of limited use to professionals outside the area, and one of the most interesting papers, on copyright issues, the digital environment and its impact on repository libraries, is included as just the PowerPoint slides rather than full text. Overall, this collection provides a broad understanding of where the repository concept is right now, but not a lot on how future technological change may impact on this. Interesting professional reading but, unless involved in this particular area, not essential.