Network of networks: a project for enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of Italian libraries and library networks (Part One)

Abstract

Many professionals who work in the library field agree that nowadays the Italian library system is experiencing a state of discomfort. There's a lack of resources essential to manage the everyday activities – and perhaps if there were plentiful resources libraries wouldn't really know how to use them, in order to improve their services. Assuming that cooperation is the right solution for enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of library services, a path was conceived to overcome this situation.
The project was structured in three steps: first there was a consultation with the researchers who – in 2001 – published the study Le professionalità operanti nel settore dei Servizi culturali: le Biblioteche lombarde (“Professionals operating in cultural services: the libraries of Lombardia”), then international benchmarking was carried out, and finally some library specialists were interviewed. The project pointed out the opportunity of creating a new system that may serve as well library networks as single libraries.
This paper presents the first part of the research, i.e. a summary of the activities carried out by libraries and library networks, and the project to achieve their further integration in a “network of networks”, exploring also unconventional resources as time banking. The five library areas that were identified as the more suitable for this integration are: digital services, funding, planning of cultural events/activities, monitoring, evaluation and development, editorial support.