American Library Association

In this project, the American Library Association (ALA) Office for Research and Statistics and the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) will survey library networks, consortia, and cooperatives to develop a clear and current understanding of how library networks and cooperatives operate and the many ways these collaborative organizations help advance learning communities. Currently, library planners and policy makers must rely on outdated and inadequate information because they lack reliable definitions and sufficient data. The project will develop definitions and classifications in a Web-based dictionary and create an online report generator. All resources developed in the project will be freely available from the ALA Web site. ASCLA will provide ongoing support and updating of the data after the end of the grant period.