The ReShare Community is a group of libraries, consortia (Big Ten Academic Alliance, the Greater Western Library Alliance, Ivy Plus Libraries, PALCI, and the Triangle Research Libraries Network), information organizations, and developers, with both commercial and non-commercial interests, who came together in 2018 to create a new and open approach to library resource sharing systems. ReShare aims to inject new life into the space by developing a community-owned, modular resource sharing platform, enabling libraries and consortia to use modern approaches that place library users at the center, from discovery, to request management and fulfillment. Libraries have long-established protocols and agreements among local, regional, national, and international networks to provide discovery and access to print and digital resources, extending the use and value of each library's collection exponentially. However, current resource sharing solutions leave much to be desired. The technology marketplace has been characterized by stagnating technology, closed or siloed environments, and a consolidation of commercial options, leaving consortia to desire a fresh start, a re-imagined infrastructure that promotes an increased ability to innovate, experiment, and communicate across systems for resource sharing and other strategic library functions such as shared collection development and print retention initiatives. Project ReShare's key differentiator is its foundation as a wholly community-owned solution. This approach offers libraries and commercial partners alike a fundamentally new approach to the pursuit of technology solutions and new models for shaping collections and connecting people with what they need, by greatly deepening our ability to collaborate. For this presentation, Project ReShare members will explore the frustrations with the current resource sharing environment, share their perspectives on why this project is important, and discuss the benefits of this type of collaboration for the library community at large.
http://projectreshare.org/
