International Coalition of Library Consortia

The International Coalition of Library Consortia (ICOLC) is an informal, self-organized group of library consortia from around the world; it exists for the strategic and practical discussions of issues of common interest among its consortia members. The ICOLC first met informally as the Consortium of Consortia (COC) in 1997. Over time, its name was adjusted to reflect its increasingly global character.

A library consortium is any local, regional, or national cooperative association of libraries that provides for the systematic and effective coordination of the resources of academic, public, school and special libraries and information centers, and for improving services to the clientele of those libraries.^[1] Consortia conduct their business to advance research and learning, share resources and expertise, provide easy access to information and high-quality content (electronic resources), enable continuous professional development and strengthen library leadership as education and information providers.

All library consortia, anywhere in the world, may be part of the ICOLC as there are no membership fees or barriers to participation. The ICOLC gathers its strength from sharing information and strategies about the benefits that its members bring to libraries and their users. These benefits can include:

• Cost reduction through group purchasing;
• Greater ability to advocate for library needs;
• Improving expertise through professional development programs for library staff;
• Encouraging resource sharing (content, technology, expertise, and funding);
• Creating opportunities for joint advocacy, marketing, and fundraising for libraries; and
• Undertaking special initiatives for the group, such as digitization, technology implementation, information sharing, or creation of a union catalog.