LIBRARY STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AND THE DIGITAL LIBRARY IN THE 1990S - THE OHIOLINK EXPERIENCE

In 1987, Ed Walters defined five forms of networking for libraries ''sustained by several distinctive purposes and missions: (1) the Unit Cost Networks, (2) Multi-State Regional Auxiliary Enterprise Networks, (3) Authority Sanctioned Networks, (4) Discipline and Type of-Library Networks, and (5) Local Consortia or Proximity Networks.''(1) Even then the definitions overlapped and individual libraries might be actively involved in all five types. Information technology is defining in new ways what may be accomplished in library consortia networking and the possibilities are constantly changing. What remains the same, then as now, is that the success of the network is also defined by the social dynamics-organizational issues and inter-group working relationships. The most striking thing about the OhioLINK effort is not that new state funding gave it strong impetus nor that it is using UNIX systems rather than mainframes for its technical support, but that the success of the effort as always depends on inter-institutional cooperation and the adaptation of the participants to a shared mission which may constrain local independence-C.B.L., Carnegie Mellon University.