CLRSIAB
Mark E. Estes

For six years I’ve represented for-profit special libraries on the Colorado Library Resource Sharing and Information Access Board, “Resource Sharing Board” or CLRSIAB a statewide board, appointed by the Colorado Commissioner of Education. My second three-year term ends in June.  Before then I need to find some names to submit to as a possible candidate to fill my slot.

The ideal nominee for the Resource Sharing Board should:

be an able spokesperson for the interests and concerns of the libraries represented through that Board seat, have a broad perspective with regard to resource sharing issues: statewide, national, and international, as well as beyond the library community to other contributors and participants.  Have expertise  in, experience with, or a commitment to the following:

- library and information telecommunications networking

- fiscal support for resource sharing and information access

- coordination with non library entities

- legislation related to resource sharing and information access

- equitable access to information resources for all residents

- the role of resource sharing and information access in personal, professional, educational, cultural, and economic development in Colorado

- coordination with other resource sharing and information access entities.

Serving on the Resource Sharing Board gave me an opportunity to learn more about other types of libraries and the challenges they face – and to educate others of the challenges special libraries face.  In short, it’s been very valuable and rewarding for me.

The Board exists “to ensure that the people of Colorado are provided with the information they want, when and where they want it.” Established in May 1994, on the recommendation of the resource Sharing Strategic Planning committed to implement a goal on governance in the Colorado Library Resource Sharing Strategic Plan.  The Board serves as a resource sharing and information access planner and policy advisor to the Commissioner of Education by:

- Developing  a common vision concerning library resource sharing and information access;

- Articulating the vision

- Devising strategies to achieve the vision.

Two of the many activities of the to improve resource sharing:

First, the statewide contracts for databases – the FirstSearch and GaleNet contracts that combine the buying power of a statewide contract open to all libraries to buy unlimited searching on these databases at a fee related to their actual use. (If your library doesn’t subscribe to the FirstSearch contract it’s not too late to join. Contact me for more information.)

Second, ACLIN, the Access Colorado Library Information Network , embodied as a web site, www.aclin.org. The web site serves as a gateway to other library home pages and catalogs and a collection of pages of resources useful to Colorado library users and librarians.  The first of those pages was the ACLIN Health and Medicine page (a top site according the Rocky Mountain News), a business information page and coming – a place for Colorado librarians to share information and questions – sort of a statewide knowledge base for librarians.  The site was also recognized by LibrarySpot.com as the library site of the month of October 1999.