Consortium-Based Library Resource Sharing Among State Universities in South East Nigeria

This study evaluated the practice of consortium-based resource sharing among state universities in South East Nigeria, covering institutions in Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia, and Ebonyi States. Library consortia enable institutions to pool resources, share subscriptions, and expand access to collections that no single institution could afford alone. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were gathered from library directors and acquisition librarians in ten state universities through structured questionnaires and telephone interviews. The study found that formal consortium arrangements were limited and informal in most cases, with inter-library loan services the most common form of sharing. The absence of a formal South East regional library consortium meant that institutions missed significant opportunities for collective database subscription and interlibrary cooperation. The study recommended the establishment of a South East Academic Libraries Consortium modelled on existing consortia in other regions, supported by a shared governance structure and a technology platform for inter-institutional catalogue searching. Keywords: library consortium, resource sharing, state universities, South East Nigeria, inter-library loans.