Access to print materials – role of print repositories: The development of the concept

Abstract

Purpose

To highlight the role of print repositories in accessing print materials.

Design/methodology/approach

Highlights the repository library in the professional literature. Provides an overview of the National Repository Library (NRL) in Finland and the Kuopio conferences. Offers some calculations on the economics of access to print materials, with particular focus on Finland.

Findings

The role of the repository library creates savings in total storage costs on a national level. The NRL is a vital link in the Finland library network and acts as a bright signpost of cooperation on a national level. Libraries continue to function on local level in universities, polytechnics, research institutions and in communities while the NRL creates savings in space costs. By transferring material to the Repository Library libraries can free space for IT‐services, new acquisitions and active collections. As libraries get access to a growing number of de‐duplicated materials each library has a potential to become a zero growth library.

Originality/value

One of the important consequences of the success of the NRL is that the zero growth library has to rely more on resource sharing and must develop its ILL systems for better services for its patrons.

Citation

Vattulainen, P. (2005), "Access to print materials – role of print repositories: The development of the concept", Library Management, Vol. 26 No. 1/2, pp. 42-48. https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120510572851