CHAPTER 1

PROJECT CONTEXT
This section discusses the overview of the project. This
provides

the

importance

rationale,

of

the

the

study,

background

of

the

project,

the

statement

of

the

problem,

the

the

objective of the project, and the definition of terms.

Introduction
A library consortium is the union of two or more libraries
in order to satisfy their needs and share their resources. Since
there are similarities among the needs, resources, objectives,
and

target

populations

of

the

research

libraries,

library

consortium creates some sort of economies of scale. Such a union

of forces is becoming increasingly important today, because all
over the world libraries suffer from budget cuts while paper and
electronic material prices are continually on the rise.
The nature of the activity of the libraries is an important
factor for the tendency to cooperate and establishing consortia.
Unlike many other service activities, libraries do not have a
strong

competition

populations

are

among

usually

themselves,
divided

because

along

their

target

organizational

or

geographical boundaries. An academic conducts his/her research

mainly through his/her own institutions library and a local
community usually uses the local library for information needs.
The main activities of a library consortium are the share of
equipment,

services,

developing

common

and

personnel;

collections;

and

interlibrary
agreements

for

loans;
bulk

acquirements of paper and electronic material. The consortia are

usually economically motivated, and in todays world most of them
are formed with the objective of increasing the bargaining power
for accessing expensive electronic databases

[1]

Rationale
In the advent of the collaborative technology, new standard
and

infrastructure

resources
Library

for

will

are

provided

networked
continue

in

sharing

information

to

evolve

and

in

the

knowledge

and

communication
direction

of

[2]

more

variations and commonalities. A library Consortium is essential

in

providing

access

to

other

library

collections

that

will

support the instructional, research and other bibliographical

needs of both students and faculty through its inter-library
services, which involve short term loans and document delivery
.

[3]

Analytical Framework
This

section

discusses

the

analytical

framework

of

the

proposed system which is beneficial in understanding the idea of

the entire system.
A figure to symbolize the framework was presented.
A small chunk of data when processed becomes useful information.
These

small

chunks

establishments.

define

the

day

to

day

transactions

of

Miller (1956) presented the idea that short-term memory could

only hold 5-9 chunks of information (seven plus or minus two)
where a chunk is any meaningful unit. [4]
Organizations decision also relies on the availability of data.
If the data is available all the time, business progress is
faster. In todays progressive business climate, the emphasis is
being placed on the advance techniques and tools to process data
and solve business problem. Technological advancement has been
introduced in the business world where it welcomes features to
effectively

operationalize

its

service.

Organizations

require

preciseness of action so as to minimize waste, organizations

need to innovate and discover way of reducing; this includes a
search for possible means of avoiding unforeseen problems along
with the achievement of the desired result. This includes the
computerization or the automation scheme. According to Long, an
analysis of needs has been utilized to further evaluate the
necessary

requirement

to

achieve

quality

of

service

through

automation as a means to achieve quality output. [5]

Purpose and Description
The purpose of the system is designed to achieve its purpose
of disseminating information which provides a faster and easy way
of transmitting relevant issues such as an online journal/e-book,
articles to the students, faculty and readers of the site. The
borrowers
information

or

the

users

regarding

will

any

be

topics

more

updated

present

in

on
the

the

new

library

consortium. The proposed system revolves under the principle of

online publication wherein information must be updated, reliable
and easily accessed through the internet. It is user-friendly and
it provides a dynamic environment.

The

system

will

provide

user

registration

to

reserve,

borrow, and print electronic information which is available in

the list of e-media present. The system provides a Login Form
whereby users will have the privilege to access the site. There
are

basically

two

types

of

Users

in

the

proposed

Library

consortium, they are the Web Administrator and the User. The
User, or the common user, can be categorized into three subtype:
the Visitor (the general public that does not have an account in
the Library consortium, the Registered User (a user who was
approved by the Web Administrator and has minor access to the
Portal), and the Privileged User (a Registered User who was
granted and allowed by the Web Administrator to do specialized
tasks on the Portal like approving/ disapproving borrow/print of
e-media). The Web Administrator will approve everything including
account requests.
The system will provide all available pertinent information
of the establishment where the library consortium is housed, and
its personnel. The Web Administrator will be the one to register
all users information (first name, middle name, and last name),
the email address and a password will be given to the user upon
enrollment. Or, a user could simply sign up on the portal and
wait until the Web Administrator approves his/her request. After
entering the users information, the Web Administrator will click
the

submit

button

to

register.

This

serves

as

the

basis

in

logging in through email verification.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to develop an Internet Portal for the Library
Consortium. It seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are the needed contents to effectively develop the

Internet Portal for the Library Consortium?
2. What are the problems encountered by a Library Consortium
regarding the existing information system along the areas:
In providing information?
In providing short terms loans?
3. What are the advantageous and disadvantageous aspects of the
proposed Internet Portal: Library Consortium?

Objectives of the Project

The

general

objective

of

this

project

study

is

to

develop an Internet Portal for Library Consortium of Ligao

City. Its primary goal is to extend the schools support to
its students and faculty in providing the instructional,
research and other bibliographical needs through its interlibrary services, while increasing its local, national, and
global competitiveness.
This project studys specific objective are as follows:
1. To identify the needed contents to effectively develop
the Internet Portal for the Library Consortium?
2. To identify the problems encountered by a
Consortium

regarding the existing

information system

along the areas:

In providing information?
In providing short terms loans?
3. To identify the problems encountered
Consortium

regarding the existing

along the areas:

In providing information?
In providing short terms loans?

Library

by

Library

information system

Scope and Limitation

This project study entitled A Proposed Library Consortium
focuses only on the Ligao City, Albay.
Its primary goal is to extend the schools support to its
students and faculty in providing the instructional, research
and

other

services,

bibliographical
while

increasing

needs
its

through

local,

its

inter-library

national,

and

global

competitiveness.
This project study is limited only to information, such as
e-media and the same.
Significance of the Research Project

The significance of the research project is enumerated as

the people or group of people who will benefit from the project.
IDSC Faculty and Staff The output of the study will offer
insight to the library consortium of Ligao City.

ACI Faculty and Staff - It will also serve as a reference

to ACI faculty and staff if they prefer and decide to
adopt a library consortium for the institution.
Proponent - This study will moreover give the proponent
background and experience regarding the use of the
system in the library community.

Future Researchers - The study will benefit future

researchers to gain ideas and information that will
pave way to the solution of research problems.

Project Dictionary
Research Careful study of a given subject, field,or problem,
undertaken to discover facts or principles. [8]

Borrowers/users - To obtain or receive (something) on loan with

the promise or understanding of returning it or its equivalent.
[9]

Email - a system for sending messages from one computer to

another computer [10]
e-media / electronic materials - Broadcast or storage media that
take advantage of electronic technology. They may include
television, radio, Internet, fax, CD-ROMs, DVD, and any other
medium that requires electricity or digital encoding
of information. The term 'electronic media' is often used in
contrast with print media.[11]
Library consortium is an Association of a group of libraries to
achieve mutually the common objective. It is i felt that the
concept of E-Journals consortia can work well
the libraries without requiring additional fees to access the ejournal. [12]

Library - a place where books, magazines, and other materials

(such as videos and musical recordings) are available for people
to use or borrow [6]

Web Administrator One who manages and maintains computer systems

and software, as for a business or institution [7]

Web server is a program that, using the client/server model and

the World Wide Web's Hypertext Transfer Protocol ( HTTP ), serves
the files that form Web pages to Web users (whose computers
contain HTTP clients that forward their requests). [13]
Website - A Web site is a related collection of World Wide Web
(WWW) files that includes a beginning file called a home page
[14]

Notes
[1] THE EFFECTS OF ELECTRONIC ACCESS TO SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE IN
THE CONSORTIUM OF TURKISH UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES Melih KIRLIDOG,
Didar BAYIR
[2] Library consortia and cooperation in this digital

age: an Overview of the Philippine Experience by Fe Angela M.

Verzosa
[3]http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/
[4]Miller, Goerge, Information Processing Theory,
http://www.educationau.edu.au], March 1, 2007
[5] Long, Larry, Prentice-Hall Inc., 1991, Introduction to
Computers and Information Processing 3rd Edition
[6] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/library
[7] http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Web+administration
[8] http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Academic+research
[9] http://www.thefreedictionary.com/borrower
[10] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/e-mail
[11] http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/electronicmedia.html
[12] Http://www.isical.ac.in/~serial/consortia/CBSOR-11
[13] whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Web-server
[14] http://searchsoa.techtarget.com/definition/Web-site