Best Practices for Exiting a Shared Print Program – The Partnership For Shared Book Collections

Note: This Best Practice uses the Good, Better, Best, Aspirational terminology

This best practice pertains to circumstances when a library finds it necessary to exit a shared print program either before the expiration of current retention commitments or during. Shared print programs are encouraged to discuss the necessity for remaining in a program and retaining commitments, but at times libraries may still need to make the difficult decision to exit a program¹. The best practice for exiting a shared print program takes into consideration that each program may have its own MOU, policies, funding, transferring of commitments, and disclosure practices. Since practices for a shared print program differ from those for a member institution, these best practice guidelines include sections and practices for both programs and member libraries. In the absence of any program-defined policies and practices for exiting a shared print program, libraries are encouraged to follow the best practices outlined in this document, in order to safeguard the integrity of collective collections. Or, if a library is interested and able to go beyond the requirements of its program, these best practices can serve as a guide.

The best practices for exiting a shared print program are divided below between considerations for shared print programs related to members leaving a program and individual libraries that may need to leave a shared print program.

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Shared Print Program’s Best Practices
Member Libraries of Shared Print Program’s Best Practices

Shared Print Program’s Best Practices

Each level presumes all checks of any/all preceding levels.

	Best Practice	Good	Better	Best	Aspirational
MOU Considerations See Best Practice for MOUs for more details.	Guidelines for exiting a program are included in the MOU and include timeline for notification period and procedural information like transferring of commitments, updating metadata, etc.	X	X	X
	If guidelines for exiting a program are not included in MOU, develop policies and procedures for this process.	X
	MOU suggests that if a transfer of commitment or transfer of physical item is not possible, the exiting library retains commitment on behalf of the program, and continues to be overseen by the program (e.g. if a past member library wants to withdraw previously made commitments they are encouraged to submit a request through the program or automatically look for a reallocation/transfer partner in the program).	X	X	X
Transferring Commitments See Best Practices for Transferring Commitments.	Encourages transferring of commitments	X
	Encourages transferring of commitments and provides guidelines and procedures for doing so	X	X
	Requires transferring of commitments and provides guidelines and procedures for doing so	X	X	X
	In cases when there is a single commitment on a title, the program encourages transferring of physical items through donation or other state approved policy when a member exits or the exiting library retains commitment on behalf of the program when possible.				X
Data Considerations	Works with member libraries considering exiting a program to provide collection data when possible²	X	X	X
Data Considerations	Update metadata in appropriate disclosure systems	X
Communication	If exiting library continues to retain commitments for the program, they are included on relevant email lists that pertain to the policies and procedures governing program retentions.	X
Budgeting	Program funding includes reserves to prevent an exit from increasing member fees or causing a decline in services.				X

Member Libraries of Shared Print Program’s Best Practices

Each level presumes all checks of any/all preceding levels.

	Best Practice	Good	Better	Best	Aspirational
MOU Considerations See Best Practice for MOUs for more details.	In lieu of program formal procedures or policies for transferring commitments, the library considers transferring commitments. See Best Practices for Transferring Commitments.	X
	Follow MOU guidelines regarding withdrawal of program and transferring of commitments	X	X
Transferring Commitments See Best Practices for Transferring Commitments.	Follow MOU guidelines regarding transferring of commitments	X	X
	Transfer ownership of physical materials to other shared print program member library or another shared print program	X	X	X
	Transfer ownership of physical materials to other shared print program member library regardless of the number of commitments on the item	X	X	X
Data Considerations	Update metadata in appropriate disclosure systems	X
Data Considerations	Prior to exiting a shared print program, library has reviewed any retention commitments they may retain on behalf of the program and assessed if immediate or near-future deselection may be a factor	X	X	X
Communication	If member library ceases to participate in shared print program officially, but continues to commit items outside of program governance or MOU, continue to stay up-to-date on program changes, governance of the content, technology developments, and maintain data updates and notify program with changes in collections	X	X

The Best Practices Working Group plans to develop a future best practice around communicating the importance of remaining in a shared print program or retaining commitments already made which will provide more details for this.