ACNET: The Genesis of Iranian Information Consortia and Its Impact on National Digital Library Development

Abstract

The paper studies the evolution of collaborative information ventures in Iran, starting with the formation of the committee for Information cooperation in early 80’s. It will then studies the background forces at play that prompted a number of Iranian academic libraries to lay the corner stone for ACNET. The progress had been hindered by the secondary effects stemming from the geopolitics of information such as information vendors’ inclination towards a “captured market” model, de-diversification of supply channels, artificially-bloated pricing as well as limited negotiating options. The Bryson Model used for determining the strategic focus of ACNET indicates that any Information Consortia in Iran should operate along a business premise in order to ensure the versatility and flexibility necessary to safeguard the interests of its stake-holders. The ACNET has been reincorporated as an NGO in 2003 (WWW.ACNET.OR.IR) Like any multi-agency initiative, ACNET presents an option for repackaging of solutions, that while primarily intended for an Academic clientele, could attract a larger group of stake-holders from other sectors. This is especially so when one considers the main impediment before launching a digital library access solution, is the fact that the business processes prevalent in the target environment (stake-holders, government agencies, and private concerns) are non-digital in nature. The essence of the problem is how to extend the solutions from an academic to a non-academic environment. This can be done in two ways. One method to envision an add-on module for an existing Digital Library system, specifically designed for non-academic clients. The module would provide a transparent back-processes that would ensure compliance of the resource sharing with the current standards and practices in digital rights management. It can include a template incorporating most adept at addressing the information seeking profile or habit of the non-academic target group. In some cases, it even includes an online accounting clearance system. The other method is to set up a pathfinder team for any sector that wishes to use the ACNET resources. An information Audit is carried out, whereby the client environment is assessed on the degree it can lend itself to digital library business processes. In essence what is done here is to help the client to set up its own digital resource that it could share as an asset. This asset could then be incorporated in the existing digital library holding. Information seeking models would imprinted within the interface software on a directional or multi-directional basis. This virtual digital library would in effect act as a colony construct. While it has an integrated appearance its internal relationships between parts could be designed to optimize the productivity based on client most prevalent information searching behavior.