Conflict of Interest Policies in Library Consortia

摘要

Library consortia are typically nonprofit entities that exist to promote the interests and concerns of their member libraries. Activities may include licensing e-resources such as databases, ejournals, ebooks, and other library tools; operating shared library platforms; providing union catalogs and regional delivery and a host of other services. Most library consortia are governed by a board of directors and have active involvement with librarians in their member institutions. Conflict of interest policies have been instituted in many library consortia to provide good governance and to make sure that the needs of the organization are the primary purpose of participants and not the personal interests of stakeholders. An examination of some of the key elements of conflict of interest policies in nonprofit organizations are examined with specific application to library consortia. The key elements in all of the policies that were examined are transparency and disclosure. Organizations vary on the level of proactive disclosure that is required with some requiring extensive disclosure statements and others providing a simple acknowledgement of a conflict of interest policy.