A two day workshop on creating and managing a library consortium and licensing e-resources will be held at the National Library in Malé, capital of the Maldives, on 22nd and 23rd of September.

Convened by Fathimath Shiham, EIFL Country Coordinator and deputy director of the National Library, the workshop will be gathering librarians from all types of libraries in the Maldives, to learn about the principles of consortium management and licensing.

Dr. Buhle Thata, Executive Director of the library of the University of South Africa, and past member of the EIFL Advisory Board, will introduce EIFL programmes and services, and guide workshop participants through the theory of vision, mission, membership, governance, funding and sustainability of a consortium. Dr. Thata will also share knowledge about EIFL's licensing programme, and how to promote e-resources to academics and students. Two local speakers - Fathmath Shiham and Aishath Shabana, will outline training needs of librarians and the results of a consortium study that the national library conducted recently to gage interest in collaborating in a consortium.

The workshop will include group discussions, and will conclude with the formulation of an action plan for the creation of a national library consortium.