A seminar and workshop on building a sustainable library consortium will take place at the University of Yangon as part of the eLibrary Myanmar project on February 24-25, 2015.

The event will bring together key stakeholders from universities as well as senior librarians from the current eLibrary Myanmar project partner institutions (University of Yangon, University of Mandalay, the Yangon University of Economics, Dagon University, Yadanabon University) plus institutions that will be joining soon (West Yangon University and East Yangon University).

An introductory briefing session on the morning of 24^th February will raise awareness of the benefits of libraries working together in a consortium, particularly with respect to promoting sustainability of access to e-resources in the long term.

This will be followed on the morning of the 24^th and morning of 25^th February by a practical, interactive “how-to” workshop for senior librarians from current and future partner institutions. Key objectives include sharing information about how to form and manage a consortium, discussing what the challenges are and what would work best in the local context, and agreeing on practical next steps on the road to creating a library consortium in Myanmar.

Monika Elbert (EIFL Consortium Programme Manager) will facilitate the workshop, with input from Rima Kupryte (EIFL Director), Susanna Lob (EIFL eLibrary Myanmar Project Manager) and Daw Ah Win (Vice President of the Myanmar Library Association).

Funded by the Open Society Foundations Higher Education Programme, the EIFL eLibrary Myanmar project is supporting educational change at an expanding range of universities by enabling access to knowledge and building skills and capacities.  The project has already had significant impact, and five universities are now participating.