The components are expensive to collect in relation to their use at any one institution, but are cost-effective when held in common and supported through pooled funds. This cooperative model is at the core of CRL's identity and certainly affects our involvement with foreign newspapers, specifically in micropublishing. It does this in several ways. First, our decision process for deciding what to acquire and film is collaborative. Our acquisitions in all areas are determined by decisions and policies decided by our members.
Newspapers are no different.
When we perceived a need to add to the titles we collected from Western Europe, we convened a task force of newspaper librarians from member institutions to advise us. When we planned to add to the titles we filmed from Southeast Asia, we asked the members of the Southeast Asia Microform Project to advise us. They deliberated and suggested several titles. CRL's member institutions contain the linguistic and scholarly expertise to enable us to make cooperative collection development decisions based on research needs. Secondly, the Center has a strong base of support among its members for the collecting and preserving of foreign newspapers.