PAPER ID:IJIM/Vol. 7 (IX)/January 2023/49-53/9

AUTHOR: Ashish Kumar and Dr. Sanjiv Kadyan

TITLE: THE FUTURE OF LIBRARY OUTSOURCING: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE AND EMERGING TRENDS

ABSTRACT : The study aims to investigate the relationship between libraries and outsourcing by observing trends, benefits and challenges through the review of existing literature from various databases. The study presented the historical categorization into ITO, BPO, and KPO (Mudambi & Tallman, 2010) along with mention of the novel category, LIPO, which pertains to the transfer of library functions to third-party vendors (Rana & Mondal, 2018). Libraries are increasingly considering outsourcing as a strategic solution to optimize resources, particularly for non-core activities, leveraging ICT, and enhancing overall productivity and efficiency (Saini and Singh, 2019; Gupta and Sharma, 2012). The study identifies benefits of outsourcing, including cost savings, reduced staff redundancy, and improved library services leading to increased usage (Tiwari and Sawant, 2018; Mizunuma and Tsuji, 2017). However, challenges such as potential loss of control, compromised service quality, and job security concerns for existing staff have been noted (Sawant; Tiwari and Sawant, 2018; Gupta and Sharma, 2012). Despite these challenges, a cautious and selective approach to outsourcing is prevalent among libraries, with the majority (88%) opting for partial outsourcing (Gupta and Sharma, 2012). The role of librarians is crucial maintaining the quality of outsourced services. (Roy and Basak, 2011). Despite fluctuations in publication trends, the sustained interest in this field confirms the significance of outsourcing in library management and organizational efficiency.

KEYWORDS: Outsourcing, literature review, libraries.

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