Areas of Impact

• Resource Sharing

FLO provides a combined database with 2.5 million unique titles at full member libraries. Fast and economical access to the books themselves is provided through the Massachusetts Library System delivery system.

• Economy of Size

FLO costs less than it would to mount a standalone system in each library. It affords individual libraries the benefit of highly qualified technical staff to run the system and be available to consult on automation issues in member libraries. Certain expenses, such as authority work done by a commercial vendor, could not be borne by each of the libraries separately. It provides the opportunity to take advantage of technologies such as e-books and digital repositories at a greatly reduced cost.

• Technical Consulting

Shared learning, responsibility, and decision-making on such complex issues and processes as automation, quality control, journal access, and disaster planning are done with greater efficiency in the consortial setting.

• Staff Development

Professional and support level staff are constantly challenged and educated by their interactions with peers in the FLO consortium. Operational committees and communities of interest provide opportunities for staff to participate and grow in their work. FLO also offers professional development opportunities via workshops sponsored by Colleges of the Fenway. 

• Statewide Recognition

FLO provides the benefit of statewide recognition to all members and allows individual institutions to speak with one voice in statewide planning.