School/public library co‐operation

School/public library co‐operation has been a significant topic in the discussion of networking libraries and co‐operative ventures to improve the information services in the community. Different authors and researchers have elaborated different perspectives on interlibrary co‐operation. This paper is an attempt to survey these perspectives in order to provide insights into trends and critical issues regarding co‐operative activities between school and public libraries. The discussion defines the nature of co‐operation as well as the functions of the agencies involved in co‐operative activities. It then elaborates the need for such endeavours in order to evaluate the significance and contribution of interlibrary co‐operation in the community. The paper also addresses the agreed‐upon principles on which co‐operation has been based. The criteria for successful co‐operation are elaborated to identify factors that could be conducive to co‐operative endeavours. The discussion also includes a review of available research studies in order to identify research findings and trends in the area. Some co‐operative activities are highlighted to provide a picture of the status and extent of co‐operation. An analysis is also provided of combined school and public library systems and multiple library systems to assess the success of these programs. Finally, emerging trends in school/public library co‐operation are identified to predict the future of co‐operative activities, research studies are evaluated and some new areas for future research are suggested.