SWAN provides a shared library services platform for 100 member libraries with the primary purpose of resource sharing within Illinois. The shared catalog contains 1.5 million records of 8 million items shared.
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Continuing education and training to library employees and trustees
Networking opportunities through topic based user groups & online community forums
Public discovery layer facilitating search and inter-library lending
Shared integrated library system
Centralized cataloging
Data analytics
Catalog mobile app
Integrated eBooks, eAudio, eStreaming content
Federated search via EBSCO Discovery Service
Remote database access via OpenAthens proxy service
Database subscriptions within a group purchase arrangement
User notification using automated phone, SMS, email, and print
Online commerce for user payments
Centralized tracking and reimbursement of unreturned material
The SWAN service area represents a population of 1.9 million within a 775 square mile region of the Chicago suburban area. SWAN is formed as an Illinois intergovernmental instrumentality, and is funded by its member libraries with a portion of its funding from the Illinois State Library. SWAN is governed by a 7 member elected board of directors elected by its member libraries.
Principal Consortial Functions
Cataloging services
Collections sharing
Electronic content licensing
Electronic content loading/presentation
Interlibrary loan/document delivery
Training
Union lists/shared online catalogs