Factors working against collaboration among Omani academic libraries

The current study attempts to identify the factors working against collaboration among academic libraries in Oman. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were used to obtain the views, experience, and opinions of research participants from the four university libraries involved in this research regarding the issue of library collaboration. Many of the Omani librarians in this study viewed cultural and psychological issues, including resistance to change, lack of understanding, mistrust, and, on occasions, an unconcerned attitude, as barriers to library collaboration efforts. However, opinions regarding the significance of these factors varied dramatically. This investigation identified many relevant factors that can impede efforts of collaboration in any society, which included: financial, technical, cultural, and administrative. The findings of this study also confirm the impact of these factors on library collaboration in Oman.