The HELIN Consortium was formed in 1984, when the libraries of the three state institutions of higher education, the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, and the Community College of Rhode Island, began a cooperative agreement to share an automated circulation system. In time, the automated circulation system was replaced by a multi-functional automated library system purchased from Innovative Interfaces, Inc.
The Higher Education Library Information Network, known as The HELIN Consortium, was incorporated in 2005 and is bound by an “Agreement for Integrated Library and Information Services” signed by all parties. HELIN practices Policy Governance and is governed by a Policy Governance Manual that contains our mission and goals. HELIN has a set of Bylaws that are based upon the “Agreement for Integrated Library and Information Services,” and the bylaws are an extension of that document.
In order to support the intellectual freedom of the members of its constituent libraries the HELIN Consortium maintains a HELIN Policy on Confidentiality of Records. HELIN also has numerous Affinity Groups and Task Forces comprised of staff of the various member libraries.
In 2016, the HELIN Board of Directors voted to move to a new Integrated Library System. OCLC WorldShare Management Services (WMS) was implemented for the HELIN Library Consortium in January, 2017.
