North/Nord is a distributed shared print program in which participating libraries commit to retain designated portions of their collections on behalf of the network, ensuring that scarce and important physical library materials remain available for future research and access. This model relies on a distributed network of archive holders rather than a centralized repository, with retention responsibilities shared across member institutions. To safeguard retained materials from inadvertent withdrawal or weeding, North/Nord requires participating libraries to record retention commitments in the MARC 583 field. As a best practice, retention commitments should also be registered in OCLC, increasing their visibility beyond the network and supporting coordinated stewardship, collection analysis, and resource sharing across the broader library community.
North/Nord Retention Projects:
Canadian University Presses Retention Project (2026)
Government Information Retention Project (2022-)