In chapter 251, Laws of 1991, the legislature enacted into law the Pacific Northwest economic region agreement and made the state of Washington a party along with member states Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon, and member Canadian provinces Alberta and British Columbia. The legislature recognized that the member states and provinces of the Pacific Northwest economic region are in a strategic position to act together, as a region, thus increasing the overall competitiveness of the members and providing substantial economic benefits for all of their citizens.

For those reasons, in chapter 251, Laws of 1991, the legislature also encouraged the establishment of cooperative activities between the seven legislative bodies of the Pacific Northwest economic region. The member states and provinces now desire to engage in such cooperation by electronically sharing twenty-two million volumes from certain of their respective universities. The member states and provinces have determined that such interlibrary sharing will provide substantial economic benefit for their citizens. The legislature agrees, specifically also finding that such interlibrary sharing furthers a major component of education strategy in the 1990’s and twenty-first century, namely providing increased access to knowledge via technology.