A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 0 - 2 0 0 1

From the Director...

Executive Director Dave Brunell Dear Colleagues:

This annual report reviews BCR's 66th year of service to the library community. Like many of our member libraries, we were challenged by the need to expand our service programs with a very limited increase in budget last year. BCR met this challenge. We saw substantial growth in all of our resource sharing programs as 311 new member libraries began using BCR services. And we ended FY 2000-2001 well ahead of budget, so that the Board of Trustees was once again able to reduce the BCR network surcharge on OCLC and LexisNexis products for the coming year.

To help focus our expansion, we worked in close partnership with state library agencies in our new member states of Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon and Washington to begin offering innovative online workshops as well as our full range of database services to libraries across the West.

At the same time, the BCR management team put considerable extra effort into monitoring the quality of services provided to our existing members. Although we found that there is a high degree of satisfaction with the current BCR program, we remain committed to improving our services to the library community. During the past year we implemented several major enhancements to our services and developed new workshops and products based on suggestions from staff in our member libraries. And a number of more significant changes will be implemented in the coming year.

In FY 2000-2001 more libraries saved more money using BCR services than ever before. Libraries purchased $13,064,024 in services through BCR programs, and we estimate that they saved more than a million dollars in direct costs by doing so. Equally important, BCR support services and educational programs helped thousands of librarians use online information resources more effectively. This human side of resource sharing is the most rewarding part of our work and the most enduring part of the BCR program.

With your help, we met the challenges of the past year. And with the ongoing support of the library community, I am certain that BCR, the Energizer Bunny of networks, will continue to work on your behalf.

Dave Brunell,
Executive Director

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