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Member Services

Despite poor funding, the acquisition and use of online information resources continued to expand in libraries throughout the BCR region in FY 2002-2003. This trend was most obvious in the widespread adoption of BCR's shared netLibrary e-book collections and in the growing subscriptions to full-text online databases by smaller libraries, often as a part of large-scale statewide purchases.

BCR initiated two new sets of shared e-books with more than 4,450 titles, which were fully subscribed to by the end of the year. BCR shared e-book collections allowed member libraries to combine their contributions into a fund used to purchase access to a collection of e-books much larger than would be possible by a library acting alone. Each member's patrons has equal access to all books in the collection. Participation in the BCR netlibrary collections averaged about 2 percent of the direct purchase cost of the e- books for a very small public library and about 20 percent for a large public library serving a population more than 400,000. The cost was adjusted based on the size of the population because larger populations of patrons have a greater impact on the usage of the shared collection. Nearly 20 percent of BCR member libraries used netLibrary e-books in FY 2002-2003.

Also in FY 2002-2003, the purchase and use of online databases by BCR member libraries favored vendors who have developed high-quality, multi-functional full- text products, such as LexisNexis, EBCSO, Oxford University Press, Britannica Online and Grolier. Subscriptions to index databases declined significantly in relationship to full-text products. (See the "Purchases of Online Database Subscriptions" chart on next page.)

In FY 2002-2003 there was very little change in the use levels of OCLC core services (basically cataloging and interlibrary loan) by BCR member libraries. Online cataloging declined slightly, although this was partially offset by an increase in the number of records tape loaded into the WorldCat database. There was about a 4 percent increase in the number of items requested using the ILL system.

During FY 2002-2003, BCR's member services librarians provided more than 3000 hours of free technical support to BCR member libraries, advising librarians on the use of the OCLC Connexion service. BCR member service librarians helped staff from hundreds of libraries make complex decisions about whether to use the new OCLC Connexion browser interface or delay implementation until the software was enhanced. Our staff offered detailed consulting on the trade-offs involved in the transition to either the Connexion browser interface or the Cataloging Micro Enhancer software.

The availability of the OCLC ILL Web service also provided us with many opportunities to help libraries streamline their interlibrary loan workflow. The Web interface has made it much easier to train new ILL staff, although there are still limitations to its correct functionality that mitigate the benefits of migration.

BCR staff continue to advise librarians on how to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of their OCLC access methods. We are always happy to review a library's access setup and suggest cost-savings where appropriate. In FY 2002-2003, our staff helped libraries save more than $75,000 in OCLC access charges.

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