The document describes two library consortia in Hawaii - the Hawaii Library Consortium (HLC) and the Medical Libraries Consortium of Hawaii (MLCH) - that work together to share costs and gain access to e-resources. HLC is a statewide consortium of various library types governed by a volunteer board. MLCH is a buying club for medical resources. Both consortia allow members to purchase resources individually at lower prices than negotiating alone. Members are generally satisfied but suggest expanding the database selections. The consortia are successful with no paid staff or administrative fees.

1. Sharing the Buck:
How Diverse Libraries Came
Together to Share Costs and
Gain E-resources
Annis Lee Adams
Lori Ann Saeki
Electronic Resources & Libraries Conference
February 10, 2009

2. Hawaii Library Consortium (HLC)
HLC is a statewide consortium of multi-type
libraries in the State of Hawaii.
– 14 University & Community College Libraries
– 51 branches of the Hawaii State Public
Library System
– 187 public schools (HI DOE)
– 20 Private School Libraries
– 3 Special Libraries
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3. Governance
• Run by volunteer board of directors
- Representatives from all constituents
• Institutions receive a relative number of
votes based on FTE
• Public library system serves as billing
agent
• No staff
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4. Membership
• Must participate in purchase of database
suite
• No dues or administrative fees (at this
time)
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5. Database Suite
Academic Search Premier Military & Government
AGRICOLA Collection
Alt HealthWatch Newspaper Source
Business Source Premier NoveList
Computer Source NoveList K8
ERIC Primary Search
Fuente Academica Professional Development
Health Source: Consumer Collection
Edition Psychology & Behavioral
Health Source: Sciences Collection
Nursing/Academic Edition Regional Business News
Legal Collection Religion & Philosophy
MAS Ultra Collection
MasterFILE Premier Teacher Reference Center
MedicLatina TOPICsearch
MEDLINE Vocational & Career Collection
Middle Search Plus
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6. Database Usage
• 16 databases were used on a monthly
basis or more frequently by at least half
the respondents
• 13 databases were rarely used by more
than half of the respondents
• Only 1 database was not used on at least
a monthly basis by any respondent
(MedicLatina)
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7. Satisfied with choice of resources?
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Very Satisfied Satisfied Not Satisfied Don't Know
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8. Suggestions from Members
• Offer more resources for consortial
purchase (e.g. encyclopedia)
– Widely varied library types
• Some subgroups (e.g. small academics)
– Consortium has no staff dedicated to
exploration/negotiation
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9. Medical Libraries Consortium of
Hawaii (MLCH)
Purpose:
• To develop a multi-type library consortium that
functions as a “buying club” and purchases medical e-
resources at a significant discount for all participants.
Participants include
• 1 academic health sciences library;
• 4 other university/community college libraries;
• 13 hospital libraries;
• 1 nonprofit educational organization.
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10. Guidelines for MLCH
• The UH Health Sciences Library serves as facilitator
and negotiator for all contracts.
• All purchases may be made a la carte.
• Whenever possible vendors have been asked to
invoice each library/institution directly. (Only one
vendor declined, but made other accomodations.)
• No administrative fees for participating in the
Consortium.
• Each participant’s purchase amount must be less than
the cost to purchase a resource independently.
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11. E-resources Offered Via MLCH
APA PsycArticles NursingConsult
APA PsycBooks Ovid LWW Total Access
APA PsycInfo Journal Collection
BMJ Books@Ovid (selection of 65
Other BMJ journals books)
EBSCO CINAHL Ovid MEDLINE
MDConsult/FirstConsult ScienceDirect via UH- Manoa
Library’s contract
Clinics via MDConsult
STAT!Ref (5 concurrent
MDConsult specialty users, 71 books)
textbook collections
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12. Satisfied with choice of resources?
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Very Satisfied Satisfied Don't Know
Comments:
• Resources are beneficial to our service region (Pacific
Islands).
• Very satisfied with the resources & purchasing options.
• Very good value for the money.
• Excellent - we could not provide quality patient care without
the consortium.
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13. Would you participate if you had to
purchase all e-resources offered?
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Yes No Don't Skipped
Know Question
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14. Suggestions from MLCH Members
• Send invoices earlier
• Put renewal & content information online
in one place…in a wiki or a blog…might be
easier than an email deluge.
• Offer more products for consortial
purchase (e.g. Dynamed, InfoPOEMS)
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15. HLC & MLCH Membership Overlap
• University of Hawaii at Manoa
– Hamilton Library (main library)
– Health Sciences Library
• 2 community colleges
• 2 small private universities
• 1 large hospital library
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16. Barriers to Participation (X all that apply)
100%
80%
HLC 60%
MLCH
40%
20%
0%
g et vail h er tio
n
Bud esa Ot ue
s
t/ ur
c Q
Cos so ed
Re ipp
Sk
• 60% of HLC & 52% of MLCH respondents skipped
question – indicating no barriers
• Other: some vendors exclude gov’t libraries from MLCH
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17. Summary
• Members of both Consortia are happy with
cost savings
• Members of both want more products
offered, but not enough interest from
enough members to pursue
• Two different successful models of
consortia despite neither having paid staff
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18. Questions??
Thanks!
The End
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