Electronic Resources Management

Checklist for Effective Electronic Resource Management 

                                                                                                    PS - 9/17/20

Responsibilities of eResources manager under the direction of Public Services coordinator:

• selects and manages electronic resources

  • maintains and reviews electronic resources

  • promotes and instructs electronic resources

• Selects and manages electronic resources

  • Investigate New Content 

  • Assess community need, purpose and audience

  • Connect with vendor and gather information on pricing, user access and other limitations 

  • Selection 

  • Set up trial for user participation 

  • Analyse staff feedback

  • Manage e-resources budget and negotiate prices to provide e-content for all ages and for some in demand subjects ($100.000 annually, $80,000 for 20+ databases, $20,000 for streaming and downloading services)

  • Determine access, level of content, amount of quantity depending on type of resource

  • Acquisition 

  • Get paperwork approved and signed by Ping

  • Send invoice to Wendy for payment

  • Input invoice in Evergreen’s Acquisition module

  • Balance database spreadsheet with CWMARS dashboard

  • Review and manage licensing agreement & contract documents

  • Implementation - Discovery & ease of access, staff training, documentation

  • Work with IT and CWMARS (EZproxy authentication) to acquire in-library and remote access

  • Work with Public Services staff to add URL to either ebook web page or and database webpage

  • Download OverDrive MARC records and send to CWMARS

  • Work with cataloging center to upload MARC records for ebooks/eaudio to make them discoverable 

  • Acquire documentation or help line information from vendor if applicable 

  • Set up training for staff with vendor

  • Create classes for public with staff

  • Maintains and review electronic resources

  • Maintenance  

  • Resolve URL & IP updates by communicating between IT staff and vendor

  • Monitor platform changes, branding or access to resource and inform staff

  • Keep track of customer representative changes/contacts on spreadsheet

  • Troubleshoot patron access issues with vendor and IT

  • Usage Statistics, Databases

  • Determine if provided statistics format is acceptable for ARIS reporting

  • Set up monthly statistics accounts and gather data either by automatic emails or by logging in to their site and pulling stats (on z:drive)

  • Maintain statistics spreadsheets

  • Input monthly statistics for department and combined statistics spreadsheet for Sulma

  • Compile annual ARIS reports for all branches and all user groups for the following sections

    • Holdings - Ebooks, Downloadable Audio, Downloadable Video, Subscription and Electronic Collections

    • Circulation - Usage of Electronic Collections, Circulation of Ebooks, Downloadable Audio, Downloadable Video,

  • Yearly Review

  • Analyse usage statistics, pricing, promotion and user feedback for the last year to decide on one of the following steps:

    • • Renewal 

        • Determine if changes are needed to subscription model ( yearly vs.multi year, simultaneous use, content cap, number of downloads/checkouts)

        • Contact vendor for invoice and new pricing

        • Make sure Wendy has open PO for set amount

        • Follow above steps listed under Selection and Acquisition if needed

      • Cancellation

        • If a decision is made to cancel, do it before the renewal date.

        • Check with vendor if archival content can still be accessed and make it available on website

        • Work with CWMARS cataloging center to remove MARC records of cancelled resources 

        • Update website and inform staff  

      • Replacement

        • Assess need and gather info on available formats to replace existing content

  • Promotes and instructs electronic resources

• Promotion - Flyers, brochures, blog & FB content, enewsletters

  • Acquire promotional materials (in print format) or URL to print materials from 

  • Highlight on Monthly Reading Roundup enewsletter with a blog entry

  • Create individual brochures if needed

  • Add to remote databases sheet (gold sheet)

  • Set up promotion on Facebook through Amy

  • Inform staff of new resource