Electronic Resources Collection Policy

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This policy will guide the selection, acquisition, deselection, preservation and provision of access to electronic materials, including both online and offline resources, provided by Dunedin Public Libraries for the use of members of the library and the general public.

It covers both free resources and electronic resources purchased or licensed from a commercial source, a non-profit organisation, professional organisation or any external institution.

The policy does not include videos or DVDs. These formats are covered by the Audio Visual Collection policy.

1. Collection Scope

An electronic resource is defined as materials that require computer mediation in order to access their content and make it useful. Both online and offline resources such as CD-ROMs fall within the scope of this collection.

Online electronic resources are available via the Internet. They include both "born digital" material that has been produced directly online (eg e-journals and databases), and print resources that have been subsequently digitised.

Other resources that are created in digital form, such as digital images, email collections, and sound recordings are outside the scope of this collection but may be considered for inclusion at a later date.

2. Collection Purpose

The electronic resources collection aims to provide materials in electronic formats where this is the only or best way of presenting the content, and to complement materials held in print and audiovisual collections.

The electronic collection provides a virtual library to a customer which complements the Library’s physical collections.

The provision of library resources in electronic form offers numerous advantages including convenience, simultaneous use of the same resource by multiple users, and savings on the costs of housing, issuing, preservation, and replacement.

Useful features include ease and speed of locating information, hypertext links to relevant information, and the ability for text sizes and other on-screen content to be manipulated to suit individual needs.

The concept of the “hybrid library” is furthered by the inclusion of selected online resources in the Library’s catalogue.

3. History

Dunedin Public Libraries have provided customers at the City Library with access to some CD-ROM databases since 1994, and since 1999 library staff and customers in all libraries have been provided with access to the Internet.

Initially, this access was restricted by limitations imposed by filtering software, and access to email was a fee based service.

The development of the Library’s InfoStation web pages in 2001 provided free customer access to selected websites and access to on-line databases not always available to the general public.

The adoption of RPA (Remote Patron Authentication) software in 2004 allowed Library members to access databases remotely.

In February 2010, the participation of Dunedin Public Libraries in Aotearoa People’s Network Kaharoa (APNK) provided free, unmediated internet access and word processing facilities to library members and the general public.

The simultaneous provision of broadband wireless connectivity enables the public to use their internet enabled devices within the library.

4. Description of Collection

4.1 On-line Databases

Dunedin Public Libraries subscribes to a number of information databases / e-resources accessible within the Library or by library members from outside the Library.

Electronic Purchasing in Consortia (EPIC) is an initiative of the National Library which allows libraries across the country to choose a range of packages most suited to their libraries.

Access is negotiated on their behalf by the EPIC Governance Group. Dunedin Public Libraries subscribes to a majority of the databases offered nationally through this scheme.

These resources enable customers to access reference works, serials articles and other information sources, most of which are not available in print form in the Library.

4.2 Electronic Books

The Library is investigating the purchase of software that will enable the public to download electronic books in audio and digital print format via the library catalogue.

A small collection of “Playaways” or pre-loaded digital audio players was introduced in 2009.

4.3 Electronic Serials

Complete or limited access to some electronic journals is provided on the Internet without charge.

In some other cases free electronic access is provided by the publishers along with a paid subscription to the print version. In addition, the Library subscribes to on-line serials databases, some of the contents of which are duplicated in the print collections.

4.4 Other Internet Resources

Dunedin Public Libraries provides direct access to sites chosen for their high educational or recreational value including those which are little-known or may be difficult to locate through search engines.

The sites chosen are monographic in nature: specific documents or files, or collections of documents or files, as opposed to the collections of miscellaneous resources offered by gateway or portal sites.

The sites are regularly reviewed, and efforts are made to eliminate discontinued links and pages whose content have altered and are no longer considered useful. Some particularly useful resources are catalogued on the Library system.

5. Housing

All electronic resources are housed on publicly accessed terminals with the exception of small numbers of CD-ROMs belonging to the Heritage collections containing information not otherwise accessible.

Electronic resources are hosted via the Dunedin Public Libraries' website accessible to the public within the library and to library members at home or work by using their library membership.

6. Valuation

Electronic Resources are not “owned” in the same sense as most other library materials. Ownership rests with the providers of these resources.

Access to some resources is free via the Internet, and availability to others is subject to the payment of fees, usually annual.

Electronic resources are funded from the Library’s operational, rather than capital budgets because those resources cannot be capitalised.

7. Collection Management

Electronic resources are selected by the Collection Development Team including the Collection Development Librarian, in consultation with the Electronic Services Co-ordinator, Information Technologies Co-ordinator and the Information Services Librarian.

The selection of electronic resources is done as far as possible in conjunction with, and with referral to, the selection of print and other resources.

Since most databases subscribed to by Dunedin Public Libraries are negotiated by EPIC there is limited need to negotiate and check license agreements.

The Head of Collection Services is responsible for checking and negotiating agreements, where necessary.

The stability of websites is monitored by routine manual checking. The use of appropriate URL-checking software is a preferred option for the future.

The Use of Filtering Software

The Library’s Internet terminals are in public places where children have access to them.

For this reason and due to possible offence to library customers and staff, the Library uses appropriate filtering software to minimise access to pornographic and profane materials.

7.1 Selection Tools

Selection tools include:

  • Recommendations from the public
  • Reviewing journals including Library Journal, Choice, and Netguide
  • Reviews in professional journals including New Zealand Information Management Journal and Library Life
  • Online review sources including Scout Report and The Argus Clearinghouse
  • Offers via EPIC

7.2 Selection Guidelines

The selection of electronic resources is more complex than selection of resources in most other formats because of additional issues such as equipment, space for equipment, and technical and vendor support.

Criteria include:

  • Vendor’s reputation for technical support including cost of ongoing support and training programmes
  • Good design with visual appeal and ease of navigation within the site
  • Enhanced contents and additional functionality advantages over print format
  • Cost effectiveness, eg subscription savings, lower handling and overhead costs, number of simultaneous users included in licence terms
  • Demand
  • Ease and reliability of access including ability to offer remote access
  • Compatibility with current hardware used by Dunedin Public Libraries and its customers
  • Reputation of the persons or organisation providing the resource (educational, governmental, organisational, personal, or commercial)
  • Quality and presentation of information
  • Coverage and timely availability of material
  • Ease of use, eg help screens or tutorials and overall layout
  • Provision of instructions for use and any other necessary documentation
  • Level of technical expertise required for effective use
  • Currency and validity of information and updates
  • Archival access

Exclusions

Commercial sites which are mainly advertisements for the promotion of services or products

Websites or web pages of institutions which contain largely promotional or newsletter type information about the activities of the organisation

Licensing agreements are carefully scrutinised and the following factors taken into consideration:

  • Rights to information
  • Archival issues – availability, cost, limitations on use, storage etc
  • Unusual copyright limitations or restrictions on fair use
  • User confidentiality
  • Availability of usage statistics for collection management purposes
  • Restrictions on the accessibility of the resource as defined by licensing agreements (eg Restrictions on multiple simultaneous use, ability to offer remote access to customers), and the effects which such restrictions may have on the library’s network
  • Stability of the server or servers

7.3 Deselection

Links will be discontinued, and subscriptions allowed to lapse if:

  • The resource is no longer available or maintained
  • No longer current, reliable or relevant
  • Overlaps another resource which offers comprehensive coverage or treatment of subject
  • The resource no longer represents good value for money

8. Formats

Information should normally be purchased in the format most likely to be of benefit to customers.

Where appropriate, the Library will seek to provide alternative, on-line access to materials already held in print or other form where such improved access is believed to be beneficial to customers, especially where no extra cost is involved.

In some cases electronic access may prevent or reduce wear and tear on fragile print materials already held, such as historical materials.

In other cases and for particular reasons, such as superior access, reduced cost, changing customer behaviours or global trends the Library may decide to discard or to cancel the subscription for a print resource and to replace it with an electronic one.

9. Acquisition and Purchasing

Where applicable, access to electronic resources is obtained directly from the producer of the materials or via specialised vendors/aggregators.

When necessary, the Library negotiates with the suppliers of digital resources to obtain the best possible terms.

By using co-operative and consortia purchasing arrangements it is hoped to keep the costs of access to on-line resources as low as possible.

10. Standing Orders

Not applicable

11. Donations

Not applicable

12. Preservation and Repair

Not applicable

13. Review

This policy will be reviewed within three years.

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