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Hi Ken The situation, as you would expect is complex. We (public libraries) subscribe to what we can afford. There are various online resources that my authority does not subscribe to, not because they aren't any good, or wouldn't be used but because we don't have the funds. When online resources started to become available we like many others switched funding from hard copy to online (eg Britannica). But you eventually reach the point where your budget can't support any more online resources without a massive injection of funding - not going to happen in the present climate. Some authorities have already unsubscribed from Britannica due to poor usage and low usage of online sources is a concern. There is also the thorny issue of who has remote access to what nationally. In theory we have the nascent basis of a national library membership (the SCL scheme). In practice most of our online sources (including eBooks) are required to be geographically restricted to "our" users (go define!). I have anecdotal evidence of members of local family history/local history groups finding backdoor ways to join other library authorities to use the online resources they provide and we do not. So.... where do we go from here? -- David Tanner Manager: Stock and Systems Adult and Community Services (Information) North Yorkshire County Council Library HQ 21 Grammar School Lane Northallerton North Yorkshire DL6 1DF Tel: 01609 533814 Fax: 01609 780793 email: [log in to unmask] At the moment I am reading "Any Human Heart" by William Boyd. >>> On 31/08/2011 at 10:10 am, in message <030d01cc67bd$ce393fc0$6aabbf40$@com>, Ken Chad <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > The Guardian has picked up the (somewhat old news) about the combined > Regions/OCLC UK national catalogue initiative > http://lglibtech.wikispaces.com/National+Catalogue. It set me thinking about > national access to online *reference* resources > > > > The (already in existence) *Welsh* National Catalogue -'Cat Cymru' -also > includes links to online reference resources. Looking at individual UK > library websites it seems most (all?) have free online access to some great > resources such as Encyclopaedia Britannica, OED and lots more. > > Does anyone know what percentage of the UK population has free online access > to say Britannica? Is it universal for UK public libraries to offer this? > Have I missed this data? Do CILIP, MLA, CyMAL, SLIC know? Have any of the > library campaigns been promoting the fact that libraries give *everyone* (or > whatever the statistic is) free online access to......' Have I missed that? > Maybe this information is something we could share in the Local Government > Library Technology (LGLibTech) wiki? > > > > An article in the Guardian back in may reported on Enfield's work to promote > these resources > > 'Enfield boosts digital reference role. London borough has trained staff to > increase public's use of online reference sources'. By Mark Say Guardian > Professional 25 May 2011 > > http://www.guardian.co.uk/government-computing-network/2011/may/25/enfield-d > igital-refence-library-staff-training-increases-usage > > > > It reported: 'Most local authorities now have a portfolio of digital > reference sources, most coming at a cost beyond the pockets of the regular > library user, but there is evidence that they are not widely used. Brown > says that over the past five years the Enfield Library Service has built up > a range of digital resources - including encyclopaedias, the legal database > LexisNexis Butterworths and the Lexis Direct business information database - > but several were not being widely used. In some cases there were less than > 100 searches a year on resources that cost thousands of pounds, which was > poor value for money' > > > > Is that situation general? > > > > Ken > > Ken Chad Consulting Ltd > > Tel +44 (0)7788 727 845. Email: <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > [log in to unmask] <http://www.kenchadconsulting.com/> > www.kenchadconsulting.com > > Skype: kenchadconsulting Twitter: @KenChad > > Open Library Systems Specifications: <http://libtechrfp.wikispaces.com/> > http://libtechrfp.wikispaces.com > > Access your county council services online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.northyorks.gov.uk. 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