Colorado Libraries » Resource sharing

First issue of “YS News” now available

Michelle — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:56:09 +0000

Check out the first issue of the new monthly newsletter for youth services librarians! YS News will feature articles on learning development, summer reading updates, timely tidbits like grant opportunities and interesting resources, children’s and teen literature news, and an exchange of what’s going on in CO libraries.

See the first issue here (PDF)

Would you like to see a topic covered in the newsletter? Want to share info about your programs? Or perhaps contribute an article? Contact the State Library’s Youth & Family Services Consultant, Beth Crist, 303-866-6908.

New CVL Is Right Around The Corner

Michelle — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:16:49 +0000

After more than a year of hard work by the Networking & Resource Sharing team of the State Library, the new Colorado Virtual Library (CVL) will be launched sometime during the week of 10/10 with 3 content collections (and more to come):

Colorado Histories
Tech Help
Tools for Tough Times

There is much more work to be done, because the CVL will never truly be done. It is designed to be ever-changing, evolving, and improving. We hope you love it, but of course are open to constructive criticism.

Stay tuned!

Join us for the last NRS Roadshow of the season!

Christine — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:24:28 +0000

Don’t be left out in the cold! Join us for the last NRS Roadshow of the year at the Ignacio Community Library on Thursday September 15, 2011 from 8 AM -12 PM.

Registration is required by September 9, 2011.

What is a roadshow you ask?

Simply a really fun way to network with your library peers, learn more about unique library services (Plinkit, AskColorado/AskAcademic,SWIFT, Colorado Historic Newspapers, Colorado Virtual Library), and eat free food!

Can you think of a better way to spend a fall morning?

Still curious? Check out the pictures of past roadshows on Flickr! You won’t be able to resist!

AIRS Announces 2011-12 Statewide Package

Jim — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:31:09 +0000

Posted on behalf of Linda Sturgeon, AIRS Chair—–

The AIRS Committee (Acquisition of Information Resources Statewide) has negotiated with OCLC and EBSCO to provide selected databases covering general, business and K-12 information at a special Colorado statewide rate.

For the coming fiscal year (July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012), the statewide package of databases has been finalized. Details about the FY11-12 program are available on the AIRS web site. The AIRS Committee was able to keep pricing stable for FY2011-2012 even while many libraries with shrinking budgets were forced to drop out last year and may be dropping out during the coming year.

These have been difficult years for libraries, which continue to face increased use of resources and lower funding. Despite these challenges, the number of libraries participating in the AIRS database program continues to help sustain this collaborative purchase effort, along with subsidy funds from the State Library. Working together, libraries still find they save money over “going it alone.”

On the AIRS web site, you will find:

The AIRS Spring 2011 Newsletter
A letter from the State Library and AIRS
A note about the EBSCO Elite vs EBSCO Premier package
History of the package
Details about the 2011-2012 package, including pricing
Contact information for various individuals involved with the AIRS program

During the coming days, Amigos Library Services will be sending invoices to libraries that subscribed to the AIRS package in FY2011-12. During the coming months, AIRS will be conducting needs assessments using a variety of information-gathering methods. This activity will lead to a review of various vendor products, followed by an RFI/RFP process for FY2012-13 and beyond.

Any of the AIRS Committee members welcome your questions and comments, or feel free to contact me directly.

Linda Sturgeon | AIRS Chair

Email: lsturgeon[at]dclibraries.org | Website: www.DouglasCountyLibraries.org

Direct: 303-688-7608 | General: 303-791-READ (7323)

Announcing Blue Sky Express

Valerie Horton — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:26:51 +0000

The Colorado Library Courier is pleased to announce an expansion to our statewide courier service. Starting in January 2011, Blue Sky Express will link Colorado’s courier to most Kansas libraries. Blue Sky Express is similar to our highly successful COKAMO delivery service with Missouri libraries. COKAMO saved Colorado libraries $140,000 in USPS shipping cost last year.

The EXTRA GOOD NEWS is that Blue Sky Express is both cheaper to run and faster than COKAMO. Blue Sky Express will run 5 days a week! The only cost to participating libraries is for extra high volume charges if the items you ship via Blue Sky Express increase the total you ship on the Colorado Library Courier by more than 3,000 items in a year.

All current COKAMO members will automatically be included in Blue Sky Express. Instructions on how to set up OCLC are forthcoming.

For non-OCLC libraries, you can ship to any participating library on the Kansas Courier. All Kansas libraries will be added to the Courier Management System so you can find libraries and print labels as needed. We also believe with the help of the State Library that we can link SWIFT to Kansas’ statewide ILL system (KICNET) by the end of 2011.

Resource Sharing continues to thrive and grow in Colorado!

Valerie Horton
Executive Director
Colorado Library Consortium (CLiC)