Plough Library - Electronic Resources Selection Policy

Electronic Resources Selection Policy

This policy outlines general measures for evaluating database purchases as well as a method for evaluating current databases. Although this policy is based on experience, the library is not required to follow these guidelines and may emphasize certain criteria more than others if special circumstances arise.

1. Customer Measures

Does the product directly support the curriculum?
Does the product provide coverage to under-represented or high-priority subject areas?
How does the electronic product compare to similar print sources?
What are the opinions of the primary users of the product? (Consider using trials, focus groups, surveys, etc.)

2. Cost Measures

What are the significant differences in cost for variations of a product? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each variation?
Is the product's information available in more cost-effective electronic formats including remote databases and pay-per-search services such as OCLC FirstSearch or free services as found on the World Wide Web?
Are there any additional costs for future updates or upgrades?
Consider the time (cost) required learning how to administer the database?
What does the product cost if purchased in conjunction with other libraries or consortia?
How would the purchase of a product effect public service staffing and training?

3. Quality Measures

Audience: Scholarly _____ General _____
Number of Peer-Reviewed Journal Titles (indexed) _____
Number of Peer-Reviewed Journal Titles (full text) _____
Number of Journal Titles (full text) _____
Years of coverage _____________
Relevancy of search results?
Archiving of old citations and articles?
How reliable is the vendor in keeping the contents current?
How reliable is the vendor in keeping the contents accurate?
What is the reputation of the vendor and third-party producer (if applicable)? (Contact current customers for their opinion.)

4. User-Friendliness Measures

If time permits, these measures should be determined from multiple perspectives.

Availability of online tutorials or help menus?
Novice and expert searching levels?
Helpful error messages?
Availability of Index browsing?
Availability of Journal Title browsing?
Ease of exiting from one point in the service to another?
Ease of refining search results?
Ease of understanding words that describe functions?
Ease and dependability of downloading, emailing and printing?
Ease of remote access?

5. Technical Measures

Is the product compatible technically with existing and future (where potential is known) hardware/software?
Is technical support available?
Is the product maintained and reliable?
Is the product compatible with existing systems in the library and across campus (if applicable)?
Ease of setup (IP address ranges, passwords etc.)?
Are there licensing restrictions, such as number of simultaneous users and IP-specific limitations?

6. Communication Measures

Does the vendor notify librarians when the system will be down for maintenance or is experiencing difficulty?
Does the vendor notify librarians when improvements are made or features added?
Does the vendor provide information useful for marketing the database to faculty, staff and students?

References

University Of Arizona Library. Policy For Selecting And Acquiring Electronic Products - June 30, 1996 at http://dizzy.library.arizona.edu/library/teams/iat/elecpub.htm
De Paul University Library. Electronic Products Selection Criteria. 1995.