CRKN License Information Module wins 2011 CACUL Innovation Achievement Award
May 5, 2011 - The Canadian Association of College and University Libraries (CACUL) is pleased to announce that the License Information Module developed by the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) has been awarded the 2011 CACUL Innovation Achievement Award.
The License Information Module (LIM) is an open source information management system custom-designed in Drupal to support CRKN’s 75 academic library members across Canada by facilitating access to license information for more than 50 consortial agreements from 30 domestic and international publishers worth over $100 million annually. Taken together, this content comprises ten thousand e‐journals, 30,000 e‐books, over 1 million images, thousands of musical scores, hundreds of videos and many high-impact databases. Self-serve access to updated license information has saved CRKN member libraries both time and resources in the management of these collections, and has eliminated duplication of effort among CRKN members.
The LIM provides profiles for all CRKN license agreements, downloadable title lists and contracts for each agreement, and institutional profiles that highlight members’ current and previous license participation. Members can run reports to view and compare license participation across the membership, view and compare product features and license terms across agreements, and view a list of all current agreements sorted by renewal date. The system offers an RSS-enabled Product News section, vendor/publisher directories, a financial update section that includes an invoicing schedule for planning purposes, and a feedback form.
The LIM replaced the previous members’ only website, which was a static repository that was difficult for staff to update. The lack of information resulted in serious challenges for CRKN member libraries, including content discoverability issues and exposure to legal liability in the absence of easy access to license terms and conditions. Since its launch, the LIM has proven its value for both CRKN and its members. For CRKN, the system has vastly improved its ability to serve members, and has resulted in more cost‐effective use of staff resources. Members are now better able to plan budget requirements and timing of expenditures and maximize the use of licensed resources in compliance with legal terms and conditions. Over the past year, there have been over 6700 visits to the site, with each visitor accessing an average of seven pages per visit. The words of one Electronic Resources Librarian capture the feelings of many: “It has become an invaluable tool in my day to day work.”
Generously sponsored by OCLC, the CACUL Innovation Achievement Award recognizes institutions that have contributed to the development and advancement of academic librarianship through innovative programs, services, projects, or events. The 2011 Award will be presented at the CACUL Annual General Meeting on Friday, May 27, during the CLA National Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The Canadian Association of College and University Libraries (CACUL) is a division of the Canadian Library Association (CLA). CLA is a national association representing the interests of public, academic, school and special libraries, professional librarians, library workers, and all those concerned about enhancing quality of life for Canadians through information and literacy. For details, visit www.cla.ca.
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Wendy Rodgers,
CACUL Director of Awards, and Chair, 2011 CACUL Innovation Achievement Award Nominations Committee,
(709) 737-4439, wrodgers@mun.ca.