FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 5, 2018
Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium, Inc. and Consortium Partners
Media Contact: Jill Morris, PALCI Associate Director, (215) 567-1755 ext. 2, jill@palci.org
Second Round of IMLS Funding Awarded to Consortial Usage Statistics Software Project
PALCI and partners are collaborating on an open source platform for library consortia usage statistics
Drexel Hill, PA: The Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium, Inc. (PALCI) and seven partnering international library consortia (CDL, Couperin, CRKN, Jisc, SCELC, USMAI, and VIVA) are pleased to announce their selection as recipients of an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Leadership Grant in the amount of $247,500. The project, entitled “Establishing a Cloud-Based Consortial Platform for Library Usage Statistics (CC-PLUS),” is a two-year initiative which began October 1, 2018.
CC-PLUS is an open source platform enabling consortia worldwide to manage their libraries’ usage data through a single interface, automate their data harvesting, and make data-informed decisions regarding their investments in electronic resources. This project came directly from conversations within the International Coalition of Library Consortia (ICOLC) community, and is an extension of a one-year IMLS planning grant PALCI received in 2017 to create a prototype version of the platform.
With this additional funding, PALCI and its partners will further develop the platform, including the addition of ebook and database usage data, improving the user interface design, investigating journal title and package integration, and creating robust user documentation. The team will also develop the business models, infrastructure, and community awareness necessary to establish a production-ready usage statistics tool supporting consortia and libraries with data-driven decisions for effective stewardship of library content.
“This project aims to increase libraries’ effectiveness in issues related to usage data,” said Cathy Wilt, Executive Director of PALCI. “The availability of a shared, open source usage data platform will result in libraries and consortia positioned to serve as exemplary stewards, empowered to make better-informed investments in electronic resources.”
About Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium, Inc.
PALCI (legally named the Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium, Inc.) was formed in 1996 as a grassroots federation of 35 academic libraries in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Today, the PALCI membership consists of nearly 70 academic and research libraries, private and public, in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia. PALCI’s mission is to build access to our shared collections through collaboration among academic libraries in Pennsylvania and the neighboring states. PALCI Members serve over 800,000 students, faculty, and staff, through a variety of programs including the highly-regarded E-ZBorrow resource sharing service. PALCI also serves as the home for PA Digital, the Pennsylvania hub on the Digital Public Library of America, and the new Affordable Learning PA program, creating a community of practice for open textbooks and related educational resources. To learn more, visit: http://palci.org.
About IMLS
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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