DATE: June 21, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Darlene Bradley, Directory of Library and Museum Services Prepared by: Roger Hiles, Library Services Manager
SUBJECT: PURCHASE ORDER WITH OCLC, INC. FOR BIBLIOGRAPHIC SERVICES AND METADATA IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $32,525 Recommendation: Approve
SUMMARY
It is recommended that the City Council approve a purchase order for bibliographic services and metadata from OCLC, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $32,525. Sufficient funds are available in the City’s Fiscal Year 2022-23 Operating Budget.
DISCUSSION
The Arcadia Public Library uses the services of OCLC, Inc. as the supplier of metadata for its public catalog, as well as maintaining a record of its 200,000 items for use in providing Inter-Library Loan service to the public. OCLC is a nonprofit cooperative organization that maintains a database of the collections of 30,000 member libraries that is continually updated to enhance accuracy and completeness.
The estimated cost of $32,525 for OCLC’s services is based on actual past usage.
Searching and downloading for metadata records in OCLC's database is tracked both by time spent and number of records displayed and downloaded. The average cost of cataloging an item is approximately $2.45, although there is a range for individual items based on complexity. In addition to the cost for cataloging and metadata, there is a fee of $765 per year for an online product that helps staff select the appropriate Dewey Decimal number for added items. There is also an additional annual cost for searching for and requesting Inter-library loan items of approximately $0.75 on top of regular searching costs (which vary depending on complexity), and postage costs for returning items to lending libraries. Patrons pay a $5.00 fee for requesting an Inter-library loan item, which helps defray the cost of this service and goes into the General Fund.
Use of high-quality metadata is vital to connecting library patrons with the Library’s collections. OCLC membership also greatly expands the range of holdings available from
Purchase Order with OCLC for Bibliographic Services and Metadata June 21, 2022
other libraries so that Arcadia Library patrons can request loans through the Library’s Inter-Library Loan service.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), and it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
Sufficient funds have been approved in the City’s FY 2022-23 Operating Budget.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council determine that this action does not constitute a project and is therefore exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); and approve a Purchase Order with OCLC for Bibliographic Services and Metadata in an amount not to exceed $32,525.