HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 12r - Bibliographic Services and Metatdata
DATE: June 20, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Darlene Bradley, Director of Library and Museum Services
SUBJECT: PURCHASE ORDER WITH OCLC, INC. FOR BIBLIOGRAPHIC
SERVICES AND METADATA IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $32,525
CEQA: Not A Project
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 2023-24 Operating Budget.
BACKGROUND
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 used 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.
DISCUSSION
The estimated cost of $32,525 for OCLC’s services is based on historical usage.
Searching for and downloading metadata records in OCLC's database is tracked 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 recovered costs are deposited into the General Fund.
Purchase Order with OCLC, Inc. for Bibliographic Services and Metadata
June 20, 2023
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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
other libraries, so Arcadia Library patrons can request loans through the Library’s Inter-
Library Loan service. 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 2023-24 Operating
Budget.
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 2023-24 Operating Budget for this
purchase order.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council determine that this action does not constitute a
project, and therefore, is 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.