CAUL 1965-2008

Andrew WellsPresident

Overview

Australian higher education environment

CRAUL -> CAUL (1928-1965-1995-2005)

MissionStrategic PlanCEIRC and the CEIRC review

Australian Higher Education

Diverse and technically literate students

Changes in learning and teachingChanges in researchAlternatives to the library for finding

informationFiscal challengesGovernment policy for differentiation of

HE institutions

Australian universities

38 over 6 states and 2 territoriesTwo private – Bond and University of

Notre DameRemainder ‘public’ Students pay through ‘Higher Education

Contribution Scheme’ – HECSLarge international enrolment – over

20%Significant growth in last 20 years

CRAUL (Conference of Representatives of Australian University Libraries)

1928 Meeting Agenda (attendance 6)

Importance of the library within the university Extension of library privileges (walk-in users)

Relation of university libraries to the library movement (ALA)

Purchases of books, serials, etc (consortial purchasing)

Library addresses to students (information literacy)

Pooling of library resources (dnc)

Catalogue of scientific periodicals Statistics on library expenditure Australian bibliography

CAUL

38 members Executive Committee 1965 - Committee formed; 1992 - Council renamed; 1995 - full-time executive officer (+ part time

support staff) Secretariat, Committee Support,

Cooperative Activities (eg Statistics, Liaison/Representation, Current awareness, Web site, CEIRC program)

Mission

Support members in the achievement of their objectives Provision of access to and training in use

of scholarly information Leadership in the management of

information Contribution to the university experience

National perspective on library issues

CAUL Goals

Four areas Contribution to Research Contribution to Learning and Teaching Delivering Quality and Value Communication and Influence

Contribution to Research

Institutional repository growth Australasian Digital Theses was forerunner Government funded projects ARROW – Australian Research Repositories

Online to the World APSR – Australian Partnership for Sustainable

Repositories ASHER – Australian Scheme for Higher

Education Repositories E-research data management is the next

challenge

Research -- CEIRC

CAUL’s Electronic Information Resources Committee

Consortial purchasing of databasesWill return to this in second half of

presentation

Contribution to Teaching & Learning

ULA (University Library Australia) reciprocal borrowing scheme complements regional programs travelling scholars, distance education simple, simple, simple ….

Guidelines for services to off-shore students

Information Literacy

Information Literacy Standards adapted/expanded from ACRL endorsed by ALIA, CASL translated into Spanish Revised 2004 -> ANZ Information Literacy Framework

ANZIIL (Australian and New Zealand Institute for Information Literacy)

Assessment tools - monitor outcomes, research into effectiveness

Best Practice Characteristics for Developing Information Literacy in Australian Universities: a guideline.

Delivering Quality and Value

Statistics Based on ARL e-collections - deemed numbers Usage – not yet valid

Performance Indicator KitsClient surveys

InSync (local) Small number use LibQual

Value proposition?

Develop statements of value for university libraries, both qualitative and quantitative

Literature search undertakenReturn on investment methodology

being considered

Workforce needs

Staff developmentWorkforce planningContributing to education

developmentsRecruitment is a challenge –

particularly for higher level positions

Communication / Cooperation

Sectors Go8; Libraries of the Australian Technology

Network (LATN); IRUA (Innovative Research Universities Australia)

Regional QULOC (Queensland) WAGUL (Western Australia)

Formal or informal

Communication

Relationships Higher Education and/or Libraries

National - AVCC, CAUDIT, ACODE, NLA, CASL, ALIA, CAPA, NTEU

International - CONZUL, CURL, SCONUL, CARL, ARL, ICOLC, JULAC

Advocacy - copyright, scholarly communication, university funding

Web Site - directories, organisations, projects, CAUL surveys, conferences

Lists, Circulars

CEIRC -- Outline

RationaleCEIRC backgroundIssues for the reviewTimelineProcessFindingsRecommendationsNext steps

Rationale

10th birthdayStrategy

Expand scope? Reduce scope? What could be done improved? What’s missing?

ViabilityOperationsLegal issues, risk exposure

Background – what is CEIRC?

CEIRC is the name of a programAnd a committeeThis is about the programThe committee advises CAUL on

issues affecting the programEach CAUL member has a dedicated

Datasets Coordinator for CEIRC

Membership -- 2008

39 CAUL 8 CONZUL 27 higher education and government

research organisations in Australia and New Zealand

Some numbers

Around 140 productsAbout 100 vendorsAbout $22 m in 2006

USD 15.8 m GBP 3.1 m AUD 1.3 m

The business

Opt in / opt outFlexible, lightly governedResponsive communication

Lots of emails Website

Variations in billing Member to CEIRC Member to Publisher Member to Subscription Agent

Contracts, licenses – variety!

Member has own contract based on standard CEIRC agreement – include variations locally

CAUL signs Heads of AgreementAgreement signed by CAUL on behalf

of all members

Issues -- Operations

Program costs and benefitsEfficiency and workflowCommunicationDocumentation, record keepingStaffingNegotiationBusiness continuityCosts and benefits of external members

Issues -- Risk

Any risks arising from CAUL having unincorporated status?

Heads of Agreements and contracts signed by CAUL

Financial managementAuditCompliance with legislation and

regulations

Issues – Program future

Program viabilityExpanding scope of activitiesReducing scope of activitiesOpportunities for collaboration with

other consortia – any cost/benefit?

Timeline

Early Aug 2007: RFQ issuedSept 2007: Consultant appointedNov 2007: Interim report to CAUL

Executive and CEIRC CommitteeJan 2008: Final reportFeb 2008: CEIRC Committee and CAUL

Exec will address recommendationsApr 2008: CAUL meeting

Process

Consultant spent two days in CAUL Office

Regular meetings with CAUL President and CAUL Executive Officer

Survey of vendorsSurvey of Datasets CoordinatorsLegal advice Interim report identified areas for

further investigation

Findings

CAUL has endorsed most findings

Findings -- usage

CAUL and CONZUL are the major beneficiaries

For 55 datasets, CAUL members constitute 76-90% of total subscribers

Only 14 datasets where CAUL are less than 50%

CONZUL is significant for its size too

Usage – Take up and renewal

Significant variation33% taken by 5 members or less53% taken by 10 members or lessLow cancellation rate

Findings – DSC survey

High levels of satisfactionWebsite major cause of concernUnderstanding complexity of vendor

offerings a concern for some (not a criticism of program)

Larger institutions believe they can get bigger discounts

Generally smaller institutions seem most satisfied

Findings -- Vendors

Caution – small sampleOffshore vendors value CEIRC ProgramOnshore – mixed reactionConcern that members do not understand

offers“There is a view that financial savings

achieved over Vendor ‘list pricings’ are not necessarily enhanced through the CEIRC Program

Findings -- Risk management

Risks are lowExcellent record keeping avoids

problemsNo Trade Practices Act issues

Findings -- Operations

Highly efficient, rigorousManual workflow, lots of cutting and

pasting of emailsInvestigate software to assist –

implementation commences August 08

CAUL EO spending up to 60% of time on CEIRC

Recommendations

Investigate enhancing value Negotiation More communication with members about

offerings

Don’t expand membership – no new members Improve reporting Improve web siteSoftware for efficient workflowConcentrate on high take up subscriptions