[LIBRARYDIR] Ask WA

[Simmons, Rand]

Nicely said. Rand


Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Smartphone


-------- Original message --------
From: "Martin, Jeff"
Date:04/30/2014 12:05 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: an open discussion list for WA CTC Library Directors
Cc: "Burling, Nono"
Subject: [LIBRARYDIR] Ask WA

In light of a call from Leslie from Shoreline yesterday and a rumor that has started to circulate, I wanted to make sure that you understand that the Washington State Library is moving to ensure the sustainability and longevity of the Ask WA virtual reference cooperative and is NOT moving toward the end of the cooperative. To do this we are in the process of reducing subsidies that pay for OCLC Question Point services. CTC library members should not be affected as the Board already picks up these costs. Over time, other members will have their subsidies reduced and pay for these services with “local” funding also. The Washington State Library (WSL) will continue to pay for the Ask WA Coordinator.

Why are we reducing subsidies? As the WSL legislative appropriation has been reduced over time and our current revenue stream brings in diminished levels of funding, the State Library comes ever closer to losing some of our Maintenance of Effort and in not meeting that requirement, losing some of our LSTA award. Moving these costs away from the State Library provides additional stability to funding this program. We are making similar adjustments to other programs and in another case, studying what the approach should be. By reducing program dependence on LSTA funding, when reductions come, we are less likely to need to wipe out whole programs with little notice. It is our hope that programs such as Ask WA have enough value to libraries and their customers that these costs will be able to be phased in and absorbed over time. Nono Burling, our Ask WA Coordinator is actively recruiting others to join and further spread the cost among each of the members.

If you have questions I will join you tomorrow at the Spring meeting and hopefully lay this particular rumor to rest.

Jeff Martin
Library Development Program Manager
Washington State Library | Office of the Secretary of State
Voice: (360) 704-5248 | Fax: (360) 586-7575
E-mail jeff.martin at sos.wa.gov<mailto:jeff.martin at sos.wa.gov>
Web  http://www.sos.wa.gov/library



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ctc.edu/pipermail/librarydir_lists.ctc.edu/attachments/20140501/a09a44c1/attachment.html>