Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Where can I find a complete list of electronic journals, databases, reference materials, and publicly available content to which CSU campuses have access?
Click on the "E-Resources" link located on the navigation menu and you will be able to see a list of products that are available to CSU campuses. For information regarding the offering of each vendor click on the vendor name.
2. Does my campus have access to a particular resource?
If you would like to see what your campus has subscribed to, click on the "E-Resources" link located on the navigation menu. This will lead you to another link titled: "Subscribers List". This will give you a listing of every product currently under contract for every campus.
3. How do I add a subscription for my campus?
Generally a campus may be added to any subscriptions on current system wide agreements listed on the E-Resources page. Contact Terri Joiner (IT Contracts Manager) with your request and she will walk you through the process.
Products that require a new system wide agreement with a vendor not listed on the E-Resources page should be brought to the attention of your campus Electronic Access Resources (EAR) Committee member. They can bring your request for databases/subscription/journals/etc. for consideration to the EAR quarterly meetings.
4. What criteria are used to develop the Electronic Core Collection - ECC collection?
There are several criteria for a resource to qualify for ECC funding. One determining factor is based on a threshold of subscribers: a resource needs at least fifteen subscribing CSU campuses to be considered for inclusion in the Core Collection. For example: following one-year of use with at least fifteen (15) subscriber campuses, EAR may make a recommendation to Council of Library Directors - COLD for consideration of inclusion in the CSU Electronic Core Collection. The one-year period represents a basic subscription cycle, and allows for a period of use to determine whether the resource meets the criteria and warrants recommendation for inclusion in the ECC.
To learn more about the ECC, please reference “Principles for CSU Acquisition of Electronic Information Resources” (.pdf.
5. I need help, who should I call?
See Contacts Page
6. Where can I find information on E-Resource acquisitions in process?
For information on resources for consideration, please review EAR committee minutes.
7. Describe the differences between Campus Opt-In vs. ECC vs. 10-90 Opt-In
These are different funding models for system wide purchases of electronic information resources:
Campus OPT-IN: CSU CO IT Contracts handles all the negotiations, contract paperwork, invoicing, payments and maintenance of the contract on behalf of the campuses. As part of the annual renewal of the system wide agreements, CSU CO IT provides a menu of products available for campus opt-in. Each campus is responsible for providing the funding for their subscription. Reimbursement of the CSU CO funds will be handled through Cash Posting Orders (CPO) generated by CSU CO IT Contracts. Normally the CPO is issued after execution of the agreement and payment to the vendor.
ECC: The products that are part of this collection are funded centrally and are accessible to all CSU campus libraries. CSU CO IT Contracts handles all the negotiations, contract paperwork, invoicing, payments and maintenance of the contract.
10-90 Opt-In – These are Campus Opt-In products that are 90% funded by the campus.
8. How are vendor selected for system wide agreements?
Vendors must be willing to provide consortium agreements for the CSU at an aggregated level that provides greater benefits than if each campus contracts directly. In most cases, this benefit manifests itself as cost-savings but in many instances it is also the size of the deal that will provide more visibility with vendor management and customer service.
9. How long is the review process for a resource?
Contracts take time and reaching an agreement takes time. The average review process is approximately 6 months. It is critical for the review process to have several librarians and campus staff actively involved. The 6-month time frame enables not only EAR and the Council of Library Directors to be active in the process but also allows various committees on each campus to have enough time to review products.
10. When are funds pulled for a particular subscription once we have submitted the subscription and account form?
Generally, CSU CO Accounting will issue Cash Posting Orders for campus funds after the payment of the vendor invoice.
11. What is the purpose of the Subscription form (Coded Memo)?
This is the order form where campuses select their Opt-In and 10-90 Opt-In subscriptions. This is authorizes CSU CO Accounting to pull campus funds via CPO.
12. Whom do I contact for technical questions?
See Contacts page
13. Whom do I contact if I have problems accessing a resource?
See Contacts page
14. Where do I find licenses’ terms and conditions are for each resource?
For information regarding the terms and conditions of the agreements including a product's rights and restrictions, please browse the E-Resources
15. Does CSU work with any other consortia?
Yes, we administer a number of contracts on behalf of the California Digital Library, the Community College Library Consortium (over 100 campuses) and the Statewide California Electronic Library Consortium (over 80 independent universities). These contracts are negotiated collectively when it is financially beneficial to all parties involved.