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(Note from the Washington State Library: In order to participate in the Fall 2000 Washington State Databases Trial, each vendor was asked to address questions the Statewide Database Licensing Committee felt were most critical in order for library staff to evaluate products and vendors. Please contact the vendor's representative, listed below, for additional information on this product.)
1. Describe the database product(s). Include information on subject scope, percentage of full-text, dates of coverage, target audience (including age ranges), and how often the contents are updated.
Reference USA
This is a proposal for the New ReferenceUSA, which is the compilation of librarian�s suggestions over the last two years. This product offers information on more than 11,000,000 businesses and 110,000,000 households. The new reference is easier to use as all the information is on one page. You click on each subject that you wish to research and then click on create form. There is a quick search also that you may insert the name and city of a business or person and hit search. This is an adult database and probably would not have much usage in K to 12 schools. The sources of information are phone books, (white, yellow and blue pages) journals, news magazines, NCOA, county registrations, SEC and 10K filings and annual reports. Our company also calls every business in our database at least once a year. The 3rd Thursday of every month the information is updated. With the new database there are 39 data elements. You may reverse lookup using the address or phone number on both residential and business.
2. What are the hardware and software requirements for using all the features of the product?
3. Is remote access included for the subscription price? If there are additional charges or requirements in order to offer remote access, please describe. What methods of remote access are supported?The hardware requirements are at least a 4.0 browser.
Remote access is provided for the offered price. The library home page must authenticate a user as a library patron, student or employee.
4. Please discuss any methods or assistance you offer regarding remote access patron verification and authentication.
See answer to number 3.
5. What end user delivery options, such as printing, emailing or faxing results, are available beyond just viewing results on the computer monitor?
Patrons may download up to 50 records at a time then they must recreate the search to get another 50 records. It isn�t possible as far as I know to send it straight to a fax. E-mail has been done. This information is for reference and research only.6. What customer training is provided, and at what cost?
7. What customer and technical support is provided, including hours of operation.We provide customer training at no cost. We would coordinate times when we would be in the area. Help sheets and example searches are provided.
8. Describe the statistics you provide, and discuss whether your statistical reporting complies with guidelines developed by the International Coalition of Library Consortia which may be found at www.library.yale.edu/consortia/webstats.html .Customer and technical support is between the hours of 8:00 and 5:00 Monday through Friday. That is central time.
9. Describe your pricing structure or formula for the product. If there are additional costs for retrieving full text, describe the pricing for this service.We are able to provide the number of searches and downloads for both inside the library and remote users. The software is done and should be ready soon for each library to check their own data, as per the ICOLC standards.
The Washington Consortium is offered a price in most cases with over 80% savings from list price. The following prices include business, residential and remote access and in the case of campuses show campus wide and remote access. List price is shown on the following samples provided by Washington State Library. Remember these are list prices and do not include the Washington State Consortium�s discount.
Library A: High school library �750 students. $ 7,500
Library B: Public Library 100,000 pop. With 2 locations. $19,745
Library C: Public Library 20,000 pop. With 1 location. $ 9,195
Library D: Community College library 5,000 full time $ 7,500
Library E: Four year college library with 5,000 full time $ 7,500
Library F: Hospital Library with 1,000 staff and 200 doctors$10,875
10. If a library subscribes to any of your products as a result of this trial, will their future subscription rates continue to reflect any savings or discount they may receive today?11. What is the minimum participation level (however you care to define it) that would be needed to allow participating libraries to receive a discount? What is the minimum discount for a group buy? Please clarify how you would treat existing library customers with regard to a group buy.Yes
12. Please indicate whether libraries from Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and/or Hawaii would be eligible to participate in the group buying process.The minimum participation level would be dependent on what current revenue is captured. We have worked out a formula with the public libraries and the colleges and others will have a similar formula.
13. Please provide name and contact information should libraries wish to make further inquires.Although we have discussed the Northwest program and are certainly not against such a thing, at this time we are only offering this to the Washington group.
Inquiries about service to:
Tom McAloon
800-808-1113 extension 3760
E-mail [email protected]Although I am based in Omaha, NE. I try to work as close to Pacific Time as I am able. Weeks that I am in the office I will be there usually from 8:00am to 6:00pm Monday through Thursday and 8:00 am to 5:00pm on Friday. I usually go to lunch around 2:00 although this varies. We are in the central time zone, which is 2 hours different.