Circle the Date: May 9

Circle the Date: May 9

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Thanks to positive, overwhelming interest, the deadline for participation in the HSLANJ Group Licensing Initiative’s Spring 2014 Offer is being extended from its original date (Friday, April 25) to Friday, May 9.

This allows an extra two weeks for all participants in the MAR and SE/A to contact Robb with additional questions and then complete and submit their Offers.

It’s likely to be a record-breaking Offer in terms of the number of participants as well as resources being licensed. Many thanks for being a part of it–and grateful “thank you’s” to all participants who have already submitted their Offers.

FYI – Answering a few FAQs About the Group Licensing Initiative (GLI):

FAQ: Is there a membership fee to participate in the GLI?

A: Any hospital within the MAR or SE/A is welcome to participate in the GLI. While there isn’t an outright membership fee to participate, there are small administrative fees built into the Offer, depending on which resources you order.

FAQ: How are the GLI’s administrative fees structured?

A: When filling out the Spring 2014 Offer, you may have noticed there are two types of administrative fees built into the Offer. When purchasing resources from BMJ, EBSCO, Ovid or Springer, there is a fee of 5% of the total spend for the vendor added for HSLANJ Institutional members, or a 10% fee added for all others. Resources from other vendors carry a flat fee of $50/$100 (HSLANJ Institutional members/all others).

FAQ: Why are the administrative fees added?

A: The GLI offers a creative solution to the escalating cost of vital resources. GLI Project Manager Robert T. Mackes works throughout the entire year, meeting and negotiating with vendors, in order to offer the highest-quality electronic resources at the lowest prices possible. In this capacity, he is acting on behalf of all participants, representing them and utilizing group purchasing power to leverage the best pricing from vendors. Ultimately, the GLI offers “one-stop shopping,” saving participants both time and money compared to what would normally be spent on resources by librarians’ individual efforts. While the GLI Committee is staffed by professional medical librarians on a volunteer basis, Robert is an employee and the administrative fees fund this effort.

FAQ: Do participants have input into the size of the administrative fees?

A: There is a 10-member GLI Advisory Committee, whose purpose is to assure that we do our best to meet the needs of all participants. Half of the committee is made up of individuals who represent Non-HSLANJ member institutions. Names and contact information for all committee members can be found at this link. Comments may always be communicated through the committee member in your geographic area, or one whose institution seems to be most like yours in size and scope.

Have additional questions? Contact Project Manager Robert T. Mackes (rtmackes@gmail.com/(570) 856-5952). And remember, your Spring 2014 Offers are now due on May 9.