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Item 1.D.
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| City Council Regular | |
| Date: | 05/22/2023 |
| Title: | Agreement with Hoopla Electronic Database |
| Presented by: | Kelsie Rubich, Assistant Library Director |
| Department: | Library |
| Presentation: | No |
| Legal Review | No |
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends council approval.
BACKGROUND (Consistency with Adopted Plans and Policies, if applicable)
A recent survey of library patrons showed significant demand for a streaming video service. It also highlighted challenges related to lengthy wait times with the library's current eBook and audiobook platform, Libby. Many survey responses explicitly requested the addition of the product Hoopla to the library's digital offerings. Currently, the library utilizes Freegal for downloadable and streaming music and Libby for electronic books and audiobook content.
Freegal is limited because it solely offers streaming music with no additional media formats. The library has subscribed to Freegal for over eight years and has observed a consistent decline in usage. Last year, Freegal cost the library $15,999 and was used by just over 300 patrons.
Hoopla offers content in several formats, unlike other vendors. The Hoopla digital library platform provides on-demand access to over 1.4 million items, including audiobooks, eBooks, comics, movies, TV shows, magazines, and music. It is unique in offering a variety of formats on a single platform. These items will only be available to library patrons, and multiple users can borrow content simultaneously. It will enhance library services and address patron needs.
The library intends to cancel its Freegal subscription and redirect these funds to Hoopla. Additionally, the library has received a grant of $11,000 from the library foundation to fund this endeavor. Hoopla will be an additional resource for library patrons, enhance content availability, add sought-after streaming video, and reduce overall wait times.
Hoopla has no setup, platform, or maintenance fees. The vendor has a 60-day notice cancellation period, operates on a pay-per-checkout model, and the library can be billed for services each month or draw from a lump sum deposited in advance.
The vendor estimates an average cost of $1.95 per item circulated, and the total monthly cost to the library will vary based on the overall user adoption rate. If accelerated patron adoption occurs, monthly checkout limits, and caps on the cost of items per checkout, can be implemented.
The Hoopla digital library platform offers numerous benefits to the library and its users. Its extensive collection of simultaneous-use digital content, cross-device compatibility, and potential to attract new patrons make it a valuable addition to the library's offerings. By replacing Freegal with Hoopla and maintaining its subscription to Libby, the library will enhance its services, respond to patron requests for digital video content, and reduce wait times for eBooks and audiobooks.
Freegal is limited because it solely offers streaming music with no additional media formats. The library has subscribed to Freegal for over eight years and has observed a consistent decline in usage. Last year, Freegal cost the library $15,999 and was used by just over 300 patrons.
Hoopla offers content in several formats, unlike other vendors. The Hoopla digital library platform provides on-demand access to over 1.4 million items, including audiobooks, eBooks, comics, movies, TV shows, magazines, and music. It is unique in offering a variety of formats on a single platform. These items will only be available to library patrons, and multiple users can borrow content simultaneously. It will enhance library services and address patron needs.
The library intends to cancel its Freegal subscription and redirect these funds to Hoopla. Additionally, the library has received a grant of $11,000 from the library foundation to fund this endeavor. Hoopla will be an additional resource for library patrons, enhance content availability, add sought-after streaming video, and reduce overall wait times.
Hoopla has no setup, platform, or maintenance fees. The vendor has a 60-day notice cancellation period, operates on a pay-per-checkout model, and the library can be billed for services each month or draw from a lump sum deposited in advance.
The vendor estimates an average cost of $1.95 per item circulated, and the total monthly cost to the library will vary based on the overall user adoption rate. If accelerated patron adoption occurs, monthly checkout limits, and caps on the cost of items per checkout, can be implemented.
The Hoopla digital library platform offers numerous benefits to the library and its users. Its extensive collection of simultaneous-use digital content, cross-device compatibility, and potential to attract new patrons make it a valuable addition to the library's offerings. By replacing Freegal with Hoopla and maintaining its subscription to Libby, the library will enhance its services, respond to patron requests for digital video content, and reduce wait times for eBooks and audiobooks.
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may:
- Approve; or,
- Not Approve
FISCAL EFFECTS
No budgetary impact. This will be funded through a Billings Library Foundation grant of $11,000, and the currently funded electronic resources noted above.