February 1, 2016

Question

Megan Schulz (KS)

My brain is already fried (and only 9am on Monday) and wondered if someone could help.

Hoopla is a database, right? That means, the collection size count does not get reported but the expenditure would be counted and also counted towards the local database number. Where would the circulation figures be shown, if at all?

I was just given these below counts. You can ignore the numbering as that is state specific but they point to the collection size counts and not circulations.

9.2a (Other) - Audio (Music and Audiobooks) - 296909

9.3a (Other) - Video (Movie and TV) - 22866

9.4 (Other) - Ebooks (Ebooks and Comics) - 8665

Thanks in advance,

SDC Comments

Scott Dermont (IA)

I would count phone calls as reference questions. Or not, depending on the content. If I was going to add a question like this to my state survey, I would to know what it was going to be used for. We already count it in the reference transactions count. Do we need to count it again as something else as well. I would tend to say no to that.

Michael Golrick (LA)

Hi-

If it is a database, then there are not any circulation stats, there are database use stats. (And we have been collecting those in Louisiana for years.)

And thanks for the reminder that I need to fill in the statewide stats on that for my libraries….

Linda Hofschire (CO)

There was a discussion about this in December that I’ve pasted in below – indicating that Hoopla can be counted in the collection.

Katrice Stewart (FL)

Hi Thomas!

I’d say that if you can implement the new elements and folks can parse apart, then let ‘em show it J

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Thomas Ivie (WY)

I saw on the wiki a discussion from last year regarding Hoopla. I am as confused as ever on this one (database vs collection). Can anyone clarify for me? We have ask for "locally licensed electronic books." I want to say that if they can differentiate between movies, music, and e-books, then why not show count them. But the other side of my brain wonders if I should leave it alone because "database." Help

Megan Schulz (KS)

I do remember a conversation in December about this but don’t believe there was a general consensus as to the answer. Even the responses to my query are not consistent.

The problem I have currently is, my survey runs Jan 1-Feb 10, 2016 for calendar year 2015 stats for all 331 public libraries. On Friday one of our 7 Regional Library Systems (not part of the State Library) sent out stats for Hoopla to their member libraries. Already 40% of libraries in the state have completed the survey so am trying to determine how to handle. So far only 1 libraries asked me to unlock but when more start flooding in…

Even on my instructions I give Hoopla as an example of a database and not an ebook collection. Maybe I just unlock for libraries who request and let the chips fall where they may.

Sam Shaw (NE)

Hi Megan:

Might confuse you even more, but there was a discussion before the one Linda mentioned. See this link:

http://plsc.pbworks.com/w/page/96601431/Changed%20data%20element%20definitions%20%28FY2015%29

About halfway down is where Hoopla enters the picture. Might want to CTRL-F IT and go from there.

Scott Dermont (IA)

Yes, I count Hoopla as a database, and do not count its circulation or collection size.

Jamie Mott (IL)

I have already had some VERY angry libraries starting to complain about not being able to count Hoopla as more than one database.  I have been telling them all that they can only enter Hoopla as a database and not count circulation, etc.  They are angry because they are spending quite a bit on it and feel like it is not accurately representing the service they provide their patrons.  I think the “Use of electronic collections” data element may help next year, but I’m just bracing myself for angry librarians from now through Sept. 1.  At least your survey period is short.

Scott Dermont (IA)

I had similar concerns last year, especially after the data element for database use didn’t pass. So, I created a state question that covered database use. I think it went pretty well and it got them thinking about counting it. You may find that fewer libraries are counting it than you think. That was my experience. I ended up getting a lot more questions about how to count it then I did complaints about not counting it in previous years.