[Publib] Consultant sought

[O'NEILL Barbara]

Request for Quotation
Washington County Cooperative Library Services 
Reference Services Redesign Project

	Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) is
seeking a consultant to review the current allocation of funds devoted
to reference services and to recommend a direction of focus so that we
can effectively and progressively respond to future reference and
information-seeking trends. 


Background

Washington County, Oregon provides county funding for public library
operations; support services to member libraries when it is more
efficient and economical to do so; and direct service to special
populations (i.e. homebound, children in child care, Spanish-speaking
residents).

WCCLS currently has twelve public library providers in fourteen physical
locations that offer direct library service to the residents of the
county (population approximately 511,000).  They represent nine cities,
two non-profit organizations and the County.  Members share a common
integrated library system (Polaris software), which provides
inter-library borrowing to all county residents, and a central courier
system which delivers materials from one library to another.  In
addition, there is one hospital library and a small college library.
The total system-wide circulation for 06-07 was about 7.4 million, with
a total collection size of about 1.3 million items.  

The WCCLS Central Services Reference Program currently provides
second-level reference service to member libraries, coordinates and
supplies direct digital reference service through L-net, coordinates
interlibrary loan (OCLC) for member libraries, contracts with Beaverton
City Library to provide telephone reference for all county residents,
and licenses electronic databases and downloadable media for member
libraries. The electronic resources budget for 08-09 will be about
$203,000. Staff also represents the Cooperative in state and regional
meetings and committees, such as the Oregon Digital Library Consortium
(consortium of libraries contracting for downloadable media), and L-net
(statewide digital reference).  

The direct delivery of traditional reference services to the public is
conducted by staff of member libraries.  The extent of reference
collections and depth of reference services provided vary from library
to library, depending upon size, staffing, and expertise.

In a recent efficiency study for WCCLS (available on request), Ruth Metz
Associates found that member library staff question the efficiency of
second-level reference handling and the need to provide centralized
telephone reference service. Other areas of concern among staff were the
perceived underutilization of electronic subscriptions and the WCCLS web
presence as an effective access portal for providing information
services. (Since the delivery of the Metz study the WCCLS web site has
been redesigned at http://wccls.org.) In addition, there is general
concern about whether, as a group, we are providing reference services
to the public in an effective and progressive manner, and in ways that
meet users' needs today and in the future.

Scope of Work
WCCLS is seeking assistance from a consultant who will work with a local
committee of reference professionals to provide vision and direction for
future reference services. We are interested in an outsider's
recommendations for short-term changes as well as long-term solutions to
position ourselves for the future. Specifically,
	1.	What information services should be provided in
Washington County? What technologies could be used to provide them? 
	2.	What opportunities are being missed?
	3.	What training is needed (as individuals and as a group)
to become able to provide 21st Century information service?
	4.	How can WCCLS better inform the public of our reference
services, resources, and capabilities?
	5.	What might the WCCLS Central Services Reference program
do to provide more efficient support of libraries' efforts to deliver
information services?

WCCLS is seeking specific recommendations. The consultant is asked to
speak to the Central Services Reference staff and to invite each library
to discuss current status, concerns, and future ideas, either
individually or as part of a group, such as the Redefining Reference
Subcommittee, the Reference Committee, or at a meeting to which one
representative from each library is invited.

Limits to Scope
Although the WCCLS Reference program encompasses interlibrary loan
services, those services are outside the scope of this study.  All
recommendations should be framed within the existing cooperative
governance structure; review of governance and structure is outside the
scope of this study.  

Schedule and Quotation Submittal
	*	Proposals should be submitted by February 29, 2008.
	*	Contract work can begin upon execution of a Washington
County Personal Services Agreement.
	*	Report with findings and recommendations will be due to
Barbara O'Neill (address below) within 90 days of execution of a
Washington County Personal Services Agreement.
	*	After review, a presentation to the WCCLS Policy Group
(library directors and WCCLS Manager) will also be required (dates to be
determined).
	*	Funding for this project does not exceed $25,000.  
	*	Include the following information in your response:
			o	Experience in performing similar studies
for libraries;
			o	Outline of your plan for completing the
project;
			o	Cost quotation;
			o	Identification of any additional staff
that will be involved in the project including a description of their
experience;
			o	Contact information for at least three
library references.

Responses will be reviewed by a committee; follow-up clarification may
be required.  Submit responses to:

Barbara O'Neill, Senior Librarian 
Washington County Cooperative Library Services
111 NE Lincoln St., MS-58B
Hillsboro OR 97124-3036

barbarao at multcolib.org
www.wccls.org
503-988-5577






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