Given that the collection expands and contracts all year, the survey picks a point in time, June 30, and takes a snapshot of the library's collection on that date (or near enough date). The collection count is what a patron entering the library on June 30 would be able to read, listen to, or watch. With that essence in mind, therefore one would not count:
Count the number of books (volumes) the library owns. For small to medium size libraries a title count may be much the same as a volume count.
While you may want to track this number locally for your own library, you are not required to report discarded or weeded materials in this survey.
Only if the library checks them out, labels them, and considers them as part of the permanent collection, then yes, you would count them. On the other hand, if the library runs a "bring one, take one" kind of paperback trading system, or has a stack of disposable beach books, then no, don't bother to count them.
The survey now uses the terminology electronic collections rather than databases or electronic serial subscriptions. Electronic collections are defined as a collection of electronically stored data or unit records (facts, bibliographic data, abstracts, texts, photographs, music, video, etc.) with a common user interface and software for the retrieval and use of the data.
An electronic collection may be organized, curated, and electronically shared by the library or rights may be provided by a third party vendor. An electronic collection may be funded by the library, or provided through cooperative agreement with other libraries, or through the State Library. Do not include electronic collections that are provided by third parties and freely linked to on the web. Electronic Collections do not have a circulation period, which is why E-book collections are counted in a separate question (5.13)
Count the discrete electronic collections/databases the library subscribes to under the larger publisher umbrella. The survey asks for a count of databases broken out into statewide and local (including local consortia) licensing. The State Library of Oregon provides the statewide count (questions 5.35-5.36). For the number of local or local consortia electronic collections (questions 537-538), report the number of licensed electronic collections/databases you pay for, either directly or through payments to cooperative/consortial organizations such as LEO, SAGE, WCCLS, or LINCC. Do not count databases that are only used by staff or for cataloging as section 5 counts items available to patrons.
E-books and downloadable audiobooks that are licensed by the ODLC are reported in Questions 513-514 and 519-520. If you purchase additional Advantage copies or titles available only to your library patrons, report these numbers in Questions 515-516.
Staring in 2019, the State Library will pre-fill these numbers for ODLC member libraries. But to access Library2Go stats on your own, use the reports module at:
https://marketplace.overdrive.com
Login: oregondigital.lib.statistics
Password: Statistics!
If you have trouble accessing these numbers, contact the ODLC chair for assistance.
Tutor.com and other online products that provide services rather than content should not be counted as electronic collection.
Freegal meets the definition of electronic collection and should be counted in Question 535.
If Kanopy provides your library with a specific number of films available for streaming, report that number in Questions 527 and (if applicable) Question 528. Include the usage number (number of times patrons have streamed Kanopy films) in Question 629.
If you only have GVRL titles that are part of the statewide contract (provided by the State Library) then these have already been counted in the statewide electronic collection Question (535). If you have purchased additional GVRL titles outside of the statewide contract, count these titles and report in Questions 515 and 516. A list of the statewide GVRL titles is available on the State Library web site.