[OPLINLIST] OH Revised Code in Print

Wed Apr 23 14:52:23 EDT 2008

Hello Everyone,

The Carroll County District Library just finished a large renovation as
well, and has this decision to make, like many others.  We are not really
considering whether we have the room to house the ORC but we are considering
the on going cost per search.  My interpretation of the Thompson-West
website has the cost of a new set of the Ohio Revised Code Annotated is
$1,344.00. The "Annual" pocket parts are $830.00.  And a seemingly casual
replacement of 5-6 hard bound volumes per year at $81.00 per volume or
($405.00-486.00).  Additionally, we don't receive a "monthly" Service
Annotation, it's more like 7 or 8 per year and that cost is $552.00 per
year.

Long story short, it seems that if one subscribes to just the "Service
Annotations" for $552.00 and use the online version of the ORC for free you
could potentially save $1500.00 per year, plus 12 ft of shelf space and
still have the most updated information available.  Once you start dividing
the use by $1500 and that number isn't at least 13 per month.  One has to
ask, is it really worth $10+/per search?

I am interested in hearing from other libraries that have made this decision
in either direction.

Discussing library issues on the philosophical level is one of the best
things about the Oplinlist!

Thanks,

Robert

  _____  

From: oplinlist-bounces at oplin.org [mailto:oplinlist-bounces at oplin.org] On
Behalf Of Steve Herminghausen
Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 2:50 PM
To: Charlie Hansen; oplinlist at oplin.org
Subject: Re: [OPLINLIST] OH Revised Code in Print

I'll need to confirm this, but as of a few months ago the online versions of
the Ohio Revised Code were updated only annually.  Your print subscription
most likely included monthly "service annotations" that included changes to
the laws as they were enacted and took force.  

We are in the midst of renovations where we had to decide what parts of the
reference collection would be weeded for space.  There was a general sense
that we wouldn't need the print ORC, especially given the 12 linear feet of
shelf space the print ORC takes up.  However  we have several patrons who
regularly use the print, and they rely on us to have the print so they can
get the most up to date information.  It made the cut, and people use it in
print several times a week.

We did weed the Ohio Administrative Code because we needed the space and
didn't think people used it that much.  The week after we got rid of it we
had somebody come in needing a citation.  Of course that evening none of the
online versions of the OAC was available.

You say your staff prefer the online edition of the ORC.  If you have
patrons who are using the print ORC, perhaps you should talk to them to see
how they'd feel if the print edition went away.  

Steve Herminghausen

Worthington Libraries

From: oplinlist-bounces at oplin.org [mailto:oplinlist-bounces at oplin.org] On
Behalf Of Charlie Hansen
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2008 9:21 AM
To: oplinlist at oplin.org
Subject: [OPLINLIST] OH Revised Code in Print

Quick question to the library community:

Given that the content of the Ohio Revised Code is available (at no cost)
online, how many of you have done away with the print version on your
shelves.  Our reference staff, instead of using the print version, will
often use the online version because they find it easier to use.  I am
guessing our patrons may feel the same way.  Seeing how much shelf space
(and money) this would save makes me inclined to do away with it.  Are there
any pitfalls that I am overlooking?

Thank you in advance. 

Charlie Hansen, Adult Services Coordinator

Perry County District Library

117 South Jackson Street

New Lexington, OH 43764

740-342-4194 ext. 12

chansen at pcdl.org 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.oplin.org/mailman/private/oplinlist/attachments/20080423/b23bf5d7/attachment.html