Introduction 

The charge of the Learning Resources Subcommittee is to: 

  1. Determine base level of library services and online library resources that are available and delivered centrally 
  1. Determine how to best make available existing and newly developed OER materials so that faculty and instructors can choose to use those materials in their online course 
  1. Document bookstore vendors for all colleges and review contracts concerning exclusivity clauses to determine if renegotiation is necessary. 
  1. Plan and identify work flow for ordering books, materials and supplies and ensuring student can obtain them regardless of their geographic location 

Deliverable 1: Determine base level of library services and online library resources that are available and delivered centrally 

Recommendation 

Create CCCS Central Library to support all CCCS students, faculty, and staff.  

  • Option 1: All students have access to complete online research collection (databases, journals, ebooks, and streaming media). Automate low cost authentication method, ezProxy.  
  • Option 2: All students have access to robust online research collection (databases, journals, ebooks, and streaming media). Students in certain disciplines or programs will have access to special collections (e.g. nursing). Automate higher cost authentication method, Open Athens, which allows for partitioning of student access. 

CCCS Central Library Features: 

  • Expanded chat reference to all College libraries, including continuing 24/7 support 
  • Consider expanding text messaging  
  • Expand support subscriptions to all College Libraries to include: 
  •  Citation tool 
  • Scheduling, FAQ, and research guide tool (such as Springshare) 
  • Expand virtual reference and information literacy instruction opportunities to all College Libraries  
  • Shared staffing model to remove burden on both small and large libraries 
  • Development of CCCS Central Library brand 
  • CCCS Central Library is a working name 
  • Opt-in website, with links to research resources, chat, scheduling, and librarian support 
  • Opt-out of central brand, to support autonomy of College Libraries with adequate resources 
  • Regardless of website and brand, all links to resources will be identical ensuring no confusion or “wrong” links 
  • Creation of CCCS Library Committees to ensure equal representation in decision making 
  • Collection Development  
  • Patron Load/Authentication 
  • Virtual Reference and Instruction 

Rationale 

The Learning Resources Subcommittee developed these library recommendations to address the following issues: 

  • There is inequity in library collections due to College Library budget constraints.  
  • There is inequity in student and faculty support (e.g. online or face-to-face information literacy instruction, chat reference) due to College Library staffing constraints 
  • Due to separate libraries and authentication systems, the “wrong” library links are often provided to students by faculty or instructors who teach for multiple Colleges 
  • CCCOnline has been providing access to the CCCOnline library for more than 15 years. Because students also have access to their college library, CCCS has been paying twice for many students to access the same resources.  

Factors to Consider 

While there will be cost savings due to the elimination of the duplicate library/payment, this recommendation expands access to resources and services to all CCCS students, ensuring an equitable experience. Because of this expansion to at least 5 of our Colleges, the cost savings will be used to offset the cost of expansion.  

Because this recommendation includes the expansion of student and faculty support services, like chat reference and online information literacy instruction, there will be an increased workload for librarian services. While current staffing levels in some college libraries will allow this expansion, others do not. To support our colleges where there have been staffing constraints, the Learning Resources Subcommittee is recommending the addition of 3 FTE Librarians, located centrally.  

  • Library Management 
  • Electronic Resource/Access Services Management 
  • Information Literacy and Instruction 

Regarding cost, Option 1 will have a higher cost for research, but a lower authentication cost. Option 2 will have a lower cost for research materials, but a higher authentication cost.  CCCS will need to budget for new positions, and CCD’s participation will need to be considered due to their agreement with the Auraria library.   

Potential Impact/Effect on Other Decisions 

  • If the CCCS Central Library is not created, the following will need to be considered: 
  • all Colorado Online courses will need to be developed to the lowest common denominator of library services and resources  

Required Resources 

  • 3 FTE Librarians 
  • 1 FTE Management – ASAP required for implementation / FY22 
  • 1 FTE Access Services Librarian – ASAP required for implementation / FY22 
  • 1 FTE Instruction Librarian- FY23 

Next Steps 

  • Determine financial model 
  • Hire electronic resources/access services librarian to facilitate transition 
  • Determine how to address HLC and program accreditation requirements for library support services as new programs are developed (e.g. Paralegal, Nursing access to resources) 
  • Assess support readiness level of individual college administration, academics, and library resources.  
  •  
  • Clarify communication and governance processes, including how system colleges will be part of decision-making. 

Deliverable 2: Determine how to best make available existing and newly developed OER materials so that faculty and instructors can choose to use those materials in their online courses 

Recommendation 

 Create CCCS Central OER Services to support and supplement Colleges.  

  • 1-2 FTE (OER Librarian/ID) centrally located   
  • Work with faculty and ID on OER/ZTC courses  
  • Manage Learning Object Repository (CCCS LOR, D2L LOR, or other LOR)  
  • Collect grant and CCCS OER materials and make available to System  
  • OER curation (as requested)  
  • Support OER work at Colleges without dedicated OER programs  
  • Supplement College OER programs, as needed  
  • Apply for and administer system-wide OER grants  
  • Provide system-wide professional development 

Rationale 

  • Some colleges have robust OER programs, whereas others do not. This recommendation of a simultaneous supplementary and supportive model will allow the following: 
  • Central OER Staff will supplement College OER staff and programs, when requested or needed 
  • Central OER Staff will support Colleges without OER programs or the bandwidth to work with faculty and administration to develop OER courses and programs. 
  • OER Services are a strong competitive advantage for CCCS. This recommendation will be an important step forward to support OER and college affordability and will help students save money. Having a central OER Services unit for support will allow more colleges to participate in this important initiative and expand access to all students. 
  • Many colleges have invested in this work. This supplementary and supportive model allows colleges options and does not slow down efforts already moving forward at individual colleges. This model also provides system colleges with access to specialist developer resources across colleges (in-demand skillset).  

Factors to Consider 

  • It will be important to ensure that any materials meet a strong accessibility standard to ensure equity of access for all students.  
  • Choice in usage of OER: in some disciplines, OER options mean that primary sources are unavailable to students (or, it places a significant burden on instructors to supplement OER material with primary resources).  
  • Address the relationship between centralized OER services and materials development for Ready-to-Teach courses.  
  • Address how to handle overlap in services as college OER work will continue and OER support at Colleges will be maintained.   
  • Infrastructure to house, update, and share OER courses across CCCS will require a financial investment in process, staff, equipment. 
  • Developing awareness of OER resources and convincing faculty of their value.  
  • Tiers of payment for opt-in, opt-middle, opt-out. If services past management of the LOR are not needed by colleges, should all colleges contribute to this additional cost. 

Potential Impact / Effect on Other Decisions 

  • Could be overlap with CCCS Central Library or ID staff.  

Required Resources  

  • 1 FTE OER Librarian/ID) centrally located, requested ASAP by colleges and would be very helpful for implementation in FY22   

Next Steps 

  • Determine financial model. 

Deliverable 3: Plan and identify workflow for ordering books, materials and supplies and ensuring students can obtain them regardless of their geographic location 

Recommendation 

Create options that allow for academic choice of course materials as well as standardized options.   

  • 1 FTE Centrally located to coordinate with all colleges, support processing and work with system wide contractual needs.   
  • Work with Colleges to support a standardized option for those instructors that prefer this option.  
  • Work with publishers to allow for wholesale pricing that will allow both self-op and vendor-op bookstores to have consistent pricing to eliminate student confusion at registration.  
  • Encourage colleges to leverage OER and maximize consistencies in course material. 

Rationale 

  • Provides less confusion and more equitable opportunities for students.  
  • Provides the possibility of standardization of materials, such as lab kits, that would simplify the process and reduce student confusion. 
  • Allows for faculty/instructor choice of course materials, standardized materials, or OER.In a consortial online learning model, there needs to be coordination between colleges on ordering books and course materials. Having an FTE centrally who help with coordinating this service across college will bring efficiencies.  
  • System level pricing would be a great benefit to control costs for our students, regardless of course modality.  

Factors to Consider 

  • Course material options will ultimately reflect the decisions being made concerning the level of academic choice provided.  
  • There is expectation that publishers will be willing to provide standard wholesale cost to allow for consistent pricing if Colleges are willing to standardize the mark up of such materials. Contact has been made with Pearson, who believes that can be accomplished. 
  • Licenses will need to be negotiated. Course material fees need to go to the board. The timing of course material selection and deployment will be challenging. There may be resistance from bookstore.  
  • Vendor-operated bookstore agreement will need a full review as each has some form of exclusivity clause.   We do not expect this to be of issue as this would be similar to the current process between the colleges and CCCOnline.   Initial communication has been made with Barnes and Noble to discuss potential vendor issues in which they felt there would not be infringement on the existing contracts.  All vendors will need review.   
  • Timeline is of issue as course fee requests are considered once per year by the SBCCOE. 
  • Support from faculty and instructors and dealing with the large number of course material suppliers. 
  • How to handle lab kit and other non-textbook type materials.  
  • Communication between colleges and central service will be key. Also, communication between the central services and colleges will be key as changes happen with books and course materials.  
  • Wholesale cost savings might not be available if colleges choose not to agree on standardized markup.  

Potential Impact/Effect on Other Decisions 

  • Impacts are limited due to the recognition that academic choice will be the driver to determine the final course materials model.   

Next Steps 

  • Receive necessary decision making concerning academic choice.  
  • Communicate with Business Officers to review existing vendor-op agreements. The status of bookstore, vendor, and publisher contracts needs to be assessed in detail to determine a realistic timeline for making this change. Further discussion with publishers for arrangement of consistent wholesale pricing.  
  • Ensure that the information is clearly communicated to all staff and faculty/instructors. 

Required Resources 

  • 1 FTE Course Materials Management, centrally located, needed FY22 to assist with contracts.