SRRC Contract Awarded To Providence Public Library

[June 14, 2014] - The Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services is pleased to announce that the agreements for funding the Statewide Reference Resource Center have been awarded to the Providence Public Library in Fiscal Year 2015. The Providence Public Library was selected from responses to an RFP issued by the Office of Library and Information Services in January. The agreements include technical support for online databases and the AskRI portal, and online virtual reference services. The Office of Library and Information Services manages database licensing and payments.

The 2015 Contract continues support for subscriptions to online services that are available via AskRI.org, the online portal for the Statewide Reference Resource Center. The services include:

• AtoZdatabases provide access to 30 million US businesses and 220 million residents, along with access to 2 million new businesses and 200,000 new movers. It also includes Job Search through indeed.com. AtoZdatabases are both a reference and marketing tool.
• EBSCO databases are provided through a cooperative purchase with Ocean State Libraries (OSL). In 2014, this co-purchase adds statewide access for Biography Collection Complete, Consumer Health Complete, Literary Reference Center, Novelist and Points of View. In addition, HELIN will continue to enjoy access to databases they have received through the cooperative license agreement developed with EBSCO, SRRC, OLIS, and OSL.
• HeritageQuest provides access to geneaology resources.
• Learning Express test preparation and online tutorials.
• Mango Languages online language learning.
• Tutor.com empowers HomeworkHelp RI and the Career Resource Center for job-seekers. HomeworkHelp provides one on one tutoring in English, math, science and social studies along with the ProofPoint writing assistance center for students in elementary school through early college. The Career Resource Center includes one-on-one assistance with resume and test preparation, including GED and Citizenship tests. Standardized test preparation is also now available for all students. In addition, the 24/7 Skills Center Resource Library for both services provides access to thousands of worksheets, study guides, tutorials and other learning resources.
• World Book includes specialized encyclopedias for elementary, middle and high school/advanced students as well as two Spanish Language Encylopedias: Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos for elementary school students and Hispanica Saber, a complete Spanish language encyclopedia. The Digital Libraries (Living Green, Early Peoples, and Inventions and Discoveries) have been replaced by a collection of over 150 research eBooks. Dramatic Learning provides modularized units of readers theatre for classrooms and libraries. World Book continues to serve differentiated learners with Discover and has added translation and read-aloud features to all English language World Book encyclopedias.

Funding for these databases is provided by the State of Rhode Island and the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Ocean State Libraries also contributes funding for EBSCO databases.

Under the 2015 contract, the Statewide Reference Resource Center will continue to provide online (email and chat) reference services for all Rhode Island residents via AskRI, along with traditional telephone reference services. It will also continue to serve Rhode Island libraries by responding to reference questions via telephone and email.

Statewide Reference Resource Center Services are available via AskRI and telephone six days a week: Monday and Thursday 8:30 am - 8:30 pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 8:30 am - 5:30 pm..

The AskRI website also includes information about promotional materials, links to vendor tutorials and specific information for linking to statewide resources from library websites. Visit the Librarians Resource Center by following the "For Librarians" tab on the AskRI website.

Providence Public Library serves as the Statewide Reference Resource Center with state funding provided via the Office of Library and Information Services. The goal of the program is to provide quality reference services to all LORI member libraries and to all residents of Rhode Island. State funding for the SRRC in FY2015 is $1,012,378 with additional funding for databases provided by the Institute for Museum and Library Services and Ocean State Libraries (EBSCO databases). View the 2015 contract.