ALIA 2001 TAFE libraries conference

United we save, divided we pay:
Building a WA TAFE consortium for online resources

Author

Glenn Pass

Biography

Glenn Pass is the Manager - Information Services, at the Central TAFE Learning Resource Centre (LRC), a position held since July 1999. Glenn is responsible for managing electronic collection development, the LRC's web pages and information literacy program. Under Glenn's leadership the LRC has developed a collection of online information resources and a Web site to facilitate student access to these products. Glenn gained extensive experience in online collection development, including consortium purchasing, in his previous role as a Librarian within the Information and Education Services Section of the Curtin University Library. Since joining TAFE Glenn has taken a leading role coordinating a TAFE consortium for purchasing online databases.

Abstract

Central TAFE, the largest TAFE College in Western Australia, has taken a leadership role in the cooperative purchasing of online resources within the WA TAFE sector. This paper provides a practitioner's first hand account of the issues involved in setting up a library consortium - the highs and lows, the cheers and tears! A brief background to the WA TAFE sector will be provided as well as an overview of cooperative arrangements between the TAFE libraries, and in particular the role of Central TAFE in this process.

The paper will also examine the role of WestOne, a division of the WA Department of Training and Employment, in establishing and supporting a TAFE consortium. WestOne Online facilitates access to quality learning materials within the VET sector through the use of online technologies. The development of WestOne's Student Portal, in particular, provides an important framework for the expansion of online resources within the WA TAFE sector.

Future possibilities for a TAFE library consortium will be examined in light of the incoming Labor Government's review of the autonomous TAFE model and the formation of a Learning Resources Systems Group (LRSG) to identify, develop and implement best practice systems in Western Australian TAFE libraries. The LRSG project, together with the involvement of WestOne offers hope for solutions to many of the consortium issues identified.

Introduction

Attempts to establish a Western Australian TAFE consortium for online resources have met with limited success. This paper outlines a consortium currently in place, how this was established and the role of Central TAFE in leading this initiative. The benefits of consortia have not yet been fully realised in the WA TAFE sector and a number of issues hindering greater cooperation are highlighted. These issues are linked to the nature of the WA TAFE system and features of the library services within this sector. Despite the current situation, the future looks bright for more effective cooperative arrangements. Changes within the TAFE sector are described and the implications for future consortium deals are examined.

WA TAFE system

The TAFE sector in Western Australia includes five metropolitan and seven regional colleges spread across the length and breadth of the State. These colleges cater for the vocational education and training needs of a diverse range of communities and industries. The size of colleges varies enormously throughout the sector from small regional colleges to large metropolitan colleges with over 20,000 students.

Prior to 1996 the TAFE sector operated within a centralised environment with all Colleges reporting directly to the Western Australian Department of Training. In 1996 The Western Australian Vocational Education and Training Act was passed which established an autonomous model for the TAFE sector. This was a major change to the way Colleges and the sector operated. Governing Councils were appointed for each College with the power to determine their own direction within a funding model applied by the Department. The TAFE Colleges were, in effect, competing with each other and private training organisations for a share of Government funded training.

The diverse and autonomous nature of the TAFE sector in Western Australia has implications for the establishment of consortia, an issue that will be explored in more detail later.

Central TAFE

Central TAFE is the largest TAFE College in Western Australia with an enrolment of approximately 20,000 students and over 1500 staff. Central is also the oldest College having been founded over 100 years ago as the Perth Technical College. Central TAFE, as its name suggests, is located centrally within the city of Perth and comprises four main campuses and several annexes. The main campuses are located within a 5-kilometre radius of the Central Business District with the largest, Perth, a short walk from the CBD.

Central offers a wide range of courses across the following subject areas:

• Art, Design and Media
• Health and Community Services
• Languages and Communication Studies
• Management and Business
• Mining, Engineering and Construction

The college is increasingly offering courses at the Diploma and Advanced Diploma level with a declining emphasis on Certificate II and III courses. The College offers little or no training in the traditional trades areas. Central is targeting the paraprofessional, information technology and service industries and many of these courses have a large information component that can be satisfied through the acquisition of online resources.

The size of Central TAFE in relation to other Colleges in the sector and the nature and level of the courses offered has major implications for the provision of online resources and services, and hence the formation of a consortium for the cooperative purchasing of these resources.

Current TAFE library services

Each of the twelve TAFE colleges has a library service, although their size, role and structure varies widely across the sector. Some colleges have only one Librarian, with Library Technicians responsible for running campus libraries. Other colleges have Librarians at each campus. Some colleges have a centralised management structure whilst at others each campus operates relatively independently. The role and location of the libraries within their organisations also varies markedly. At least one college incorporates its flexible learning unit within the library, others include bookshops and assessment centres. Some colleges offer joint TAFE/Public Library services; others have joint use facilities with university and school libraries.

Central TAFE Learning Resource Centres (LRCs)

At Central TAFE there is a Learning Resource Centre (LRC) at each of its four main campuses. The largest LRC is at the Perth campus. Four librarians and the LRC's management team are based here. This campus also houses the LRC's Central Services, including cataloguing, acquisitions and systems administration for all campuses. A librarian is based at each of the three smaller campuses.

Central's LRCs have an Information Services Manager with responsibility for online collection development, a Client Services Manager and a Library Systems Manager. All managers report to the Director of LRCs and Information Services. Central has a total of ten Librarian positions, almost as many as the rest of the sector combined. In most colleges one librarian undertakes the various management roles. Central's manager with responsibility for online collection development has a team of librarians to assist in the implementation of an online strategy. The centralised acquisitions and systems administration functions, and their close proximity to the Information Services Manager, have also greatly assisted in the online collection development process.

The size and structure of the Central TAFE LRCs compared with other TAFE libraries has important implications for the establishment of a consortium. Central has been able to devote more time and greater resources to developing online services and as a result has taken a leadership role in attempts to establish a WA TAFE consortium. The comparative lack of resources, and differing priorities at other TAFE libraries has at times hindered cooperative arrangements and resulted in some colleges deciding to "go it alone."

Existing cooperative arrangements

Regional Libraries Network
The seven regional colleges have formed a Regional Libraries Network TAFE (RLNT), sharing a server and consortium purchasing of the automated library system (Dynix) and operating platform. The regional libraries share a cataloguing database, generating savings by not replicating cataloguing efforts. The network has an established means of communication, both electronic and through regular meetings, and members consult on common issues and problems. The Network also organises shared systems training resulting in significant savings for each College. A convenor has been appointed to the RLNT to facilitate these cooperative arrangements and also to act as a Systems Librarian for the network.

In contrast, the libraries of metropolitan colleges have no formal network and operate autonomously. Despite this, Librarians still communicate regularly via email and telephone and most attend bi-monthly TAFE Librarians meetings. Due to time and distances travelled few regional Librarians attend these meetings, although the RLNT is represented by its convenor. The TAFE Librarians' meetings are largely informal and provide an opportunity to raise issues of common interest and exchange ideas and experiences. These meetings were invaluable when establishing the consortium.

Special working parties are convened from time to time to examine issues affecting libraries in the sector. One such group currently in operation is the Learning Resources Systems Group which aims to identify, develop and implement best practice systems in WA TAFE Libraries. This group will be described in more detail in a later section.

Central TAFE LRC online developments

Database Development
In 1999, Central TAFE trialled a number of full text journal databases. After a comprehensive evaluation process the GaleGroup Tapestry database was selected. A key factor in this decision was the capacity to customise the name of the database, the interface and the titles to be accessed.

These criteria were important for an individual library but of even greater value to a consortium. Given the diverse nature and size of libraries in the sector it was important to be able to customise the content and size of the database to suit the resources and specific needs of each college.

A paper outlining the evaluation, selection and implementation process of the TAPESTRY database at Central TAFE can be found at: http://www.training.wa.gov.au/sub-sites/cont_imp/user/forum/5.pdf (no longer working)

Web Development
The LRC's web presence was minimal until the end of 1999. There was a link to the LRC on CentralNet, the College's Intranet. The LRC site included links to free Internet resources as well as information about the LRC and its services. The Intranet, and hence the LRC pages, were not accessible by students.

Students and the general public could access the College's Web site on the Internet. This site was seen primarily as a marketing tool to provide information about the College but did not include links to services or resources. The LRC did not have a link on the College web site at this stage and could not provide student access to online services other than via bookmarks on LRC computers. This situation was the same across the entire TAFE sector and even today most libraries still do not have a link on their College's home page.

Towards the end of 1999 Central TAFE undertook a major redevelopment of its web site. This was a defining moment as the LRC was given a link on the College home page enabling students to access LRC services and resources from any location.

This development, together with the successful trial of the InfoTrac TAPESTRY database, meant that Central was able to launch into online services and the first seeds of a consortium were sown.

It Takes More than Two to Tango!
Central TAFE subscribed to TAPESTRY from the start of 2000. Central renamed this database MONTY (Magazines Online To You), which became a very effective promotional tool for the LRC. Central selected 300 full text titles from the complete InfoTrac custom database of 3000 titles based on their relevance to the specific needs of the College.

South East Metropolitan College of TAFE (SEMC) also subscribed to TAPESTRY at this time. They renamed the database SOL (Serials Online) - a reference to the sun, which features on their college logo. They also selected 300 titles relevant to their specific needs.

Central and SEMC optimistically investigated forming a consortium for this database but not surprisingly discovered more than two libraries were required!

The tapestry consortium

The Central TAFE LRC Website, and in particular the MONTY database, were promoted at various TAFE and VET forums, as well as at TAFE Librarians' meetings throughout 2000. The InfoMark features of InfoTrac gained particular notice amongst librarians and lecturers. Central used InfoMarks to create course packs for lecturers, enabling links to be made from reading lists to specific journal articles. Remote access arrangements put in place by the vendors for Central TAFE could be applied across the sector, further enhancing the value of the database and the interest of other colleges.

Central TAFE took a leadership role in promoting the database, coordinating expressions of interest and liaising with the vendor concerning subscription and access issues. By the end of 2000, six colleges had agreed to join a cooperative purchasing scheme for TAPESTRY. This provided significant savings compared with these colleges operating alone.

The six colleges varied in the number and nature of titles chosen, the number of simultaneous users and the customisation of the interface and name. This could loosely be called a consortium even though there was no formal agreement between colleges. Once libraries committed to the subscription they dealt directly with the vendor, with payments and implementation dealt with at the individual college level.

The success of the TAPESTRY database and the consortium has generated further interest from other TAFE libraries. TAPESTRY is being replaced by the InfoTrac OneFile database and a sector wide consortium for this product is currently being considered for implementation in 2002.

Australian standards consortium

Hopes were high that the success of the TAPESTRY consortium would lead to an expansion of products in 2001 and a formalisation of the consortium process. Central TAFE had added other online products throughout 2000 and was keen to subscribe to Australian Standards Online. Three other colleges already subscribed to Australian Standards, either online, via CD-ROM or in paper format. Most colleges purchased some standards, so Australian Standards Online was targeted as a potential consortium product in early 2001.

This consortium attempt was again led by Central TAFE and involved prolonged negotiation with Standards Australia regarding costs and access. The high cost of this product and lack of any direct competitor meant these negotiations were more difficult than with TAPESTRY. Very few colleges could even consider this product due to the costs involved. A discounted pricing model was offered for a "whole of WA TAFE" deal but this price was still beyond the reach of most libraries. A stalemate occurred with those libraries already subscribing, or committed to the database, needing to proceed due to impending renewal dates. Most other TAFE libraries did not have the resources or priorities to warrant subscribing. Whilst the subscribing libraries would have benefited greatly from a sector wide consortium, in the end they accepted the need to pay more in order to move forward.

An Australian Standards consortium is still on the agenda but now a lower priority since the major players have proceeded individually. Options to be considered for the next round of negotiations include subscribing to a subset of the Standards at a lower cost, negotiating a deal that doesn't require the entire sector, and lobbying libraries to reconsider their involvement.

Despite the setback of Australian Standards other products are being considered for a consortium as subscriptions are reviewed or considered for 2002. Databases under consideration at this stage include Australian Bureau of Statistics AusStats, AUSTROM and Grove Dictionary of Art Online.

Issues for consideration

The positive result from the TAPESTRY consortium and the less successful experience with Australian Standards raised a number of important issues related to the establishment of a WA TAFE consortium for online resources.

The Need for Centralised, Independent Coordination
Perhaps the most significant issue to emerge was the difficulty inherent in a consortium being led by one college within the sector. The priorities of the lead college may conflict with the priorities of the sector and also the lead college may have access to sensitive information about other the colleges.

Priorities: College v Consortium
Central TAFE LRC's Manager of Information Services undertook a leadership role in sector wide consortium initiatives. Whilst acting with the best interests of the sector in mind, the Manager's prime responsibility was to maximise benefits for his LRC and college. Ultimately the priorities of Central TAFE would take precedence over those of the sector. Despite the best intentions, negotiations with vendors would always be aimed at gaining the best deal for Central. Most often this would also be the best deal for the sector but this may not always be the case.

The Australian Standards experience highlighted this issue. As negotiations became more protracted, the amount of time involved in trying to establish a consortium became prohibitive and other Central-specific priorities required greater attention. The benefits to Central of a discounted consortium price were being outweighed by the costs in trying to make this happen. This became even more apparent as the likelihood of a successful consortium deal diminished.

Priorities: Following the Leader
The priorities of the leading college may drive the priorities of the sector. Central's LRC, naturally enough, would only promote and coordinate a consortium where the online resources were a priority for Central. Unless other colleges were prepared to take on a coordinating role for specific products the agenda would continue to be set by the lead college. Given the size of Central and the scope of its courses there would be few, if any, online resources required by the majority of colleges that would not also be a priority for Central.

Other libraries could take a leadership role for products they are interested in, but a central, independent coordinator would be better able to reflect the priorities of all colleges. This coordinator would also develop a degree of experience and expertise that could not be gained if different librarians shared the responsibility.

Access to College Information
In order to facilitate consortium arrangements Central's Information Services Manager gathered information about the budgets and priorities of other colleges. Similarly, he also became aware of special arrangements between specific colleges and vendors. Admittedly, this information was only accessed with the consent of all parties. Under the autonomous TAFE model, where there is a degree of competition between colleges, it may be argued that it is inappropriate for one college to have access to such information about other colleges. Whilst there has never been any concern raised about this, and the relationship between the LRCs is one of cooperation, the potential for conflict still exists.

Conflicts of interest would be less likely if a central, independent coordinator was in place. A change to the autonomous TAFE model, and a greater sharing of services, may also address these issues.

Diversity within the TAFE Sector
The diversity within the TAFE sector has been highlighted throughout this paper. This diversity may create barriers to the formation of a consortium.

Diversity of Size and Resources
The size of TAFE colleges and the resources of TAFE libraries vary enormously across the sector. Many colleges are unable to afford the online resources they require, regardless of savings generated by a consortium. The time commitment required to investigate, select and implement online resources is also beyond many libraries due to limitations of their staffing levels and structure.

Some colleges, however, are able to acquire online resources independently of a consortium arrangement. Whilst the benefits offered by a consortium are preferred, these colleges may be prepared to "go alone." Consortium arrangements can take some time to establish and libraries may need to move more quickly for the benefit of their college. This situation occurred with Australian Standards.

Diversity of Courses
In order for a consortium to be successful, online resources need to be attractive to as many colleges as possible. Given the great diversity of courses offered by TAFE colleges throughout WA, it is difficult to identify online resources that cater for the needs of all colleges. A large, generic database may have wide appeal but smaller colleges with a limited range of courses may feel they are paying for resources they do not require. Narrower, less expensive databases may suit the needs of smaller colleges but may have insufficient coverage for the larger colleges.

This is why the TAPESTRY database was ideal for a consortium. Member libraries can select their own database size; their own journal titles and even customise the interface to suit the needs of their clients. Libraries could maximise the percentage of Australian content through their selection of relevant titles.

Diversity of Priorities
Since 1999, Central TAFE has had a Strategic Objective to become 21st Century competent in the application of technology. Central's Online 2001 Strategy has been a high priority within the college and resources have been made available to bring this strategy to fruition. Whilst some TAFE colleges share this agenda, others do not appear to place the same importance on online services and resources. As a result, their libraries are less likely to want to, or be able to, join a consortium. Without a critical mass of TAFE libraries willing and able to participate, a consortium is more difficult to establish and the benefits less attractive.

Geographic Diversity
There are vast differences between regional TAFE colleges and those in the metropolitan area. A crucial issue relevant to online resources and consortia is access to fast and reliable Internet services. Whilst bandwidth is increasing in regional areas, Internet speed and connectivity remain as barriers to the expansion of online services. A regional college's access to adequate technology may determine their involvement in a library consortium for online resources.

The regional colleges already have a library systems consortium in place, however, this consortium does not extend to other online resources. Some regional libraries joined with metropolitan libraries to form the TAPESTRY consortium.

Future possibilities

WestOne
The Western Australian Department of Training's On-Line Technologies Project was established in 1998 with the initial task of researching the commercial feasibility and potential of online service delivery. This led to the development of a strategy and project plan for online service delivery within the Western Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. (WestOne Business Case and Strategy, 1998)

This business case and strategy document noted that:

"a successful on-line strategy must involve a system wide effort focused both on economies of scale and the strategic requirements of Western Australian economic and regional development. Only through a systematic approach to on-line delivery can potential increases in effectiveness and efficiency be realised (p.6)"

In order to achieve these objectives the Department proposed the establishment of a single entity, called WestOne, to coordinate the delivery of training and other related services online through registered training providers.

WestOne … was created to facilitate the development and growth of flexible learning within WA through the production of innovative technology enabled learning materials and services and collaborative approaches to change management with registered training providers. (WestOne - Vision, Mission, Objectives and Values)

Central TAFE has forged a strong relationship with WestOne over the past two years, working collaboratively on a number of projects and products. One such project is the development of a Student Portal that will provide single entry authenticated access for students to a range of online products and services.

Student Portal
Central TAFE's Student Portal is due for release in January 2002. Students will be issued with an ID and Password on enrolment that will be used to authenticate access to a range of online services, including library databases. As with all WestOne products, Central's Student Portal is being developed as a prototype that can be adapted for use by all TAFE colleges. In the future, all colleges will be using the same authentication process, a great advantage in a consortium arrangement. Authentication issues can be a major hurdle in the implementation of online databases, particularly with regards to remote access. This problem is magnified when trying to establish a consortium.

Currently, most TAFE libraries with online databases are limited to on-campus access using IP address validation. The Student Portal will make remote access to databases more feasible, thereby increasing the value of these resources to the college and increasing the likelihood of libraries being funded to purchase online products. As more colleges agree to subscribe to online databases the value of a consortium increases.

Hosting Online Services
WestOne, by the nature of its operations, has a far greater IT infrastructure than is possible for individual colleges. In the future, WestOne may host online library services or systems for the entire sector, for example a library management system. If this were to occur it would be easier to coordinate a consortium and negotiate a favourable deal for the entire sector. This has even greater relevance for regional colleges as they are at a greater disadvantage than their city counterparts in terms of access to technology.

Centralised Coordinating Role
WestOne was formed to facilitate a system wide approach to online learning. This suggests WestOne may have a future role in the establishment and management of library consortia within the TAFE sector. The problems of one college coordinating consortium efforts have been highlighted and the need for an independent coordinator was identified. WestOne appears to be in an ideal position to take up this role for the sector.

Review of the TAFE Sector
In February this year, the Australian Labor Party was returned to office after eight years of Coalition government. The changes to the VET sector during this period, in particular the autonomous TAFE model, reflected the competition policies of the Coalition. The training and employment agenda of the new Labor government is certainly different from that of its predecessor. It was not surprising then, that in August 2001 the Minister for Training announced a review of the autonomous TAFE college network and the relationship of the Colleges with the Department of Training.

According to its Terms of Reference, the review will make recommendations concerning:

1. An optimum structure for the TAFE college network
2. The role and responsibilities of the Department of Training in providing services to the colleges consistent with the above requirements.
3. Consideration of significant system wide issues which impact on the public training delivery structure

This review is to be completed by 31 October 2001.

Whilst it is too early to predict the outcome of this review or to speculate on the implications for the library sector, the Terms of Reference suggest there may be significant changes to structure of the TAFE system in Western Australia. If, for example, there was a return to a centralised system, or a reduction in the number of colleges, the formation of a library consortium could be easier.

It would be optimistic to expect the "consideration of significant system wide issues" mentioned in the Terms of Reference to include an examination of library issues. Nevertheless, there is a group of TAFE librarians, unrelated to the TAFE review, working towards a similar goal.

Learning Resources Systems Group
The Learning Resources Systems Group (LRSG) aims to identify, develop and implement best practice systems in WA TAFE libraries. This group has representation from all metropolitan colleges and the RLNT through its convenor and a regional college.

The group began in 2000 as the Library Automated Systems Group and initially focused on selecting an appropriate library management system for the sector. Over time, this focus shifted to a wider examination of library services. A report outlining a number of recommendations was submitted to the Department of Training. The Learning Resources Systems Project resulted from these recommendations. A Project Manager was appointed in July 2001 with a project completion date in July 2002. The goals of this project are to improve the management, administration and delivery of information to students and staff of WA TAFE colleges by:

1. identifying best practice delivery of client services by Libraries/Learning Resource Centres
2. recommending an appropriate model for WA TAFE
3. developing an implementation strategy for information systems that would facilitate provision of this model

The LRSG has identified consortium purchasing as an important means to ensure the quality and quantity of online information is consistent across the TAFE sector. Hopefully the WA TAFE model identified by this project will address the consortium issues raised in this paper and consider the role of a central, independent coordinator to manage a WA TAFE consortium.

Conclusion

Attempts to establish a WA TAFE consortium for online resources have met with limited success. A number of factors contributing to this have been identified. These are linked to the nature of the WA TAFE system and features of the library services within this sector. Despite the current situation, the future appears promising. WestOne's Student Portal should provide an important framework for the expansion of online resources. The creation of a centralised, independent coordination role has been suggested as a solution to many of the consortium issues raised. The Learning Resources Systems Group and WestOne may provide a vehicle for this change to occur.

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank Sue Lapham, Manager - Intellectual Property, WestOne Online Services for her advice on aspects of this paper.

Reference

WestOne Business Case and Strategy, 1998, East Perth, Western Australian Department of Training