Memo to ProQuest Subscription Termination

Dear School Leaders and Librarians using ProQuest through the CSD,

Respectfully, as of June 30, 2012, the Catholic Schools Department will not be able to continue its financial involvement assisting 17 of our schools with an annual subscription to ProQuest through Puget Sound ESD. Selected schools will continue receiving their services through June 30, 2012. While we have 17 schools participating, the PS ESD formula is based on a district-approach looking at total Archdiocesan-wide student population vs. actual number of students participating in the ProQuest subscription. Thus, the CSD has been subsidizing this subscription with an annual budget deficit incurred by the CSD alone. These entities are suggesting some other options which I think could work for the local schools as we prepare for the 2012-2013 school year so there will not need to be any disruption of services for those who want to continue on with PS ESD independently.

What should a ProQuest school do now? Analyze your local needs to continue with a local ProQuest subscription. If your school plans to enter into a local subscription for the 2012 -2013 school year starting July 1^st, there are some new ways to move forward:

1. Compare ProQuest packages offered by Puget Sound ESD and Washington Learning Source (WLS). Both entities offer discounted prices but there is some difference in products which are available from the Washington Statewide Database package available thru the WLS online store and Puget Sound ESD offerings.
   
   For example, SIRS Researcher is not part of the statewide package, but there is pricing in the WLS for sites to purchase if they would like to subscribe to that particular item. The statewide package that was negotiated and is available from the Washington State library, to which many of us subscribe to via PS ESD, could still be a variable option. http://www.sos.wa.gov/library/librar.../products.aspx
2. Contact Puget Sound ESD (Angela Bolam) or Washington Learning Source (Anne Anderson) to set up your school’s local account for continuation of ProQuest subscription services or to seek changes in your database package. For more in-depth ProQuest information, please visit www.proquestk12.com

I want to end by commending the incredible instructional CSLA librarians who have worked tirelessly to try to find ways to bridge the economies of scale conversations. There are new partnerships that are emerging and I hope that during the 2012-2013 school year, we can collectively find new pricing models that leverage our strengths and offer access possibilities for all of our Catholic schools.

Respectfully submitted,
Sandra Barton Smith
Assistant Superintendent Curriculum, Data, Technology