In November 2011, the Library began offering e-books through the OverDrive digital platform.  E-audiobooks from OverDrive were added in May 2014.  Currently, the Library has approximately 5,400 items available for check out, which will continue to be available to patrons through OverDrive.

For FY 2018, the Library has deployed other funds allocated in its operating budget to add a supplemental vendor, Bibliotheca cloudLibrary, to provide patrons access to additional content and give an alternative option for browsing, searching, borrowing, and reading or listening.  

CloudLibrary also offers the opportunity to provide mutual access to digital resources with other libraries through its cloudLink functionality.  On October 16, 2017, Allen was approved for participation by the Texas cloudLink Coordinating Committee, contingent upon the Allen City Council's approval of the Interlocal Agreement now presented for consideration.  At the November 7, 2016 Library Board meeting, the Board members discussed cloudLink and were in favor of adding the cloudLink mutual access concept and the possibility of expanding digital content for Allen patrons.

During FY 2018, approximately 700-750 items will be added by the Library through cloudLibrary with more content to be added each year.  Through the cloudLink consortium, more than 80,000 additional items will be initially available to Allen patrons to further enhance Library services.

The patrons of each participating library can search, browse, check out, and place holds on all e-books and e-audiobooks licensed by their home libraries.  Through cloudLink, they can search, browse, and check out available items, but not place holds on unavailable items, licensed by other libraries. Unavailable items licensed by other libraries will not be displayed in Allen patrons' search results or browsing.  Similarly, unavailable items licensed by Allen will not be displayed in the searching or browsing by patrons of other libraries and therefore not subject to the placement of holds.  Each library locally determines its borrowing procedures and loan periods and tracks usage of its licensed items by its own patrons and by other libraries' patrons.

The Interlocal Agreement will enable the Allen Public Library to provide mutual access to cloudLibrary digital resources with all participating libraries in the Texas cloudLink group, currently including those of the municipalities of Burleson, Carrollton, Colleyville, Coppell, Euless, Flower Mound, Hurst, Lewisville, Little Elm, McKinney, Sachse, Seguin, Southlake, and of Bexar County, which operates the BiblioTech library.  Mutual access will be accomplished through Biblioteca's proprietary cloudLink functionality.

Each participating library is required to add a minimum of $10,000 in cloudLibrary digital content per fiscal year, or 10% of its overall materials budget, whichever is less.  Each library is responsible for its costs to fulfill the terms of the agreement and is also required to submit annual reports to the Coordinating Committee to verify compliance with this requirement by January 1 following the completion of the preceding fiscal year.  The first report due for Allen would be January 1, 2019 for Fiscal Year 2018.

The Coordinating Committee consist of designated liaisons, typically library directors, from the establishing entities of the City of Lewisville, the City of Burleson, the City of Carrollton, the City of Colleyville, the City of Coppell, the City of Euless, the Town of Flower Mound, the Town of Little Elm, the City of McKinney, the City of Sachse, and the City of Southlake.  The agreement will renews annually unless terminated by providing sixty (60) days' written notice to each member of the Coordinating Committee.

All costs will be funded from the Library's existing budget.  The initial cost is $1,000 to enable the cloudLink functionality and $1,000 per year thereafter for cloudLink maintenance and support.  In addition, the Library is required to license a minimum of $10,000 per fiscal year in cloudLibrary digital content and submit annual reports to verify compliance with this requirement.

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a Resolution to authorize the City Manager to execute an Interlocal Agreement to share digital content with participating libraries through the cloudLibrary platform.

I make a motion to adopt Resolution No. ____________Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Interlocal Agreement by the City of Allen for Mutual Access to cloudLibrary Digital Resources.