What is the proposed product or service?

ExLibris' MARCit!

What does it do?

MARCit! is a utility that harvests the MARC records for electronic content which is activated in an SFX instance. It provides a batch load file that is updated montly to keep library catalog URL links current with the electronic resources available through aggregators & direct subscriptions.

What problem does it solve?

I am concerned that the cost of this service to small institutions is too high and would like to see CARLI negotiate on our behalf when doing the SFX purchasing. Time & resources are always a concern, I think a service like this is the only realistic way we will be to maintain URL links from the library catalog to electronic resources. Since the cost is prohibitive, we probably just will not have records in our catalog for electronic resources. I am concerned that the library catalog database will become obselete as more & more of our patrons use electronic items unless required to get a physical item. This is a philosophical question, and perhaps others would agree that a single point of access is important, while still others suggest that the OPAC is outmoded.

Is it the only product or service that does this?

I know there are others, eg. EBSCO offers the service for $3000 annually, but the benefit of going with ExLibris/SFX is the leveraging of time & effort already being put into KB management, rather than maintaining another platform with the same information.

Will this require integration with an existing CARLI product or service?

Yes, but much of that is already in place within SFX's Knowledge Base, and I know there is one library using MARCit already from the CARLI SFX server. Some of the implementation issues have already been worked out by SIU-C.

What is the advantage of doing this consortially?

Without the consortium's support to negotiate with ExLibris, the cost ($6,000 annual subscription for 3 year contract) is too high for us at IC, and apparently others.

CARLI Actions on this Product

We currently have a discount for MARCit as part of our SFX contract and only one CARLI member uses the product.

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