In this post, I’d like us to discuss electronic databases in art libraries and how we acquire them. In future posts, I’ll cover other electronic resources issues.
Here at the Getty Research Institute, we were fortunate to join SCELC http://www.scelc.org a consortium of nonprofit academic and research institutes in 1986. Originally called Southern California Electronic Library Consortium, it is now incorporated as SCELC, which expanded to a nationwide organization. Currently there are over 100 members and 215 affiliates in 36 states. As a member of the Product Review Committee, I review and recommend new art related products and new vendors that the organization should offer to the client base. Then SCELC negotiates pricing and licensing term, and offers databases to SCELC libraries. Every year SCELC organizes a Vendor Day event in Los Angeles that draws 200+ librarians representing more than 70 libraries from across the state of California. In addition, more than 50 vendors attend the event and together give over 130 presentations over the course of the day. The next event is March 9, 2017 and you are most welcome to attend and it is free! Click here for more information: http://scelc.org/events/scelcapalooza
Now a few questions for the group:
How do you acquire databases? Are you a member of a consortium? Which one(s)? Who are the other library members? Any thoughts or comments?
ARLIS/NA Collection Development SIG Blog 
Colby , Bates and Bowdoin colleges try to purchase as a consortia, however exceptions are made for specific needs of institutions. Colby is a member of Amigos, and we do purchase subscriptions through that group. Also, Oberlin Group and probably others.
UCLA and other University of California campus acquire many electronic resources through CDL (the California Digital Library: http://www.cdlib.org/). And we’re also a member of CRL (the Center for Research Libraries), thus we benefit from CRL’s licensing activities (see http://www.crl.edu/electronic-resources).