New to the Alliance Community? Join our October 13th Orientation
If you’re a new staff member at your library, or just want to learn more about the Orbis Cascade Alliance, we welcome you to our New Member Orientation on October 13th at 2pm. Learn about how Alliance programs and services benefit the work you do every day, and discover opportunities to get involved.
The session is open to staff at all Alliance libraries, and will be recorded.
Alliance Investments Result in Savings, Access Improvements, COVID Response
Alliance members receive concrete returns on their investments in the consortium. Return on Investment FY21 shows that the Alliance generated $1.79 million in savings through shared purchases. In response to COVID-19, the Alliance provided 10% dues relief for members, and negotiated cost reductions for content purchases and courier expenses. The Alliance also increased patron access to library resources through a new agreement with Academic VIdeo Online (AVON), longer Summit renewal periods, and inclusion of digital collections in Digital Public Library of America (DPLA).
Alliance Commits to Open Principles and Practices
The Orbis Cascade Alliance recently adopted a Commitment to Open Principles & Practices. The statement recognizes that “the Alliance must challenge existing approaches and markets for providing the infrastructure and resources upon which our members depend.”
The statement commits the Alliance to pursuing efforts to reduce members’ exposure to unsustainable cost increases, applying an open lens to planning for programs and infrastructure, and creating a rigorous process to evaluate potential open initiatives.
The statement was developed by the Alliance Board of Directors at the recommendation of the Open Strategies Task Force. It was adopted by Alliance Council in May.
John F. Helmer Award Proposals Due November 19th
Do you have a great idea for a professional development event? Created in 2017, the John F. Helmer Award promotes promotes professional development and engagement in support of Alliance strategic initiatives. The award has funded guest speaker series, symposia, and trainings.
The total annual funding for Helmer awards is $5,000, with average award amounts of $2000 or less per project. Successful proposals directly align with Alliance strategic initiatives, and can be accomplished one calendar year. Preference is given to proposals that advance diversity, equity, inclusion, or anti-racism across Alliance member institutions.
