You'll Want to Weigh That Opinion Before You Borrow It

To compensate for the rising cost of electronic databases and other library materials, the Hartness Library has begun charging for articles. The imposition of fees rolled out quietly this semester, to mixed reactions. Eileen Gatti, the Assistant Library Director in charge of CCV library services, justifies the move which she acknowledges may be unpopular to many,

“There has been a decided shift away from requiring high-priced textbooks in CCV courses, resulting in a huge savings for most students. We believe this has freed up funds for students that can be spent on research materials.”

The library staff has decided upon a pricing structure that takes into account the number of pages, and the density of the print, including images and graphs. “Basically, if you were printing out these articles and putting them on a scale, you’d be paying by the ounce, and our formula reflects that,” said Ms. Gatti. She is quick to point out that the prices represent a steep discount compared to the open market. “We are still an educational institution, after all.”

“This is still a bargain, compared to the fees charged on the internet,” said Stacy S., a second-year student in Winooski. “The other day, I found the perfect journal article on pet therapy. The publisher’s website was charging $35 for it, but Hartness sold it to me for only $19.95!”

Other students are not so enthusiastic. “I’ll definitely be using fewer sources in my papers now,” said John Q., an Upper Valley student. “Most instructors require a minimum number of sources in our list of references, so in that case I’ll probably look for the shortest, cheapest articles I can get.”

To soften the blow, the Hartness Library will be issuing virtual “punch cards” – buy 10 articles, get one free. They are also planning some special giveaways and prizes, such as a free iPod given to the one-thousandth customer who purchases a Hartness article via PayPal.

What’s next for the Hartness Library? In the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation encouraged by CCV, the CCV Librarians will begin marketing their research consultation and library instruction services. This is likely to include a flat rate for faculty who want an Embedded Librarian in their course and a “meter” attached to the Live Chat reference service, which will generate invoices to be added to individual student accounts. Ms. Gatti wants to reassure the CCV community that the popular Hartness Library YouTube Channel will still be free to view. “You’ll just have to sit through a couple of ads at the start of each video. No biggie.”