Fast Facts: OhioLINK Research Databases

Description

OhioLINK provides more than 140 citation and full-text research databases to all member libraries. Major resources such as EBSCOhost and LexisNexis are available.

History

1992 – OhioLINK offered two databases statewide via Telnet: Proquest’s ABI/Inform and Periodical Abstracts

1994 – One millionth research database search conducted

1995 – OhioLINK first delivered full-text, general interest articles to users via library print stations

1996 – OhioLINK began offering databases via the World Wide Web

1997 – 62nd research database added

1998 – 35 millionth research database search conducted

2002 – 80 millionth research database search conducted & 113th research database added

2003 – 39 research databases made available to all Ohioans thanks to grant funding and a partnership between Ohio Public Library Network, INFOhio (K-12 library network) and OhioLINK

2004 – 125 millionth research database search conducted

2007 – 210 millionth research database search conducted

Access

Registered users at OhioLINK member institutions can access the research databases at their local campus library, or remotely via the Internet.

Benefits

Users can search citation indexes and in many cases, find out which OhioLINK members possess print copies of the cited journal. If the full-text is available online, a direct link is provided.

Financial

Total cost for fiscal year 2008: $7.5 million (includes e-books)
Cost funded by OhioLINK: $3.4 million
Cost funded by OhioLINK member libraries: $4.1 million
Estimated group efficiency over individual purchases: 300%
Estimated cost to duplicate through individual library purchases: $22.5 million

Statistics

OhioLINK users have executed more than 307 million searches of the OhioLINK supplied catalog and reference databases since inception (through February 2009).
Users conducted 36.2 million searches on research databases from March 2008 through February 2009.

Updated: April 2009