Article Database Changes

Upcoming Changes to RDC Library Article Databases

Due to ongoing economic challenges in Alberta, the number of commercially licensed digital resources covered by the Lois Hole Campus Alberta Digital Library (LHCADL) is being reduced, effective December 24, 2009. This affects access to some electronic article databases at Red Deer College.

RDC Library has been able to maintain access to all of the databases which we licensed on our own prior to LHCADL, in addition to a few of the new databases which were introduced to us through the LHCADL initiative.

What is the Lois Hole Campus Alberta Digital Library (LHCADL)?

Launched in September 2007, the Lois Hole Campus Alberta Digital Library (LHCADL) is an initiative established by the Alberta Government, funded by Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, and managed and delivered by The Alberta Library. It was created as a legacy to the late, the Honourable Lois Hole to continue her vision of greater learning opportunities for all Albertans.

The initiative provides 35 participating post-secondary institutions in Alberta with access to commercially licensed digital resources and newly created collections of unique digitized content.

Who determined which databases would be kept and which would be cut?

The Resource Selection Committee of LHCADL jointly prioritized the databases and determined which databases would be maintained as part of the suite of 23 known as the “universal core.”

Once those priorities were decided, RDC Library struck an ad hoc team, consisting of librarians, subject specialists, and reference staff, to make further recommendations on maintaining access to some databases. That team made recommendations to the Library’s Strategic Planning Team, which were accepted in early December.

How do I get more information?

Contact Kristine Plastow, Chair, Library Information Common, at kplastow@rdc.ab.ca or 403.342.3578.