GobiTween

To benefit library consortia, we've developed GobiTween, a consortial "viewpoint" within GOBI , our web-based database service. GobiTween allows librarians at separate institutions to view, quickly and easily, any activity on a given title between YBP and Lindsay and Croft, and other GobiTween "partners," making possible fully informed selection decisions.

GobiTween extends item-level local history to include transactions for all member schools. A GOBI user may click the "GobiTween" button on any title to view the following types of individual library activity for GobiTween partners:

• Book shipped to library on approval

• Book returned to YBP

• Notification slip sent to library

• Book blocked by library (instruction to YBP not to ship on approval)

• Book selected by library, not yet ordered

• Book ordered by library (and not yet shipped by YBP)

• Library order filled by YBP

If the title is linked to a series, the GobiTween activity will also show standing orders and shipped volumes.

GobiTween displays activity for the past two years, building to three years for all types of accounts a given library might have with YBP or Lindsay and Croft: approval plans, firm orders, notification slip orders, and continuations. A library's own YBP or L&C activity will be the first line to display local history, followed by separate lines for each partner having activity for that title.

GOBI users at participating libraries will be able to view one another's title-level activity with YBP or L&C. Users will not be able to place orders on behalf of other libraries.

And more libraries are formalizing cooperative collection development. In keeping with YBP's goal to offer the best online service possible, and in response to requests for more extensive consortial information, we are developing a series of consortial reports in GOBI. These enable users to generate lists of titles 'bought' or 'not bought' by their consortium, and to generate graphs to analyze consortial buying patterns.

Please contact your customer service representative if your organization could benefit from a consortial view within GOBI.