Every year about this time the SDL (Statewide Database Licensing) Project compiles annual statewide usage statistics for the package of ProQuest databases subsidized by the project. For the period from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009, there were 6,226,188 searches conducted statewide, an increase of almost 5% over the 5,945,202 searches conducted during the previous year.

These numbers include searches in all of the ProQuest content, including eLibrary, CultureGrams, World Conflicts Today, and the entire package of standard ProQuest platform databases. Currently participating in the project are 63 public libraries and library systems, 34 community and technical college libraries, 22 private academic libraries, 28 special, medical, and research libraries, plus most of the K-12 libraries throughout the state, and of course, all of their patrons.

When divided into the annual $500,000 cost for the ProQuest package, this comes out to only $0.08 per search. Quite a bargain for Washingtonians! Half the cost is subsidized using federal LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) funds, while the other half is divided between the participating libraries, which means that libraries are only paying $0.04 per search.

For more information on the SDL project, visit www.secstate.wa.gov/quicklinks/SDL or contact Will Stuivenga, project manager at [email protected] 360.704.5217.