Kentucky Virtual Library

You must be a KYVL member to access the KYVL research databases.  For these subscriptions, the Council on Postsecondary Education [KYVL’s parent agency] and the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) subsidize your library’s access with over $1 million in contributions. Participating libraries also receive discounts on other products from the KYVL vendors on master agreement such as EBSCO, Proquest, etc. because of the contracts or due to our purchase of basic packages.  Participation in KYVL provides you a core collection of resources at a very low cost compared to the vendor retail costs.  Due the state subsidy from KYVL and KDLA, and the KYVL-negotiated statewide contracts, the return on investment is equal to over $10 per every $1 of a library’s membership fee.   KYVL resources are licensed for KYVL members only.

Individual districts and libraries would spend far more subscribing to these resources independently — over $20 million retail annually. The ability to negotiate state-wide access results in substantial savings for our state and ensures equal access to information for all Kentuckians.  Each district, each public library or college that chooses to opt out of KYVL will impact the cost for everyone.  Full participation from the school districts, public libraries and universities lowers the costs to each member — the more participation, the greater the distribution of costs.  Public libraries in many counties are already struggling and may not have adequate hours, technology, or staffing to handle higher costs for online resources and delivery of interlibrary loan materials.  Without an active subscription to KYVL,  a library will not be licensed to supply KYVL credentials to its users.

KYVL provides a courier service to move interlibrary loan and course materials between 405  stops each week at the public libraries, community & technical colleges, and public universities. KYVL provides this service at no cost. If you are not a KYVL member, courier service cannot be purchased.  You must be a KYVL member to participate in the ground courier service.  Your library may not be a lender but consider the mailing costs of returning the items borrowed for your patrons.

Information on can be found on the KYVL Advocacy page.  http://www.kyvl.org/advocate.shtm

About the funding model – http://www.kyvl.org/docs/FundingPPT.pdf

Who is participating?  Check the Advocacy page – we track our members.