NC Live

NC Live is a cooperative library service for the students, faculty, business people, and residents of North Carolina. The website allows access to digital content such as ebooks, ejournals, streaming video, and downloadable audiobooks offered from a variety of vendors. The main partners in NC Live are the University of North Carolina Libraries, the North Carolina Community College Libraries the State Library of North Carolina & Public Libraries, North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities' Libraries. The website and its content are accessible to approximately 200 locations through IP recognition, remote local authentication, and a statewide passwording system.

NC Live provides:

• Access to an essential and powerful array of online resources to all North Carolinians
• Complete articles from over 16,000 newspapers, journals, magazines, and encyclopedias, indexing for over 25,000 periodical titles, and access to over 25,000 online print books
• Access free of charge to library patrons, students, and educators from four communities of interest (COIs) -- public libraries, community colleges, the state's university system, and members of the North Carolina Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
• Access from within an affiliated library or from home

History

The idea for a virtual library project in North Carolina was born in May 1996. In August 1996, the State Library of North Carolina presented a program on statewide electronic/virtual library projects at the meeting of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. Invited representatives of UNC libraries, community college libraries, and public libraries attended the meeting. The group agreed on the conceptual aspects of a North Carolina project. On August 26, a vision statement and project approach was agreed upon. Initial budgeting was gained from the governor in February 1997. NC LIVE went online on April 19, 1998.

Financial overview

NC LIVE is supported by appropriations from the North Carolina Legislature and by dues from members the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU):

• Annual membership dues and payment schedules as established by the NC LIVE Memorandum of Understanding are set by the Librarians Council and approved by the Governing Council of NC LIVE.
• State support is provided within the agency budgets for the UNC system, the Department of Cultural Resources – State Library, and the NC Community College System. The State also has provided partial funding for independent colleges and universities.
• NCICU administers the institutional cost-sharing portion of NC LIVE dues for independent colleges and universities.

Committees

NC LIVE comprises a series of advisory committees that work closely with the NC LIVE staff to assist with the direction and planning of NC LIVE activities. These committees have equal representation from all communities of interest. They determine general governance, the selection and purchase of NC LIVE resources, web site organization and design, publicity efforts, training topics and initiatives, and technical infrastructure. Committee recommendations are passed onto the NC LIVE Librarians Council (LC) & Governing Council for review and action.

There are two voting representatives from each Community of Interest and one NC LIVE ex officio member on each committee (except for the Librarians Council). The committees are:

• Publicity Advisory Committee (PAC) - advises the NC LIVE Librarians Council on matters relating to advertising, promotion, and communications for NC LIVE.
• Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) - advises the NC LIVE Librarians Council on the selection of content available to the NC LIVE consortium.
• Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)- advises the NC LIVE Librarians Council regarding the use of technology for delivering, organizing and accessing NC LIVE content.
• Training Advisory Committee (TRAC) - is an advisory group that works with State Library staff to plan and implement NC LIVE training for librarians in all participating libraries. In an advisory position, the TRAC is charged with providing systematic and comprehensive training in response to emerging needs. The TRAC will maintain ongoing discussion regarding best methods for providing training and how to incorporate improvements in technology.
• Web Advisory Committee (WAC) - advises the NC LIVE Librarians Working Group and works in partnership with the NC LIVE server site staff on the design and organization of the NC LIVE Web site. The WAC will ensure a Web presence that is customer-driven and supports reliable and intuitive access to NC LIVE-provided resources, services, and related materials. To enhance usability, the Web Advisory Committee will determine the default settings with NC LIVE's web accessible databases.

External links

• NC LIVE Official website
• North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities' Libraries