About Us
Electronic Content Consortium
ECC is a non-for-profit
The Electronic Content Consortium aims to achieve economies of scale by jointly negotiating and purchasing electronic content as may be deemed appropriate and authorized by the Member Libraries.
The ECC currently manages the Digital Library of Illinois, an OverDrive consortium that provides eBooks and eAudiobooks to the member libraries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a mailing list?
To sign up, send an email to: listserv@list.railslibraries.org With only this line in the message body:
subscribe digital-library FIRSTNAME LASTNAME
My library does not currently provide access to e-books through OverDrive at all. Why should we join?
If cost has kept your library from offering downloadable digital content to your patrons, joining the ECC may be a good solution for you. We are very sensitive to the budgetary constraints of many libraries in Illinois and have worked hard to develop a billing model that is fair and reasonable for our members. The ECC/Digital Library of Illinois is currently the largest OverDrive consortium in Illinois which has allowed us to achieve some economies of scale. Joining the ECC means not only can you benefit from that but also gives your library a voice in determining future decisions for the consortium.
My library is a standalone OverDrive library. Why should we sign the IGA and join the ECC?
The ECC/Digital Library of Illinois is currently the largest OverDrive consortium in Illinois which allows us to achieve some economies of scale that may not be available to standalone libraries.
My library is currently a member in another OverDrive consortium. Can we join the ECC/Digital Library of Illinois instead?
Unfortunately, due to contractual obligations, OverDrive will not allow you to leave one consortium to join another.
How much will this cost? What does this mean for my library’s billing?
The ECC Executive Committee uses a population and circulation based billing model. Please contact the ECC Board at eccboard2018@gmail.com for an estimate of cost for your library.
What are the ECC’s priorities for the future?
The ECC has made a commitment to transparency and fiscal responsibility in its activities, and upholding those values are an important priority. The most pressing challenge facing the consortium is collection management. Growing and diversifying the collection while effectively meeting patron demand without causing an undue financial strain for member libraries will require careful coordination.
