NEWS AND NOTES / NOUVELLES ET NOTES

<figure><img src="image_1.png" /></figure>

CVHL
BVCS

Canadian Virtual Health Library
Bibliothèque virtuelle canadienne de la santé

Report on Activities November 2012 –
January 2013

Since our last report, the Board of Directors of the
Canadian Virtual Health Library / Bibliothèque virtuelle
canadienne de la santé (CVHL/BVCS) met on 20 Novem-
ber and 10 December, 2012. Unfortunately, the meeting
scheduled to be held on 28 January 2013 did not meet
quorum.

The Board approved the 2012 Business Plan, which
describes the establishment of a literature search service as
a source of additional revenue. Since then, CVHL/BVCS
been approached by several nongovernmental health
organizations seeking literature search and document
delivery services. As planned, the CVHL/BVCS would
provide literature search services through partnerships
with other organizations such as academic libraries. The
Business Plan anticipated that the literature search service
would begin operating in April 2014 but has since been
accelerated due to demand for the service.

With the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grant expiring on 31 March 2013, the Board has also been seeking revenue with its membership model. The membership model is for individuals or organizations seeking literature search and document delivery services. A “membership in CVHL/BVCS” email was sent to senior representatives of about 25 nongovernmental health organizations. Organizations would become CVHL/BVCS members with an annual tax-refundable membership fee of $25,000.

No new license negotiations will be initiated until
CVHL/BVCS's future is known. Regardless of whether
CVHL/BVCS is forced to disband or not, CVHL/BVCS
will exist as a corporation for another year to honour the
terms of the content contracts already signed.

Marketing initiatives have focused on developing a
social media presence and now there is a CVHL/BVCS

page on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/company/
2856049?trk=tyah. CVHL/BVCS urges CHLA/ABSC to
promote our site and encourages members to follow it.
A web marketing plan is currently being developed.

A Member/Stakeholder meeting will be held in Ottawa in early April. The Board has a list of tasks to complete before then, depending on three possible sustainability scenarios: that CVHL/BVCS secure no additional funding by 31 March, 2013; that some additional funds are secured before 31 March 2013; or that status quo funding is secured by 31 March 2013. The final report to CIHR is being worked on with the goal of sending it to the CIHR by mid-March, 2013.

Submitted by: Rebecca Raworth and Penny Logan,
CHLA/ABSC representatives on the CVHL/BVCS Board
of Directors.

Rebecca Raworth

Island Medical Program Librarian
University of Victoria Libraries
PO Box 1800 STN CSC
Victoria, BC V8W 3H5
250-721-8269
Fax: 250-721-8235
E-mail: raworthr@uvic.ca

Penny Logan

Manager Library Services
Capital Health Libraries
1796 Summer St. #2212
Halifax, NS B3H 3A7
902-473-4383
Fax: 902-473-8651
E-mail: penny.logan@cdha.nshealth.ca