Partner Terms and Conditions

This page outlines the Terms and Conditions for Trove Collaborative Services (TCS).

Terms and Conditions

TCS pricing model for 2023-24

Why have the search thresholds changed for the 2023-24 financial year?
Although there are no anticipated changes to services in the 2023-24 financial year that will affect fees, we have noticed that searching has increased across the board. We have adjusted the thresholds in order to keep most Trove Partners on the same pricing package. 

How will I know what my fee is for the 2023-24 financial year?
We will email you to confirm your package for the 2023-24 financial year. Most Trove Partners are not changing packages. Refer to your Order Form or Schedule 3 - Partnership Packages (PDF: 183 KB). Package prices reflect the 2% increase for CPI since 2022.

When will I be invoiced?
Invoices will be issued in September 2023.

When will we know about the upcoming changes to national resource sharing?
We are currently undertaking a Request for Expression of Interest and this is expected to be the first phase of a two-stage procurement process. Formal offers for the second phase – Request for Tender (RFT) will only be sought from respondents shortlisted through this REOI process.

We will keep the Resource Sharing page up to date and will also continue to communicate the process with you through the TCS email list and live webinars.

When will the decisions about national resource sharing changes affect my TCS fees?
While we anticipate that a decision will be reached during the 2023-24 financial year, this will not affect the existing TCS Services or fees until after this period. You will be informed well in advance. Keep an eye on the Resource Sharing page which we will keep up to date on the process.

Why has the National Library of Australia removed the fee for the Content Contribution package?
This will enable community-led, volunteer-run and rural and regional collecting organisations across Australia to make their significant digital collections and data available and findable in Trove. This has been made possible by a combination of the ongoing funding certainty and the reduction of operating costs achieved by streamlining data ingest services. It allows all collections to remain in the Australian National Bibliographic Database (ANBD) and Trove, ensuring that fees will not be a barrier to organisations keeping their data accessible. The new secure funding base will enable the National Library of Australia to begin to implement the Trove Strategy, and this meets the Commonwealth government commitment to ensuring that Australians can find the nationally distributed collections in Trove.

Why hasn’t the National Library of Australia removed or reduced fees for any of the other TCS pricing packages?
Other TCS membership package fees will remain as is, calculated on a cost-recovery basis. As we stabilise and improve the Trove infrastructure over the coming years, we would expect the running costs of all services to decrease. 

I am a Content Contributor; will I get a refund for my 2022-23 fee?
No. The removal of the fee for the Content Contribution package is only applicable from 1 July 2023 onwards.

Does removing the fee for Content Contribution mean that I can add a harvest stream for free if I am on a different package?
No. This only applies to Trove Partners who change to the Content Contribution package. Refer to Schedule 3 - Partnership Packages (PDF: 183 KB).

Can I switch to the Content Contribution package?
Yes. This package is available to all Trove Partners who only require one harvest stream, and don’t need Cataloguing Services, National Resource Sharing, the Partner Learning Hub or Partner Dashboard. Refer to Schedule 3 - Partnership Packages (PDF: 183 KB).

I am on or moving to the Content Contribution package, what do I need to do?
You will still need to sign the Trove Partner agreement if you haven't already done so. You will receive an email from us.

TCS pricing model

When did the pricing model come into effect?
A new pricing model for Trove Collaborative Services (TCS) came into effect on 1 July 2022 offering Trove Partners choice and flexibility.

Who is covered by the pricing model?
The pricing model includes all existing and new Trove Partners. Each partner is on a package or standalone service offering that is appropriate to the services they use. 

Why was the pricing model implemented?
We took on-board feedback from a partner survey and also collected detailed information about Trove Partner usage of and the costs to deliver services. The previous pricing model was always intended to be transitional as we understood that not all partners were using the service in the same way and that partners wanted choice. In response, the pricing model more closely aligns what you use with what you pay for.

How is this different to the way fees were calculated previously?
A lot changed for the pricing model, with fees calculated based on the services that each package includes. Previously pricing was calculated based on service usage and the amount of content contributed. Now, pricing does not charge you for how much content you provide; the pricing is based on how you use the service. 

Pricing is reflective of the costs of the service offerings in each package. Your usage of the service offerings has informed which Pricing Package you have been allocated. The model calculates fees based on different criteria to the current model, which is why pricing is not easily comparable. 

Why are my fees being transitioned over 3 years?
Going from 27 pricing tiers to 6 pricing packages meant that there have been changes for all partners, some higher than others. We wanted to give organisations a transition period to provide an opportunity to adjust to the new pricing overtime, instead of all in the first year.  

What if I want to change my package?
Your current usage indicates what package you have been allocated to. We can move you to a different package if you want; your service usage would need to change accordingly.

What if I want to change my package part way through the year?
It depends on if you want to go up or go down. If you want to go to a lower package, with less inclusions, we will need to time this change with a new financial year as you have already paid the full year fee. If you want to go to a higher package, we can do this at any point during the year, we would just pro-rata the difference between the new and old package for you. 

What do the different packages mean?
The packages are service based, so you get to choose the package that has the services you want to use. 

What is the partner rate for digitisation?
The price for digitisation is dependent on the items being digitised, both the format and volume. Current pricing can be found on the Trove website, we can also send you more detail or provide a quote based on your requirements. 

I don’t know what package is best for my organisation.
We have placed you in a package based on how you currently use the service. We can share more detailed information on the service offerings and what you can do and help you maximise your membership to the fullest. It is ok if you still aren’t sure, we will do annual reviews to see if your usage changes and let you know if there is a better package for you at that time. 

How do I know what my usage is?
We have recently launched a new and improved interactive Partner Dashboard providing data and analytics on both your collection in Trove and usage of Trove Collaborative Services, like Cataloguing Search and Resource Sharing.

This is just one of the analytical tools that Trove Partners can access to understand and make decisions about their collections in the context of Australia’s cultural collection in Trove. The Trove Partner Dashboard allows you to search and report on statistics specifically for your collection across subjects, geographical area, and use of your collections, as well as analytics around your resource sharing activity. It is very user-friendly and simple to use and is the place to get collection statistics you need for making collection or business decisions in the national context, or communicating with government or other stakeholders.

If you don’t already have an account, contact us to request access to the Trove Partner dashboard.

What do you mean by transaction for resource sharing?
A transaction is a completed loan, either as the requester or supplier, that results in being processed through the LADD payment system, including loans done at $0.00 value. 

What happens if I do more than the allowed number of resource sharing transactions in the year?
There will not be any additional fees during that year and your service access will continue. When we review your usage at the end of the year, we will let you know that your usage was higher than your package and move you to the next package for the next year. 

What do you mean by searches for cataloguing?
Search statistics are calculated based on the number of databases searched. For example, you can run a search request looking for a record and select three databases to search in, this is considered three searches. 

What happens if I do more than the allowed number of cataloguing searches in the year?
There will not be any additional fees during that year and your service access will continue. When we review your usage at the end of the year, we will let you know that your usage was higher than your package and move you to the next package for the next year. 

What is a harvest stream?
A harvest stream is the method used to ingest data from your organisation into Trove. For example, RIS, OAI-PMH or NLA harvester. Catalogue records can be added manually by your organisation, this is not considered a harvest stream. 

What is different about the partnership agreement?
We have amended the services schedule to better reflect the services as they are today and to allow for changes to be made as they occur in the future. We have prepared an information sheet that outlines the key changes in the partnership agreement, and the new agreement can be viewed by going to Full terms and conditions (PDF: 994KB). 

Is there a timeframe on the new agreement and pricing?
The new agreement is set for 10 years however we will be doing annual reviews to check allocations and pricing are still correct.  Once the three-year transition period is completed the fees will increase by 2% or CPI each year, unless there are changes made to the services that change the price of packages. If there are, we will notify you in writing before this change occurs. By signing the agreement, you are not locked in for the 10 years, you can cancel with 60 days notice at any time should you need to.