eJournals from the Library Directors

1
eJournals from the Library Directors Viewpoint

• Sue McKnight
• 29 June 2007

2
Data Gathering

• Email to SCONUL Directors List
• What you Hate
• What you Love
• What you would change if you could
• 28 Responses from 20 libraries
• Serials, eSerials, Acquisitions Librarians
• Liaison Librarians
• Directors

3
What We Hate

• VAT
• E should be much cheaper than print!
• Disadvantages UK against other more enlightened
  nations
• E.g. Australia, USA
• Publishers lobby as well as library and scholarly
  organisations

4
What We Hate

• Costs
• Big Deals cost too much for smaller libraries
• Additional costs for separate campuses/sites
• Too many pricing plans
• Too many archiving options
• Charging for access to archives
• Charging for specialist content on basis of total
  FTE even though only a small subset use the
  content
• Annual price increase way above inflation
• Link to historic print spend

5
What We Hate

• Big Deals are too big
• Keep bundles, but make these smaller and more
  specific
• Limiting flexibility and providing dross
• Packages locking in budget for x years
• Library budgets are not guaranteed years ahead
• Restrictive cancellation policies
• Tying prices for eJournals to Print Journals
• Print cancellations impacting eJournal access

6
What We Hate

• Complicated licence agreements
• Multi-site licences instead of recognising
  multi-campuses of same institution
• No consistency between suppliers
• No model licence
• Too many licences
• Course pack restrictions
• Holdings changing suddenly mid term
• Transfer of title to another publisher with
  different license conditions

7
What We Hate

• Titles dropping out of Big Deals mid term
• Authentication/Access Difficulties
• Separate Passwords for different services
• Too many subscriber numbers for access
• Not using specific IP range
• Not allowing proxies for off-campus access
• Not allowing walk in users access
• Complicated log-on screens

8
What We Hate

• Uncertainty regarding perpetual access for
  previously licensed eJournals
• Titles being split between platforms
• As often happens if a title is bought out
• Too complicated than it ought to be
• Downloading as easy as online shopping
• (some do it well now others dont)
• Lack of communication on title changes in Big
  Deals

9
What We Hate

• Needing specialist staff to set up access and
  federated searching
• Publishers not using Open URLs
• Federated search engines that dont include
  everything subscribed to
• Link resolvers that make the library do most of
  the work
• Representatives that dont bother to visit the
  library

10
What We Love

• Ease of Use
• 24 x 7 access
• Full text articles
• Not too many clicks to the full-text
• Searching possible across multiple systems/cross
  searching (open URL)
• Abiding by Standards
• Good statistical reporting on use

11
What We Love

• Good searching facilities
• Geographic terms
• Industry codes
• Product names
• Thesauri facilities

12
What We Love

• Model Licenses
• CHEST Licenses
• JISC national negotiations
• Generous/unlimited concurrent access
• Choice in how to license content
• Title
• Subject packages
• Medium to Big bundles

13
What We Love

• Support for open URLs
• Title and Article linking
• Use of DOIs
• Easy Authentication
• Athens Shibboleth
• Providing access to remote customers

14
In a Perfect World

• The opposite to everything we do not like!!

15
In a Perfect World

• No VAT
• Or at least clarity how it is applied to combined
  subscriptions
• Pricing
• Simple pricing models
• Prices that increase at a reasonable rate
• Early advice on pricing for budget purposes
• Incentives to convert to e only
• Perpetual access to content that has been
  previously licensed
• Fixed date and Not rolling access
• Even when a title changes publisher

16
In a Perfect World

• Sign-on and authentication
• Athens Shibboleth
• Seamless access to everyones journals
• One sign on protocol to get to all journals
• Customers dont have to get a special password
• IP access and proxy access
• Filing/Access by Subject Discipline
• We dont shelve books by publisher!

17
In a Perfect World

• Inbound OpenURL complaint to article level
• Outbound OpenURL compliant from all article
  references/citations
• Support rich integration with Z39.50 and other
  remote searching protocols
• Support direct citation export to standard
  bibliographic management software packages

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In a Perfect World

• Offer a simple, clean, intuitive interface
• Focused on searchers needs, not selling the
  title
• Subscription entitlements transparent to visitor
• What can visitor access
• Allow visitor to filter searching by subscription
  content, should they wish
• Does not require non-standard plug-ins or other
  software
• Fully accessible /assistive technology compliant
• Allows a degree of branding, customisation and
  inclusion of support contacts

19
In a Perfect World

• Standardisation of native interfaces
• Customers know they are searching eJournals
• Referencing should be integral
• Eliminate overlap between aggregators
• Make it easier to extend access
• Associates of the Library e.g. emeritus
  professors
• Alumni
• Collaborative Partners
• Walk in readers
• Ability to use eJournals for ILL

20
In a Perfect World

• Common or consistent approach to licences
• Clarity in Licenses/renewal notices
• No doubt on renewal terms able to cancel without
  financial penalty
• Web Site with all relevant information available
• Account managers/technical support to call
• Access/activation guaranteed each year while
  payments are made
• More flexibility in changing titles within a
  subscription package
• No link to print titles
• Include new titles in Big Deals
• Able to choose titles required

21
In a Perfect World

• Federated Searching even simpler
• Work with SFX, Serial Solutions etc
• Knowledge bases are accurate
• Different packages can be switched on with
  minimum manual work
• Dont change URLs
• Information on mergers and acquisitions
• Improved statistical reporting
• At least COUNTER compliant
• Clarity as to whether statistics from different
  hosts are included in publishers statistics
• Include breakdown by user ID
• Standard across suppliers

22
In a Perfect World

• Content
• More Art and Design eJournals
• Great image quality
• Everything ever published is online
• Commitment to provide speedy response to access
  problems for hosted content
• 24 x 7 help desks
• Easy linking into VLEs

23
In a Perfect World

• Prior announcements of publisher web site
  improvements and these not just happening
• More competition amongst publishers

24
In a Perfect World

• Publishers would make knowledge available to the
  developing world at a price they can afford
• Publishers would support Open Access and
  Institutional repositories

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Other Information

• http//www.uksg.org/projects/linkfinal
• http//www.journalsupplychain.org
• SCONUL Survey (Ian Snowley)
• 20 of 141 libraries responded
• 26-90 of journal subscriptions or for eJournals
• In 10 years, expect 75-100 electronic
• Pick Mix is preferred licensing model