From: June Schmidt <JSchmidt_at_library.msstate.edu>
Collection Development Librarians of Academic Libraries Discussion Group
Topic 3: Alternatives to Licensing
Facilitator: Judy Luther, Informed Strategies
Reporter: Allan Scherlen, Appalachian State University
The current process for acquiring electronic content generally entails
negotiating through confusing, frustrating, and time consuming license
agreements. Many librarians and publishers see this added workload and
paperwork burdensome and unnecessary. The process of negotiating licensing
documents full of legal language that often must be modified by an
institution's attorney leads to added costs and delays in delivery of these
products. Alternatives to the current licensing practice are already being
discussed among some libraries and publishers.
One alternative to the current licensing practice is for publishers and
libraries to collectively settle on a common set of expectations and
obligations that would form the basis of a "best practices" general
document that would serve the same function as a formal license and could
be easily used for many electronic products. Essentially, the document
would eliminate much of the legal language but would still address such
issues as authorized and/or prohibited users, content and backfiles
provided, and technical issues specific to the product. Such particulars
as price, time frame of subscription and access to content would be
addressed separately.
The concept has evolved from discussions led by Seldon Lamoureux of the
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Judy Luther, president of
Informed Strategies. Already ARL, SPARC, ALPSP, and other organizations are
interested in pursuing the idea.
June Schmidt
Associate Dean for Technical Services
Mitchell Memorial Library
P.O. Box 5408
Mississippi State, MS 39762
662-325-7672
Received on Sun Jul 30 2006 - 01:31:35 EDT