From: "Hamaker, Charles" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2013 00:50:07 +0000
Steve
Thanks for your comments. The position I've describing isn't going to
be dealing with journals, but could well have responsibilities for
lots of databases that have continuing fees, even though the content
is not serial in any traditional definitions.
Many of the skills identified in the NASIG Competencies document seem
to me to fit either type of position.
I just know from my experience of negotiating contracting and pricing
and following up with the bibliographic records and supporting actual
use of the material for non serials that the decision points seem to
me to different, and the issues (simultaneous user limitations, for
instance, permanence another, compatability another, "check outs" of
ematerial, what in the world does that mean?) are different than what
you see with serials.
I think I'm dealing with a different set of expectations all along the
line. Recommendations, funding sources, timeliness (everybody wants I
agree, everything immediately) subject specializations and soon to be
massive duplications as university presses are being told to put their
content in "all of the above" providers. Use patterns too are distinct
for the different kinds of resources from what little experience I
have. How do you do CPU on EEBO? It make no sense, so the issue
becomes one of marketing? What marketing did we ever have to do with
serials?? And how or when do we know if the purchase is a successful
one.
I know the "continuing resources" hat was intended to cover a host of
resources. I guess I'm still stuck in seeing the decision making,
funding and evaluation and license issues for streaming video for
example as distinct from serial resources even if its an annual
payment,
We have very little experience with sustainable ebook purchasing, and
horror stories coming out show that aggregators and middle -vendors
aren't necessarily forth coming about whatever contacts they have
with publishers. At least they are beginning to admit that if the
publisher says pull that book, they will, even if we thought we had a
"purchased" title. Last year when I interviewed several ebook
providers they said, why no, a publisher can't withdraw a title. Well,
tain't so and now they are telling us a bit more of the truth recently
when a title became a "textbook" adoption. Opps sorry, didn't meant to
sell you that poof it's gone.
We haven't worked through the most basic consensus issues yet for non
serials and I believe we need some really focused librarians working
on what I consider to be new issues. I do agree ARL's licensing
efforts were exceptional . It was great. I am extremely grateful, but
even there some issues, like permitting the license to control use in
perpetuity, so the ebook NEVER enters the public domain, got through
with at least one provider.
I take this to mean we have a new creature in our midst and I'm
hoping librarians focusing on these newer content types will help us
figure out best practices. Losing content because a publisher might
have lost textbook sales, or agreeing to have ebooks that never enter
the public domain, seem to me to be big issues to be understood and
handled in the best interests of libraries.
I don't expect contract negotiators to automatically know everything a
given library needs. but I do expect increased focus on these newer
formats and type, will benefit the profession and the libraries we
work for.
Sorry about rambling so long again.
Chuck
________________________________________
From: Steve Oberg <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 19:59:12 +0000
The NASIG website just went through a redesign thus the new URL for
the core competencies doc.
Chuck, I have to openly admit to scratching my head over the job title
of "Non-Serial Electronic Resources Librarian." Please accept my
apology for any offense! I sure don't have a better job title to
suggest off the top of my head. You make very good points about the
growing, evolving range of tasks and responsibilities that aren't
strictly serial in nature. Personally I like using the word
"continuing resources" vs. "finite resources" when trying to make
distinctions in discussions with my local colleagues, because I think
that is clearer. However, in my experience, many of the "non-serial"
or "finite" e-resources, including many that you mention, have more
similarities to serials than to traditional monographs. One example I
can think of is annual hosting fees for one-time backfile purchases or
e-books, which we are seeing more of locally. Another example that I
can readily think of is how the nature of the workflow for keeping
"non-serial" or "finite" e-resources updated in terms of cataloging is
so similar in many ways to serials. These things are, as Crystal
Graham famously called them so long ago, bibliographic hermaphrodites.
I'm not suggesting there is only one right way here, just reacting to
and musing on this complicated issue from your response.
Jeannie, thanks for the further context for your initial question. I
can well understand 'the dance" you are going through! I am glad you
raised this whole question and hope you glean enough information to
bolster your case.
Steve
Steve Oberg
Assistant Professor
Electronic Resources and Serials
Buswell Memorial Library
Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL 60187
On Sep 11, 2013, at 6:57 PM, LIBLICENSE <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From: <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 11:56:47 -0400
Thanks for the recommendation Chuck. I wasn't able to get the link to
work, but here's another access point.
http://www.nasig.org/site_page.cfm?pk_association_webpage_menu=310&pk_association_webpage=1225
Tracy L. Thompson, Executive Director
New England Law Library Consortium (NELLCO)
Albany Law School
Schaffer Law Library
Albany, NY 12208
www.nellco.org
[log in to unmask]
At 09:24 PM 9/10/2013, you wrote:
From: "Hamaker, Charles" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 03:33:18 +0000
PS. for the best description I know of for an electronic resources
librarian, see the new NASIG publication:
“Core Competencies of Electronic Resources Librarians” which is
available on the NASIG website,
http://www.nasig.org/committee-core-competencies-task-force.cfm
Chuck Hamaker
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