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An E-serials PrimerBy Linda Berube, (EARL) on behalf of EARL, The Library Association and UKOLN
IntroductionE-serials are not on the horizon for public libraries: they have already arrived, predominantly in the form of free access to Web-based newspapers and journals as well as fee-based, full-text CD-ROM and Web publications. However, as the Internet begins to feature more and more in the lives of the general population, demand for access to a wider range of publications may dictate not only comprehensive and cohesive e-collections, but a different, more considered approach to their management in public libraries. What is an e-serial?Whether called an electronic or online serial, Electronic serials may be defined very broadly as any journal, magazine, e'zine, Webzine, newsletter or type of electronic serial publication which is available over the Internet. Within this broad definition, the titles can be electronically accessed using different technologies such as the World Wide Web (WWW), gopher, ftp, telnet, email or listserv [1]. While there are comparable management issues for Web-based and CD-ROM e-serials, e-serials for the purpose of this paper will refer to those resources that are fee-based and available electronically through the Internet. What formats are e-serials available in?E-serials are available in two main formats:
Some e-serials are accessible only through e-mail. E-mail based e-serials typically use the format of plain text and are more commonly described as newsletters. Users will 'subscribe' through an e-mail message, and the newsletter will be delivered straight to their e-mailboxes. An example of a library and information science e-mail based e-serial is Free Pint [2].
Web-basedCurrently, most e-serials are made available via Web pages using either the most common form of presentation for an e-journal Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) [3]. Ariadne [4] and Exploit Interactive [5] are two examples of a growing number of HTML Web-based serials which either do not have or no longer have a print equivalent. Suppliers, such as Blackwell [6], often provide access in Adobe PDF, as well as alternative formats, for example RealPage [7]. Individual subscriptions through the Web, for instance of major newspapers or journals, are presented in HTML. They are similar in design and function to a Web site and including special features that distinguish them from mere print sources in electronic format. These include the Electronic Telegraph [8] and the Online Guardian [9].
Who supplies e-serials?E-serials are either supplied directly by the publishers themselves or via aggregator services.
PublishersE-serials are supplied or produced by a diverse range of suppliers. Universities, commercial publishers, and professional associations, particularly in the sciences, experimented with the format early on. Projects with experimental journals, such as BLEND (Birmingham and Loughborough Electronic Network Development) [10], date back to the 1980s. The Syracuse University Kellogg Project [11] produced the first peer-reviewed journal on the Internet in 1987. In the early 1990s, commercial vendors became increasingly involved, as evidenced by the TULIP project (The University Licensing Programme) [12] in which Elsevier in partnership with nine US universities produced a number of electronic journals that formed the backbone of the entirely commercial enterprise, Elsevier Electronic Subscriptions (EES).
AggregatorsAggregator services, or e-journal management services, are where suppliers like OCLC [13] or EBSCO [14] provide access to and manage a large selection of e-serials on the library's behalf. This kind of service can be more convenient for a library because it removes the need to negotiate a set of individual licences and prices with a number of different journal publishers. It also means these journals can be accessed from one site instead of multiple sites. However, because an aggregator service provider must get copyright permission from each publisher, breadth of coverage and pricing may make it an unattractive, if not expensive option. Woodward and Archer advise the consideration of the following issues before subscribing to such services:
Integrating e-serials into library servicesWhile public library serial collections are mostly paper-based, any consideration of integrating e-serials into library services must begin with an evaluation of the print collection. The inevitable budget and space-driven decision of whether to cancel print subscriptions is usually guided by an effective collection development policy, which in turn drives an evaluation and selection process. The same decision-making process can be used when considering the adoption of e-serials. A residual issue from this process is the retention or disposal of print collections upon the adoption of e-serials. Common indeed are the Cassandra-like predictions of the paper-less library, and to be sure, there is much to be gained from the adoption of e-serials both from a time and space perspective. However, according to Liz Stevenson, for the forseeable future...most libraries' collections will be a mix of print and electronic, with the care and management of physical collections remaining important and resource-intensive issues.[16]
Evaluation and selectionLibraries can choose to incorporate a section on e-serials in existing collection development policies for serials or write a separate statement. A clear policy statement will help libraries navigate the confusion caused by different methods of supply from publishers, aggregators (EBSCO etc), or Web-based publishers. Yale University's Library Web provides a number of examples from around the world, and across library domains. [17] The selection process should include a careful evaluation of the content and its relevance to the collection and users, as well as the consideration of quality, level of treatment, price, presentation, currency, searchability, readability of the screens, special functions, especially print, comprehensiveness, ease of browsing and searching. It is also important to consider whether the subscription itself and the contents of the journal are likely to remain stable. Wherever possible, libraries should demand a trial which would allow for on-site evaluation, in some cases by users themselves.
AcquisitionsThe subject of acquisition in relation to e-serials provokes the question: what does it mean to acquire an e-journal? Because acquisition is increasingly transacted with aggregators or archival services, where the material is resident on the suppliers' servers, libraries no longer acquire a physical object, but rather access to that object. In addition, copyright agreements with publishers may further restrict access and use. It is precisely because of this difference that the print subscription model cannot be reasonably adapted to acquisitions of e-serials. Both suppliers and libraries realise the need for entirely new models.
LicensingLicenses, or at the very least standard use restrictions, of any electronic resources considered for purchase, should be reviewed at the outset of negotiation. However, licensing agreements for electronic resources which address the rapidly changing technological requirements of public libraries in the UK are hard to come by. Site licensing, which involves dedicated terminals and passwords, is still common. When negotiating for any electronic product, it is essential that libraries work with suppliers to word licensing agreements so that all library requirements will be met. Issues to think about include:
There are model licenses which libraries can use as a starting point for negotiation. These are available on the Web at Licensingmodels.com [18]. Model licenses should be adapted to take into consideration the specific requirements of a library authority, region, or consortium. Negotiating via a consortium will not only bring a cost reduction, but could also bring about a more favourable licensing agreement. Intermediaries, such as aggregators or agents, can also be instrumental in negotiating licenses, as well as offering a one-stop platform for access to e-serials.
Cataloguing and promotionOne of the best ways to promote use of an e-serial is to alert users to its existence while they are searching the library catalogue. An OPAC record is also a relatively easy means by which users can be seamlessly connected to the e-serial, primarily through a hypertext link. In addition, complete lists on library Web pages or the presence of an icon which would connect to an aggregator service are good promotional and access tools. Different methods of adding e-serials to a library catalogue exist. The two main options include:
E-serials that are part of an aggregator service can be catalogued separately with a reference to the collective series to which it belongs. Alternatively, there could be one record for the service, with reference to the various serials included.
AccessIf a library authority has a subscription to an aggregator service, access is provided to anyone coming into the library, based upon the licensing agreement. But what happens when the library wants to provide access to electronic resources to users at home? In this case, users should provide some kind of evidence or authentication that they are registered library users resident in the authority. Generally, this kind of authorisation, provided by a library authority, can be acquired through a library ticket with a unique number that can be entered by the remote user. This password then must be authenticated by some mechanism that will verify it. Such a mechanism is provided by services such as ATHENS [19]. This is considered a secure process by which to provide remote access. A guide and further discussion of authorisation and authentication is supplied on South Bank University's Web site. [20]
Other issues
PricingBudgeting for e-serials is still largely dependent on allocation for print subscriptions. Quite often, a library, looking to save space or improve accessibility, will consider substituting electronic subscriptions for print. In this instance, it is important to identify suppliers that do not require both a print and electronic subscription. There are various methods for negotiating price. Suppliers can offer single subscription costs, with printing sometimes incurring extra expense. Prices for consortia are often based on population or number of users where significant savings can be achieved. This pricing model may incur hidden costs for libraries whose user base is significantly less than their population. Additional, perhaps hidden, costs to consider include:
A traditional index and abstract service which provides full-text of articles may be more cost effective, especially for public libraries.
Archiving and storageThe question of archives and ownership is one that has yet to reach a satisfactory resolution. In negotiating agreements, access to back issues once an electronic subscription is cancelled or an e-journal title is suspended is an important consideration. Because of concerns with preservation and archiving, libraries often will carry subscriptions to both forms, or purchase electronic format for those serials not essential for particular research or leisure purposes. Whether these journal issues will reside on the library or supplier's server is another. While storage on a library server increases the sense of ownership, as well as ease of access, it may mean quite a bit of commitment in terms of server space. With a subscription to an aggregator service, like OCLC's Electronic Collections Online [21], journal issues reside on the aggregator's server, and usually there is an added assurance that back issues will remain accessible if the journal is suspended. This assurance of access, whether through the Web or on CD-ROM, should be included in any kind of formal agreement to purchase e-serials.
CopyrightWhen a supplier who is not a publisher wants to provide electronic access to a journal, the original publisher's permission must be acquired. This permission may prove costly, and certain restrictions may be placed on access and reproduction of the journal. In addition, photographs, graphs, and charts may not be included in the service as they require separate copyright permissions. For libraries trying to maintain individual e-journal subscriptions, management of different restrictions can be difficult. Aggregators are able to provide a valuable service in this instance by negotiating all the rights and presenting the library and the user with a uniform method of access.
Printing restrictions, as with photocopying restrictions for print materials, are not always easy to enforce. Suppliers, authors, and libraries alike are still looking for the most satisfactory resolution of this problem.
Usage statisticsIt is often assumed that usage statistics are more easily tracked with electronic resources. Indeed, there is a wealth of information that can be provided, from number of hits per journal to which pages are viewed to what is printed and downloaded. According to Roger Brown, different activities reveal different levels of use: Downloads of full articles are an indication of more intensive use. On the other hand, the number of hits on tables of content pages, and abstracts, are also useful in revealing browsing activity [22]. But, the problem with defining a visit to a Web site also pertains to defining use of electronic serials. In addition, there are privacy issues to be considered when the manner of use and the identity of the user can be so closely tracked. Suppliers of electronic serials, especially aggregators, can supply statistics. Libraries should ensure that they can receive management reports and statistics for all titles. Brown recommends the guidelines published by the International Coalition of Library Consortia (ICOLC) [23] for what to expect from a supplier.
References[1]
Electronic Journal Access: The Alliance [2] Free Pint
[3] Adobe
[4] Ariadne
[5] Exploit Interactive
[i6] Blackwells Online Journals
[7] RealPage
[8] The Electronic Telegraph
[9] The Guardian Unlimited [10] The BLEND system: programme for the study of some electronic journals." Journal of the American Society for Information Science. Vol. 34 (1983) 1. pp. 22-30.
[11] Syracuse University Kellogg Project
[12] TULIP Project
[13] OCLC
[14] EBSCO [15] Woodward and Archer. "Serial Information Delivery Options" Serials Management Handbook. Kidd and Rees-Jones, eds. London: LA, 1999. p44 [16] Stevenson. "Stock Management" Serials Management Handbook. Kidd and Rees-Jones, eds. London: LA, 1999. p119
[17] Yale University's Library Web
[18] Licensingmodels.com
[19] ATHENS Access Management Service
[20] Authentication and Authorisation: a guide
[21] OCLC FirstSearch Electronic Collections Online [22] Brown, Roger. Exploitation and Usage Analysis. Serials Management Handbook. London: Library Association, 1999.
[23] International Coalition of Library Consortia
Other relevant resources
Cataloguing Internet Resources: A Manual and a Practical guide.
Developing and Managing Electronic Journal Collections: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2000. E-Serials: Publishers, Libraries, Users, and Standards. Wayne Jones, ed. NY: Haworth Press, 1998. Electronic serials in public libraries. Kate Brunskill et al. British Library Research & Innovation Centre, 1998. - (British Library Research and Innovation Centre Report, ISSN 1366-8218)
EARL Networked Services Policy Taskgroup Web siteThe full text of this paper and links to further information on this topic are available at the following Web site: http://www.earl.org.uk/policy/ The Web site also provides an opportunity to comment on the paper and the issues it discusses.
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