Re: Negotiate or sign? (Was: "Confused")

[Ann Okerson <aokerson@pantheon.yale.edu>]

Dave Fisher sends the following message:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 17:09:05 -0700
From: "Dave Fisher" <Dave@library.ucsd.edu>
To: <liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: Negotiate or sign? (Was: "Confused")

Rick,

It's not just a question of publishers creating a library versions of
license agreements, but rather getting them to abide by a set of precepts
when writing them.  As things stand now every license stands alone in some
way as a unique document. If we are lucky the license will not be
objectionable, it will support everything in the publisher's repertoire
and we may be able to add inclusions to it as we go along - but we are
still faced with a mounting file of documents and a growing list of
maintenance issues.  If we are not so lucky we must make phone calls and
write letters in order to get the concessions we require for our own
circumstances. My plea would be for the publishing trade associations to
unite behind an initiative that would bring some order out of this chaos
and provide a license - or more realistically perhaps several versions of
a license that would be adapted to differing circumstances - that 95% of
libraries in any given national political boundary could subscribe to.  
This is no small task but the rewards for succeeding are great - both from
the industry view point as well as the subscriber community.  The Canadian
initiative announced last week is a good beginning.


David L. (Dave) Fisher                                 
Electronic Resources Specialist  
Geisel Library/Acquisitions Dept.    
University of California, San Diego 
9500 Gilman Drive 0175A
La Jolla, CA 92093-0175
dfisher@ucsd.edu
      (858) 822-1004
Fax (858) 534-1256

______

>>> Rick_Anderson@uncg.edu 05/17/00 03:26PM >>>

> We *must* continue to work with publishers and vendors to
> SIMPLIFY these licenses as much as possible. A number of
> publishers have done so and I encourage the others to
> follow.

A related suggestion which I make (generally in vain) to publishers on a
regular basis is this: if libraries are a significant part of your market,
save yourself a lot of time and energy by creating a library version of
the license up front.  Otherwise, you're going to have to create a new
library version every time someone like me calls you up.  It's completely
beyond me why publishers prefer to do business that way, and yet the
majority of them seem to.


--------
Rick Anderson
Head Acquisitions Librarian
Jackson Library
UNC Greensboro
(336) 334-5281
rick_anderson@uncg.edu