Institutional Access to Lancet Online

[mcoletti@caregroup.harvard.edu]

Here's a new and bizarre twist that our serials librarian has come across
(her report follows).  This sounds like what Wiley was doing a couple of
years ago (requiring endusers to register with the website even though the
institution had a subscription).  But it's even more intrusive: Lancet is
demanding name, mail address and email address.  Then the enduser must
assign himself a username and password.

A large number of complaints to Wiley put an end to the practice of
requiring enduser registration.  I'm suggesting strongly that this
practice, if we are indeed understanding it correctly, be protested loudly
and directly to Lancet.  One question before I call London: Has anyone
else received the same information as we have?

Margo Coletti
Medical Library Services Director
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
330 Brookline Avenue
Boston MA 02215

phone (617) 667-4225   fax (617) 667-7197
email: mcoletti@caregroup.harvard.edu

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From: 	Silver,April D.        (Clin Info, PaperChase, Z Clin Inf)
Sent:	Friday, February 01, 2002 11:44 AM

Our 2002 subscription for Lancet is for print with online access for
multiple users.  I called customer service in NY (1-800-462-6198) for help
activating our multiple user access.  Reading from instructions from the
London Office, Bernice In Customer Service told me that institutions
cannot post generic usernames and passwords on their web sites even with
multiple use subscriptions.  Each user must register, "claim access,." and
create a different username and password.  To register, each user must
register with the subscription number and authentication code (registrants
are instructed to ask their librarians for the numbers -- librarians get
the numbers from Lancet by letter or telephone call), provide name,
address, email address, position and medical specialty, and then create
his or her own username and password.  To avoid the step of having each
patron supply the subscription number and authentication code,
institutions can register IP address by emailing them to
uslancetcs@elsevier.com.  But even with IP registration each user must
still register and create his or her own username and password.

Bernice suggested that the library could register 4 or 5 times and create
4 or 5 usernames and passwords that could be posted on its website for
patrons to use.  But if patrons happened to try to use the same username and
password at the same time they would get a message that the username and
password were in use and not be able to log in.  The person who devised this
scenario is Katy Budgen in London.  Her telephone number is 011442076114100.
Bernice could not find an email address for Katy.

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 (One more question: Does anyone have an email address for "Katy"?  mhc)