Re: digital reference

[Diane Grover <grover@u.washington.edu>]

The University of Washington is also involved in a digital reference
project with 24/7 Reference (http://www.247ref.org/).  At present we are
using this 3rd party software for our own users, as well as piloting a
program to share services with Cornell.  In this pilot, Cornell librarians
help UW students use our resources during hours we are still asleep. Later
in the day, UW librarians help Cornell students in the same way.

We definitely thought this would be a license issue, and took steps to
contact a number of vendors to ask permission for this use.  After
explaining the projects, and assuring them there were not "back doors",
all approached have agreed.  A couple of vendors consulted their
attorneys, so they did take this very seriously.

I found that a very straightforward approach/request worked fine.  Just
explain the service, be prepared to answer questions, and request
permission to add the server IP address to turn on the service.

Diane Grover
Electronic Collections Coordinator
University of Washington Libraries
Seattle, WA
206-543-4786
Fax: 206-616-2380

On Thu, 6 Jun 2002, Chen, Xiaotian wrote:

> The new version of the live digital reference software requires that we
> add the IP addresses of the server where the digital reference software
> resides into our campus proxy server or our campus IP range, otherwise we
> will have to authenticate ourselves through library proxy server (EZProxy)
> even if we are on campus.
>
> I am wondering how other libraries handle this.  Do you think there is
> legal issue with our license agreements if we add the IP addresses of the
> server of a commercial company to our campus IP range?  Obviously, a
> standard license agreement would not cover this issue.
>
> By the way, the company that provides the software is called "LSSI Library
> Systems and Services LLC", and software is VTR 2.0.
>
> ---
> Xiaotian Chen
> Electronic Services Librarian
> Bradley University
> Peoria, IL 61625
> Phone: 309-677-2839
> Fax: 309-677-2558
> http://hilltop.bradley.edu/~chen/