Confidentiality language and the netLibrary license

["Rick Anderson" <rickand@unr.edu>]

Hi, everyone --

I'm working with a consortium to negotiate a netLibrary license.  One of
the terms it includes is a confidentiality clause, according to which we'd
have to agree not to divulge pricing, license terms, etc. to third parties
(such as other libraries).

I run into license terms like this every so often, and I always negotiate
them out; when I negotiated a netLibrary license for my own institution a
couple of years ago, I had no problem getting the confidentiality language
removed from it.  To my surprise, the company is now resisting the same
change.  My contact at netLibrary says that it's because netLibrary has a
new legal crew since its acquisition by OCLC.

Regardless of the explanation for this new stance, I see no reason why we
should go along with it.  Do others feel the same way?  Can we present a
united front?

Thanks,
Rick Anderson

-------------
Rick Anderson
Director of Resource Acquisition
The University Libraries
University of Nevada, Reno          "It takes a pretty good
1664 No. Virginia St.                meeting to be better
Reno, NV  89557                      than no meeting at all."
PH  (775) 784-6500 x273                -- Boyd K. Packer
FX  (775) 784-1328
rickand@unr.edu