SERU 0.9 Draft Available for Pilot Use

[Karla Hahn <karla@arl.org>]

NISO's Shared E-Resource Understanding (SERU) Working Group has 
made available a new 0.9 draft of SERU on the NISO Web site 
(http://www.niso.org/committees/SERU/).

This latest version of the Shared Electronic Resource 
Understanding provides a set of statements publishers and 
libraries can choose to use for sales of electronic content. SERU 
offers publishers and libraries an alternative to the 
often-burdensome process of bilateral negotiation of a formal 
license agreement by allowing the sale of e-resources without 
licenses if both parties feel their perception of risk has been 
adequately addressed by current law and developing norms of 
behavior within the publisher and library communities. Libraries 
and publishers can notify serials vendors of their willingness to 
work with SERU allowing vendors to more easily mediate such 
subscription sales.

The working group encourages pilot use of the 0.9 draft by 
interested libraries and publishers.  SERU 0.9 includes 
guidelines for implementation and is accompanied by a revised FAQ 
to assist users of the statements. NISO is maintaining a list of 
libraries and publishers who plan to  use SERU for pilot 
transactions. To join the registry or to see the list of current 
trial participants visit 
http://www.niso.org/committees/SERU/registry.html.

The NISO SERU Working Group is grateful for the active commentary 
earlier SERU drafts have generated. The current SERU document 
reflects a range of suggestions from many constituencies in the 
library and publishing communities. The working group continues 
to welcome comments on the draft statements. Comments can be sent 
to Karla Hahn (karla@arl.org) or Judy Luther 
(judy.luther@informedstrategies.com), the working group 
co-chairs, or any other member of the working group.

An informational listserv providing announcements of future 
developments with the project is available as well. SERU 0.9 and 
further information on the SERU Working Group, can be found at 
http://www.niso.org/committees/SERU/.

The NISO SERU Working Group was formed in late 2006 following a 
development meeting supported by the Association of Research 
Libraries (ARL), the Association of Learned and Professional 
Society Publishers (ALPSP), the Scholarly Publishing and Academic 
Resources Coalition (SPARC), and the Society for Scholarly 
Publishing (SSP).

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Karla Hahn, Director
Office of Scholarly Communications
Association of Research Libraries
21 Dupont Circle
Washington, D.C. 20036
voice: 202-296-2296
      fax: 202-872-0884
email: karla@arl.org