"Double Licenses" Thread

["Sloan, Bernie" <bernies@uillinois.edu>]

I don't know about others, but I am finding the "Double Licenses" thread
to be very interesting and informative.

Someone may have answered this directly or indirectly, and if so, I missed
it. A while ago I cited the existence of "triple licenses". The specific
example I gave involved FirstSearch databases in Illinois that are
subsidized by the Illinois State Library. In brief, the State Library
contracts with FirstSearch to provide access to specific databases
for all Illinois libaries. That's one license. Then, when the "end-user"
connects with FirstSearch, they are told that if they conduct a search
they are agreeing to the terms and conditions of both OCLC and the
specific database vendor. Those would be the second and third licenses.

My question is this: if there are discrepancies among the terms of the
various licenses, what is the order of precedence? I've been assuming
that the contract between the State Library and OCLC/FirstSearch
comes first.

Bernie Sloan
Senior Library Information Systems Consultant
University of Illinois Office for Planning & Budgeting
338 Henry Administration Building
506 S. Wright Street
Urbana, IL  61801
Phone: (217) 333-4895  
Fax: (217) 333-6355
Email: bernies@uillinois.edu