Re: Elsevier Web Editions license

["M ROS DOIG" <M.R.Doig@derby.ac.uk>]

I don't entirely understand why publishers have such restrictive practices.

I work at a multi-site university ( every campus offers different 
courses) and experience similar difficulties with regard to access for all 
our sites.  As well as the legalities, doesn't this also have technical 
implications?  We operate a single network for all our campuses regardless 
of location and currently cannot readily differentiate between which IP 
addresses are being used by what site. Our Computing Services tell me that 
eventually that they could set up this kind of identification but it isn't 
a priority at the moment.

And what about distance learners and others who want remote access?
Universities these days have registered students world wide - to restrict 
electronic journals to use in particular locations just as if they were 
print is complete nonsense. The whole point of the web is that is 
accessible to all from anywhere and universities are making use of this to 
provide courses but often it seems resource support is being severely 
limited.

Students and staff can only be in one place at once whether that be in the 
library, laboratory, at home etc . It doesn't make sense to them that they 
may have to travel to another location to access something electronically 
when they have the technology on the desk they happen to be using at the 
time.

Some publishers don't seem to know or appreciate how their electronic 
publications are being used.
It's all very frustrating.

Ros Doig
Serials and Interlending Librarian
University of Derby
Kedleston Rd
Derby DE22 1GB
UK

Tel.   +44 1332 591204
Fax.   +44 1332 622767
Email.  M.R.Doig@Derby.ac.uk