Nature site license

["Kathleen A. Zar" <kzar@midway.uchicago.edu>]

At the University of Chicago, we have considered the options for accessing
and site licensing Nature at several different times.  We have decided
each time that the conditions imposed by the publisher and the license are
out of proportion to the value of the electronic access.  This is despite
our very active policy to provide full text electronic versions for our
science publications as well as considerable demand by our faculty.  One
of the most disturbing features of the current situation is that as Nature
has migrated much of its critical research to the Nature monthlies, the
real research value of the weekly Nature has changed. Of course, important
papers continue to be published in the weekly Nature, and the news,
opinions, essays etc. are of great interest--although less so after ageing
in limbo for weeks. However, we would never consider accepting the limited
access proposed for the Nature monthlies.  We remain philosophically and
administratively opposed to site restrictions within our campus.


Kathleen A. Zar
The Science Librarian
Head, Science Libraries
John Crerar Library
5730. S. Ellis Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637

773-702-7469 (voice)
773-702-3317 (fax)
kzar@midway.uchicago.edu (internet)