Re: Alumni access to electronic resources?

["Thomas J. Michalak" <tmichalak@hbs.edu>]

This information is in response to Ann's requestfor a report on a
successful implementation of database services to alumni.  I've responded
directly to Marianne Afifi.

At the Harvard Business School, Baker Library has a program (eBaker) for
HBS alumni to access four databases in business:  OneSource Global
Business Browser, ABI Inform (Proquest), Hoover's Online, and
CareerSearch.  We began the program in the fall of 1999 with OneSource,
ABI Inform and CareerSearch.  Hoover's was added in the fall of 2000.

In the OneSource and ABI Inform case we negotiated separate licenses for
alumni access, with separate fees.  In the case of Hoover's and Career
Search, we simply paid an additional fee on our existing contracts for the
alumni access.  Alumni are defined as MBA graduates, graduates of long
programs in Executive Education, and graduates of doctoral programs. The
service is not extended to participant of custom executive education
programs or the participants in short executive education programs.

We charge the alumni $299 for this service which we are subsidizing since
the subscription fee does not completely cover the subscription cost and
there is additional support costs for authentication, marketing, and
customer service.  I'd estimate the latter to be about one fte.

For an article on the origins of this service see:  
http://hul.harvard.edu/publications/library_notes/pdfs/HULN1292.pdf

The eBaker product is linked to a portal of information on research and
activities of the Harvard Business School (including Harvard Business
School Publishing).  HB Working Knowledge is published weekly during the
academic year and biweekly in July and August.
  http://hbswk.hbs.edu/

The HBS Working Knowledge Web site and the eBaker offering together offer
our alumni an opportunity to keep abreast of business and management at
the School as well as provide them with personal access to useful business
information resources.  This keeps the alumni connected and provides them
with lifelong learning opportunities.  This makes for happier alumni and
happier alumni....  It's a long term investment.

HBS Working Knowledge site has a free registration and currently has more
than 25,000 registered users with 20,000 receiving a weekly email with
update information.  Our estimate is that 25 % of these registrants are
alumni, the balance, the general public.

Our current subscriber base for eBaker is 1355 alumni, including graduates
of executive education programs.  We offer the current graduating class a
special subscription price of $199 and about 15 % of the class of 2000
subscribed. We are now in an enrollment campaign for the class of 2001.

I'd be happy to respond to further questions on the eBaker service.

Tom Michalak


http://hbsworkingknowledge.hbs.edu/

Baker Library:  "We put the 'information' in information technology."
eBaker Alumni  Research Service:  "Just in time, just enough, and just for 
you."

Thomas J. Michalak
Executive Director
Baker Library
Harvard Business School
Soldier's Field Road
Boston, MA 02163

617-495-6042
Fax  617-495-8948