Re: E-resource licensing and virtual reference

[Carl Anderson <ca25@drexel.edu>]

Hi, Bernie!

I'd say the walk-in exemption was one of those anachronisms that the
publishers are using to limit access in a way that librarians can live
with - like permitting a library to satisfy an interlibrary loan request
with a photocopy or fax but not in retainable digital form.  If the
license doesn't permit "virtual walk-ins," then I would assume the
exemption is limited to corporeal bodies.  After all, pretty near everyone
can pick up the phone.

-- Carl

On Sun, 29 Sep 2002, Sloan, Bernie wrote:

> I've given presentations at two conferences within the past week
> (International Coalition of Library Consortia, and Illinois Library
> Association) where a main topic of discussion involved the use of licensed
> e-resources to serve a user from another library, during a virtual
> reference session. Generally, the discussion involved collaborative
> virtual reference projects (i.e., where two or more libraries band
> together to provide virtual reference services to their collective group
> of users).
> 
> Basically, the scenario is this: you are working the virtual reference
> desk, and a user connects from an institution other than your own. Can you
> use your licensed e-resources to help this user? For example, can you
> search a full text journal article database and e-mail articles to this
> user? Can you help the user by providing them with information from a
> licensed database?
> 
> The consensus was that this should be no different than serving a walk-in
> patron who asks for help at the physical reference desk. With most vendor
> licenses, it is OK for a walk-in user to make use of licensed e-resources.
> But when it comes to providing virtual service (e.g., via a virtual
> reference service) the licensing terms and conditions are less clear.
> 
> What do you all think? I am especially interested to hear what e-resource
> vendors think about this.
> 
> Bernie Sloan
> Senior Library Information Systems Consultant
> University of Illinois Office for Planning and Budgeting
> 338 Henry Administration Building
> 506 S. Wright Street
> Urbana, IL  61801
> Phone: (217) 333-4895
> Fax:   (217) 265-0454
> E-mail: bernies@uillinois.edu