Re: libraries and licensing of personal database subscriptions

[Debi Baker <ddbaker@darkwing.uoregon.edu>]

Ann,

It seems illogical for an individual in your scenario to have actual
expectation that an institutional library would purchase and manage
his/her resource licenses.  That would seem to be tantamount to purchasing
the individual's vehicle insurance if they use their vehicle for work
purposes.

If the vendor does not sell to insitutions (no institutional license
available) that would seem to be the resolution for the individual. If
they have their own library, they can have the library purchase the
license; if they use an institutional library there is surely no
expectation that library will meet their every need/whim.  Because there
are constraints (budgets, vendor requirements, etc.) on the institutional
library, it is most logical to expect it to perform in the best interest
of _all_ or _the majority_ of its patrons, rather than an individual (or
single department).

It probably depends on what kind of challenge you wish to have!  I can't
imagine attempting to manage individual licenses for (potentially) every
patron on campus!

For what it's worth.

Happy Holidays!

--Debi
********************************************************************
Debi Baker				Orbis Cascade Alliance
Projects Manager			ddbaker@uoregon.edu
1299 University of Oregon               voice: (541) 346-1832
Eugene, OR 97403-1299                   fax:   (541) 346-1968
********************************************************************

On Wed, 22 Dec 2004, Liblicense-L Listowner wrote:

 Imagine this situation:

 1.  Publisher XXX allows only individual/personal licenses to its
 specialized database (these are not journal articles); no institutional
 site licenses are permitted.

 2.  Individual (a biomed researcher) wants a subscription aka license but
 doesn't wish to license and pay for it -- believes the institution (aka
 library) should do so.

 Question to readers of this list:  What's the appropriate action for the
 library to take?  Buy and manage personal licenses (as an appropriate role
 for said library); or not (publisher does not want library as customer;
 sets precedents that cannot be sustained for other researchers and
 resources).

 Your thoughts would be welcomed.  Ann Okerson/Yale Library
 ann.okerson@yale.edu