RE: Acquisitions of independent databases by major vendors

["Joseph Esposito" <espositoj@gmail.com>]

A key source of this kind of information is the Outsell 
consulting firm.

To put together a survey of such databases (what they are, who 
created them, and who owns them) is a very expensive project, 
unless one has a very narrow view of what a database is and the 
markets that are addressed.  Think, for example, of the databases 
of cash-register data (how many units of Tylenol were sold in Zip 
Code 10211, what other products were purchased, what was the 
method of payment, and how do these purchases vary over time?), 
Web transactions (PayPal data), and so forth.  If we mean simply 
things like scientific databases, many of them are developed by 
private companies and are jealously guarded.  I don't know why 
the question is put "espically" for non-profit organizations.

I am intrigued by this project and would like to know more about 
its parameters.

Joe Esposito

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
[mailto:owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Anthony Watkinson
Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2009 3:28 PM
To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
Subject: Re: Acquisitions of independent databases by major vendors

I understand what Ivy Anderson means but the form in which it is couched is
often used both in this context and when smaller publishers are bought by
larger publishers. These independent databases like smaller companies sell
to the larger publishers and make money out of the sale. No-one is forced to
sell unless they have an unsustainable business model and just cannot manage
to deliver.

Anthony

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ivy Anderson" <Ivy.Anderson@ucop.edu>
To: <liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2009 11:39 AM
Subject: Acquisitions of independent databases by major vendors

>A colleague who is not a subscriber to this list is attempting to
>identify individuals or organizations that monitor trends  affecting
>small independent databases - especially those owned  and made
>available through universities or other non-profit  entities - and
>tracks the acquisitions of these products by the  larger commercial
>vendors.  If anyone knows any good sources of  market intelligence in
>this area, please respond to me off-list  and I will share the
>information with my colleague.
>
> Best,
>
> Ivy Anderson
> Director of Collections
> California Digital Library
> University of California, Office of the President
> (510) 987-0334 (voice)
> (510) 287-3825 (fax)
> ivy.anderson@ucop.edu
> http://cdlib.org <http://cdlib.org/>