Change in format

[Cynthia.Coulter@uni.edu]

     This may not have a direct bearing on licences, per se, but more on
the negotiation process, so pardon my going off on a slight tangent.
     
     Have any of you made the decision to switch from a CD-ROM or paper
product to its electronic equivalent in mid-subscription period?  For
example, with an expire date of June for the CD-ROM, you decide to change
to Internet in January.  I assume many of you have done so.
     
     When you have done so, has the publisher/vendor allowed you to apply
the pro-rated portion of the subscription cost for the print or CD-ROM
version you just canceled to the cost of the Internet version?  This would
have the net effect of reducing your Internet subscription cost for the
one year.
     
     Have you encountered any publishers/vendors who have a policy of NOT
permitting that approach?
     
     We have done so for a number of products, usually at the suggestion
of the vendor/publisher, but recently ran across one vendor that presented
some difficulties in doing so.  I am curious if others have had the same
thing happen to them.
     
     Cynthia M. Coulter
     Head, Acquisitions Department
     Rod Library
     University of Northern Iowa
     Cedar Falls, IA  50613-3675