Re[2]: American Society for Microbiology

[mspinell@aaas.org (MSPINELL)]

     I'm not sure how Science Online got into this debate, but perhaps a
couple of reminders are in order:
     
     1) we have a site-wide subscription option which is not restricted to
the library, a single building, or indeed even strictly to the campus;
     
2) our workstation model, at $25 per workstation, can hardly be said to be
comparable to any single-user model at $5,000! You may think our
workstation model is 'inappropriate' FOR YOUR INSTITUTION, and indeed, I
would agree with you. However, Science serves a much broader audience than
the typical scientific journal, including a few thousand high schools,
public libraries, small corporations, and small 2- and 4-year colleges.  
This is the segment of our market that the workstation model is aimed at,
although others are free to choose this 'economy' model, as Princeton has.  
A few of the targeted market for our workstations have even written us to
thank us effusively for providing such a rich resource at such a low
price.
     
There is no significant income stream for us from this part of the market,
but they are part of our mission. For them, the workstation model is
entirely appropriate, and we expect to retain this option for the
foreseeable future.
     
Mike Spinella
_______     
     
Subject: RE: American Society for Microbiology
Author:  Carole Richter <Carole.J.Richter.8@nd.edu> at Internet 
Date:    11/24/98 7:10 PM
     
     I've been extremely disappointed to see that Gale databases are
priced in much the same way...a *single user* license (which for access to
the full text Literature series is $5,000+, so not cheap) provides access
not to a single institution-wide concurrent user, but to one user within
one building. Only at additional user levels (double in cost for 2 users)
is remote access by ip authentication possible.
     
The 'inappropriate model' idea is something that I hope we can support,
especially through professional organizations and contacts. If we each
continue to make exceptions when we are particularly anxious to 'have' one
resource, such as Science Online for example, we make it more difficult to
influence vendors to accept a reasonable model of access.
     
Carole Richter
Electronic Resourcees Coordinator
University of Notre Dame Libraries
(219)631-8405
richter.8@nd.edu