Re: "Double" Licenses

[David Goodman <dgoodman@princeton.edu>]

There is another problem with these licenses. It is the policy of most if
not all academic libraries that the readers' use of the library resources
is anonymous. Records linking an individual to the use of a specific
resource is maintained for local administrative purposes only and kept
only while needed (e.g. until a book is returned). Outside sources such as
publishers or database suppliers have certainly never been told who
specifically is using their material. Under these contracts that would no
longer be the case!  Some of the contracts do have privacy provisions, but
should we be willing to stake our academic freedom on them?

I have less objection to a publisher asking for an individual agreement
for extra services. If a user wishes a customized alerting service, for
example, the database supplier will normally need to know who that person
is.  We have also usually accepted the provision of individual user
information in trials, accepting the temporary nature of the arrangement
and the publishers' need to advertise.  But can any academic or public
library accept this for basic information resources?

I have, though, heard rumors that at least one of the major publishers
currently offering such licenses is planning to change this requirement.

This as always is my personal view, though I strongly suspect that some of
my colleagues agree.  --

David Goodman


Ann Okerson wrote:
> 
> Already this year I've seen two electronic information "deals" that
> require two levels of license.  That is, the institution]... (library)
> negotiates and signs a license with the provider AND then once the reader
> goes to the site to retrieve the information, he or she is asked to
> "click" to agree to a set of terms and conditions.  I.e., two license
> agreements are in play: one with the institution and one with each
> individual reader. 
[ ... ]
> 
> Comments please from you publishers, librarians, and lawyers out there?
> 
> Ann Okerson
> Associate University Librarian
> Yale University
> Ann.Okerson@yale.edu

-- 
David Goodman 
Biology Librarian, Princeton University Library 
dgoodman@princeton.edu         http://www.princeton.edu/~biolib/
phone: 609-258-3235            fax: 609-258-2627