Requirements for a registry of electronic licences

Purpose: The paper presents a brief history of electronic licensing initiatives before considering current practices for managing licences to electronic resources. The intention was to obtain a detailed understanding of the requirements needed for a registry of electronic licences that would enable usage terms and conditions to be presented to end-users at point of use. Approach: Two extensive focus groups were held, each comprising representatives from the main stakeholder groups. These structured events considered existing and ongoing issues and approaches towards licence management and investigated a range of ‘use-cases’ where potential usages for a licence registry were outlined and discussed. Findings: The results form part of a requirements gathering and analysis process which will inform the development of a registry of electronic licences. This work forms part of the JISC-funded Registry of Electronic Licences (RELI) project. The paper finds that there are many complexities when dealing with electronic licences such as licence specificity, licence interpretation, definitions of authorised users and dissemination of usage terms and conditions. Implications: These issues and others are considered and the impact on a subsequent registry of electronic licences is discussed. It is clear from the findings that there is a real and immediate need for a licence registry. Originality: The paper provides a rich picture of the concerns and practices adopted both when managing licences and ensuring conformance with licences to electronic resources. The findings have enabled the scope of a licence registry to be determined. The registry is currently under development

Surprising Subscriptions: How Electronic Journal Publishing Has Affected the Partnership Among Subscription Agents, Publishers and Librarians

This compilation is a mixture of papers submitted by speakers and text derived from notes taken by the moderator and Mary Hawks of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Library and has been reviewed by the participants

Common principles in managing digital libraries and managing VLEs

This paper illustrate how there are common ways of managing both digital libraries and VLEs (virtual learning environments), based on the concept-in-common of a devolved or centralised approach to their implementation and a devolved or centralised long-term management structure for their service development

JISC Preservation of Web Resources (PoWR) Handbook

Handbook of Web Preservation produced by the JISC-PoWR project which ran from April to November 2008. The handbook specifically addresses digital preservation issues that are relevant to the UK HE/FE web management community”. The project was undertaken jointly by UKOLN at the University of Bath and ULCC Digital Archives department

Transforming Technical Services: Evolving Functions in Large Research University Libraries

Technical services functions in academic libraries have evolved in response to fiscal pressures and advances in technology. In this study the author investigates how technical services in large research university libraries are adapting to support the changing roles of academic libraries. The author conducted hour-long phone interviews in early 2014 with the representatives from nineteen out of the twenty-five university libraries in the Technical Services Directors Large Research Libraries Interest Group. This paper presents the results and discussion based on the interview data: use of the name, Technical Services; new and emerging functions of technical services; organizational structure of technical services units; change drivers that are affecting technical services now, and those that will soon; and challenges in managing technical services. Five models of a technical services organizational structure were developed from participants’ organizational charts and interview data. This research also highlights the skills needed among technical services personnel.UT Librarie

Towards modeling of comprehensive assessment for licensing in higher education

In the modern society information technologies, services, quality become the determinative factors of success of any business. The questions of quality management are especially relevant in social sphere, since organization oriented on quality of its processes provides the improvement of people living standards. Information computer technologies (ICT) are the powerful tool for increasing the performance of decision-making processes. Formalization of management problems and adequate mathematical models provide ICT with techniques and methods of solving the application problems in different domains and improving business performance. Higher education is a unique social and economic environment. The quality of its functioning influences many processes of successive development of society.Therefore elaboration of ICT in higher education domain remains the challenging problem for specialists in computer sciences

Creating a Standard of Practice for License Alternatives

Citation: Geuther, Christina & Greene, Mira (2015). Creating a Standard of Practice for License Alternatives. In B.R. Bernhardt, B.R. Hinds, & K.P. Strauch (Eds.), Proceedings from Where Do We Go from Here? : Charleston Conference. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press.A gap exists in library literature for license alternative practices. Although licensing processes are a new concept, there is enough knowledge of best practices that will apply to alternatives. Much of the life cycle of electronic resources with and without licenses remains the same; therefore, a workflow can be framed for alternatives. Kansas State University created a standard workflow for managing license alternatives in its management systems Verde and Alma. We based this standard on the differences between licenses and their conventional alternatives, the NISO Shared Electronic Resource Understanding, and terms of use without registered or signed agreement. Aspects of this presentation will also apply to institutions without electronic resource management (ERM) systems. After considering the acquisition and review practices of license alternatives, a discussion of interlibrary loan as well as enforcing terms in the patron community will be offered. Interlibrary loan staff will easily interpret their procedures of fair use based on documentation in the ERM

Implications of Technological Uncertainty on Firm Outsourcing Decisions

Outsourcing inherently considers what activity needs to reside within a given firm. The difficulty of exchanges between firms in the face of uncertainty affects where work on developing and producing new products is performed. Theory is developed and explored using a case study that explains firm sourcing decisions as a response to uncertainty within the context of industry structure and related transaction costs. Viewing outsourcing broadly results in a better delineation of outsourcing options. Implications for management research and practice are identified

Implementation of virtual manufacturing by a technology licensing company

NoThe paper considers the implementation of a virtual manufacturing system as an alternative to outward technology licensing in a high technology industrial sector. Brief theoretical definition and description of the two strategy options is provided to give background and context. This is followed by empirical material from a longitudinal case study of a company that has developed a virtual manufacturing system in addition to its pre-existing outward technology licensing business stream. A summary account of the company history and development is followed by description of the virtual manufacturing proposal. Analysis of this identified a number of competencies that would be required in order to succeed. The final part of the paper describes the company's response to this analysis and discusses early implementation of the virtual system. It is shown that implementation of the proposal has represented a positive response to the business challenges facing the company

Library purchasing consortia in the UK: activity, benefits and good practice.

Following a brief introduction in Section 1, Section 2 sets out the operational context of library purchasing consortia. A range of key factors have shaped recent developments in the four LIS sectors under consideration (FE, HE, health and public libraries); some have exerted a common influence over all (e.g. information technology, European Commission purchasing directives, new central government, decline in bookfunds); some are sector-specific (e.g. purchasing arrangements, regional administrative frameworks, collaborative partnerships). The structure and markets of the book and periodical publishing industry in the UK are reviewed, with attention paid to historical as well as more recent practice that has had an impact on library supply. Although each component of the LIS purchasing consortia jigsaw displays individual characteristics that have evolved as a response to its own environment, the thread that links them together is constant change. Section 3 presents the results of a survey of identified library purchasing consortia in the four library sectors. It treats common themes of relevance to all consortia arising from information gathered by seminar input, questionnaire and interview. These include models of consortium operation, membership and governance, ‘typical’ composition of consortia in each sector, and links to analogous practice in other library sectors. Common features of the tendering and contract management process are elicited and attention paid to any contribution of procurement professionals. Finally, levels of consortium expenditure and cost savings are estimated from the published statistical record, which readily demonstrate in financial terms the efficiency of the consortial purchase model for all types of library in the United Kingdom. Section 4 presents the results of a survey of suppliers to libraries in the United Kingdom of books and periodicals, the two sectors most commonly represented in current contracts of library purchasing consortia. It sets out in some detail the operating context governing the highly segmented activities of library booksellers, as well as that pertaining to periodicals suppliers (also known as subscription agents). Detailed responses to questions on the effects of library purchasing consortia on suppliers of both materials have been gathered by questionnaire survey and selected follow-up interviews. Results are presented and analysed according to supply sector with attention given to the tendering process, current contracts under way, cross-sectoral clientele, and advantages and inhibitors of consortia supply. Further responses are reported on issues of how consortia have affected suppliers’ volume of trade, operating margins and market stability as perceived in their own business, the library supply sector and the publishing industry. Finally, overall conclusions are drawn and projections made as to future implications for both types of library suppliers. Section 5 synthesises findings, details enabling and inhibiting factors for consortia formation and models of best practice amongst consortia. The scope for cross-sectoral collaboration is discussed and found to be limited at present. Pointers are given for future activity