The Privileged Link: Open Access, Version of Record, or Let the User Decide?

As the availability of open access (OA) copies continues to grow, platforms and libraries are increasingly facing the possibility of linking users to version of record copies as well as to OA but non-version of record copies of the same article. Some advocate prioritizing linking to OA copies while others argue that the version of record should be prioritized. In many cases, this is a question of whether to link to a copy that the library has licensed over the copies that are freely available; however, the same conundrum can occur with respect to publisher-hosted OA content vs. copies available in institutional repositories and on preprint servers. Several other recommended approaches exist as well. This issue-oriented session will explore the implications of these choices and how they might align with different strategic priorities for libraries and platforms. Questions include: What principles can be helpful as a library explores these decisions? How can a library engage its user community in these decisions? What are the impacts on other library services (e.g., instruction and interlibrary loan) of the different approaches? If desired, how can a library integrate OA and version of record linking in the same discovery/access system? What staff training and user education programs do the different approaches demand? Should the way articles are cited be changed to privilege OA copies? If OA is easily linked or if users choose OA copies over the version of record, could libraries cancel subscriptions and reallocate funds? Do users really need the version of record?Ope

Serials Spoken Here–Reports of Conferences, Institutes and Seminars

This quarter's column offers a report from the Acquisitions Institute at Timberline Lodge, held May 14–17, 2016, in Timberline Lodge, Oregon, and also provides coverage of multiple sessions from the Kraemer Copyright Conference, held June 6–7, 2016, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Some reports are collected, as well, from the NASIG Annual Conference, held June 9–12, 2016, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference, held June 23–28, 2016, in Orlando, Florida. Lastly, there is a report from the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) World Library and Information Congress, held August 13–19, 2016, in Columbus, Ohio. Topics covered include open access, linked data, copyright, text mining, e-resource management, and digitization