is there a role for agents in the age of e-journals and consortia? cary bruce ebsco information...
TRANSCRIPT
Is There a Role for Agents in the Age of E-Journals
and Consortia?
Cary BruceEBSCO Information Services
June 2004
2
Some Current Theories
Handling of E-Journals is easier than handling print therefore no external support is needed.
Agents do not add value in the electronic world. Their focus is on print.
It is less expensive to buy electronic directly from the publisher because we save the service charge and get a publisher discount. Also publishers will not allow agents to handle the transaction.
3
Managing e-journals:challenges for the library
4
Provide Support
EvaluateMonitor
Trial useTrial use
Assess need/budget
Assess need/budget
License terms
License terms
Administer
E-resource life cycleLibraries
OrderOrder
PayPayPricePrice
EvaluateEvaluate
Provide Access
Acquire
5
Provide Support
EvaluateMonitor
IP AddressesIP Addresses
RegisterRegister
Proxy ServersProxy Servers
Administer
CatalogCatalog
Portals/Access lists
Portals/Access lists
Campus authentication
Campus authentication
URL maintenance
URL maintenance
Provide Access
Acquire
E-resource life cycleLibraries
6
ClaimingClaiming
User IDsUser IDs
Admin module information
Admin module information
Provide Support
EvaluateMonitor
Preferences (store)
Preferences (store)
Holdings listsHoldings lists
Access restrictions
Access restrictions
View rights for use
View rights for use
Administer
Provide Access
Acquire
E-resource life cycleLibraries
7
Provide Support
EvaluateMonitor
Problem logProblem log
Hardware needs
Hardware needs
Software needs
Software needs
Contact infoContact info
Troubleshoot/ triage
Troubleshoot/ triage
Administer
Provide Access
Acquire
E-resource life cycleLibraries
8
Provide Support
EvaluateMonitor
Problem logProblem log
Usage statsUsage stats
Downtime analysis
Downtime analysis
Review problemsReview
problems
User feedback
User feedback
Administer
Provide Access
Acquire
E-resource life cycleLibraries
9
ClaimingClaiming
User IDsUser IDs
Admin module information
Admin module information
Preferences (store)
Preferences (store)
Holdings listsHoldings lists
Access restrictions
Access restrictions
View rights for use
View rights for use
Provide Support
EvaluateMonitor
Problem logProblem log
Hardware needs
Hardware needs
Software needs
Software needs
Contact infoContact info
Troubleshoot/ triage
Troubleshoot/ triage
Usage statsUsage stats
Downtime analysis
Downtime analysis
Review problemsReview
problems
User feedback
User feedback
Administer
Trial useTrial use
Assess need/budget
Assess need/budget
License terms
License terms OrderOrder
PayPayPricePrice
EvaluateEvaluate IP AddressesIP Addresses
RegisterRegister
Proxy ServersProxy Servers
CatalogCatalog
Portals/Access lists
Portals/Access listsCampus
authenticationCampus
authentication
URL maintenance
URL maintenance
Provide Access
Acquire
E-resource life cycleLibraries
10
ClaimingClaiming
User IDsUser IDs
Admin module information
Admin module information
Preferences (store)
Preferences (store)
Holdings listsHoldings lists
Access restrictions
Access restrictions
View rights for use
View rights for use
Provide Support
EvaluateMonitor
Problem logProblem log
Hardware needs
Hardware needs
Software needs
Software needs
Contact infoContact info
Troubleshoot/ triage
Troubleshoot/ triage
Usage statsUsage stats
Downtime analysis
Downtime analysis
Review problemsReview
problems
User feedback
User feedback
Administer
New processes introduced
Trial useTrial use
Assess need/budget
Assess need/budget
License terms
License terms OrderOrder
PayPayPricePrice
EvaluateEvaluate IP AddressesIP Addresses
RegisterRegister
Proxy ServersProxy Servers
CatalogCatalog
Portals/Access lists
Portals/Access lists
Campus authentication
Campus authentication
URL maintenance
URL maintenance
Acquire
Provide Access
E-resource life cycleLibraries
11
Provide Support
EvaluateMonitor
Title listsTitle lists
Administer
Provide Access
E-resource life cyclePublishers
Usage statsUsage stats
Fulfillment reports
Fulfillment reports
Offer trialOffer trial
Marketing/ Sales
Marketing/ Sales
License terms
License terms
Order handling
Order handling
InvoicesInvoices
PricingPricing
Acquire
Hosting siteHosting site
IP AddressesIP Addresses
Campus authentication
Campus authentication
Metasearch/ Z39.50
Metasearch/ Z39.50
Durable URL Support
Durable URL Support
RegistrationRegistration
Subscription upgrades
Subscription upgrades
ClaimingClaiming
User IDsUser IDs
IP ChangesIP Changes
Title Lists for packages
Title Lists for packages
Enforce License terms
Enforce License terms
Title ChangesTitle Changes
Subscriptionproblems
Subscriptionproblems
Hardware problemsHardware problems
Software problemsSoftware problems
Customer Service
Customer Service
Technical Support
Technical Support
12
What is the Role of the Agent?
• Offer subscription services and supporting products that benefit both libraries and publishers
• Do this more efficiently than either can do on their own
• Be compensated by both parties for the value we add
13
What value do Agents bring?
1) “Traditional” agent services that also apply to the e-journal world
2) New “e-agent services” that help customers acquire and manage e-resources
3) E-resource management products, linking services and databases
14
Traditional Services that apply to the E-journal World
• Pre-payment of order – cash flow issue• Order consolidation• Proof of payment maintenance• Line item invoicing• Fund accounting• ILS feeds for invoicing• EDI• Consolidated Renewals• Reporting• Customer Service Representative / Tech Support
15
New E-Agent Services
Special handling for online orders
• Dedicated e-journal processing teams• Rapid processing of online orders and registration
assistance• Gathering of PID/SID numbers from publishers• Email notification to customers of PID/SID &
registration requirements• Notify publishers of IP address changes• Automatic registration for select publishers• Assistance with subscrition upgrades and format
changes
16
New E-Agent Services
With order through Agent, library benefits from
• Automatic update of E-Journal gateway• Automatic update of online Title List (A-to-Z service)• Automatic update of Link Resolver• Automatic update of OPAC – MARC records• Automatic update of Smart Links
17
E-JournalGateway
E-JournalGateway
Link resolver
Link resolver
OPACOPAC
A-to-ZList
A-to-ZList
Publishersite
PublishersitePublisher
sitePublisher
sitePublishersite
PublishersitePublisher
sitePublisher
site
A&Idatabase
A&IdatabaseA&I
databaseA&I
databaseA&Idatabase
A&Idatabase
Full textdatabaseFull textdatabaseFull text
databaseFull textdatabaseFull text
databaseFull textdatabase
1
CUSTOMER
1. Place order
2. Get SID/PID
3. Register
4. Add to gateway
5. Add to A-to-Z list
6. Add to link resolver
7. Catalog
8. Add to Locals at A&I
9. Add to Locals at FT
CUSTOMER
1. Place order
2. Get SID/PID
3. Register
4. Add to gateway
5. Add to A-to-Z list
6. Add to link resolver
7. Catalog
8. Add to Locals at A&I
9. Add to Locals at FT
8
9
3
24
5
6
7
99
88
AdministratorAdministrator
Without AgentWithout AgentProcessing of e-journals without an Agent
18
EBSCOhostEJS
EBSCOhostEJS
LinkSourceLinkSource
OPACOPAC
EBSCO A-to-Z
EBSCO A-to-Z
Publishersite
PublishersitePublisher
sitePublisher
sitePublishersite
Publishersite
A&Idatabase
A&IdatabaseA&I
databaseA&I
databaseEBSCOhost A&I
EBSCOhost A&I
Full textdatabaseFull textdatabaseFull text
databaseFull textdatabaseEBSCOhost
Full textEBSCOhost
Full text
Order processing
AdministratorAdministrator
CUSTOMER
1. Place order
2. Get PID/SID
3. Register
4. Export titles from EJS & update holdings
Agent
• Order
• Add to EJS
• Add to SmartLinks
• Add to A-to-Z list
• Add to LinkSource
• MARC updates for OPAC
CUSTOMER
1. Place order
2. Get PID/SID
3. Register
4. Export titles from EJS & update holdings
Agent
• Order
• Add to EJS
• Add to SmartLinks
• Add to A-to-Z list
• Add to LinkSource
• MARC updates for OPAC
With Agent (Worst Case publisher)
With Agent (Worst Case publisher)
SmartLinks
44
44
Publishersite
Publishersite
23
1
How an Agent helps the librarian improve processing of e-journals
19
New E-Agent Services
Publisher Package Purchases
Assistance with information, pricing, negotiation and ordering for individual institutions and consortia
Holdings Analysis
Publishers require a report of holdings in order to consider making an offer for their subscription package. The agent is uniquely suited to provide this information quickly and accurately -- and is generally a trusted source for the publisher.
20
New E-Agent Services
E-journal Auditing• Are you getting what you paid for? (delayed, ceased,
titles sold)• Are you getting what you want? (tracking package title
changes)
Customized Reports To evaluate the benefits of subscribing to a publisher
package or through a consortium.• Reports showing savings for discounted print• Reports showing savings with annual price caps• Other customized reports
21
New E-Agent Services
Summary inventory of e-access information• Where can the title be accessed? • What does the publisher need in order to provide
access?
One-stop customer service• What happens if you can’t get access? Who do you
call?• How many publisher contacts do you have to
maintain?
22
E-Resource Access Management Products
• E-Journal Gateways• A-to-Z or Title lists• Full text databases• Bibliographic databases• Link Resolvers (OpenURL)• Smart Linking
23
E-JournalGateway
E-JournalGateway
Link resolver
Link resolver
OPACOPAC
A-to-ZList
A-to-ZList
Publishersite
PublishersitePublisher
sitePublisher
sitePublishersite
PublishersitePublisher
sitePublisher
site
A&Idatabase
A&IdatabaseA&I
databaseA&I
databaseA&Idatabase
A&Idatabase
Full textdatabaseFull textdatabaseFull text
databaseFull textdatabaseFull text
databaseFull textdatabase
Library e-Services
User
Document Delivery
Document DeliveryDocument
DeliveryDocument DeliveryDocument
DeliveryDocument Delivery
24
Value provided by products
E-Journal Management• Registration tracking• Admin Alerts• Content, access coverage and embargos• Complete collection management• URL management• Article and journal level linking support• Knowledgebase management for link resolvers
E-Journal Access• Locator tools for both journals and articles• TOC browsing• Cross-publisher searching of e-journal holdings• Easy incorporation with metasearch systems
25
Value provided by products
Linking• Increase in usage efficiency through interconnectivity of
resources• Streamlining of collection management• Cost reduction due to decrease of interlibrary lending and
document delivery services
Usage Statistics• Journal and article level usage• Link-out activity• Basis for collection management, purchase evaluation, budget
allocation and user training
General• Platform harmonization and reduction of access complexity• Independence from publisher platforms• Reduction of IT costs through hosted solutions and continuous
product development
26
ClaimingClaiming
User IDsUser IDs
Admin module information
Admin module information
Preferences (store)
Preferences (store)
Holdings listsHoldings lists
Access restrictions
Access restrictions
View rights for use
View rights for use
Provide Support
EvaluateMonitor
Problem logProblem log
Hardware needs
Hardware needs
Software needs
Software needs
Contact infoContact info
Troubleshoot/ triage
Troubleshoot/ triage
Usage statsUsage stats
Downtime analysis
Downtime analysis
Review problemsReview
problems
User feedback
User feedback
Administer
Trial useTrial use
Assess need/budget
Assess need/budget
License terms
License terms OrderOrder
PayPayPricePrice
EvaluateEvaluate IP AddressesIP Addresses
RegisterRegister
Proxy SupportProxy Support
CatalogCatalog
PortalsAccess lists
PortalsAccess lists
AuthenticationAuthentication
URL maintenance
URL maintenance
Acquire
Provide Access
E-resource life cycleLibraries
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27
Provide Support
EvaluateMonitor
Title listsTitle lists
Administer
Provide Access
E-resource life cyclePublishers
Usage statsUsage stats
Fulfillment reports
Fulfillment reports
Offer trialOffer trial
Marketing/ Sales
Marketing/ Sales
License terms
License terms
Order handling
Order handling
InvoicesInvoices
PricingPricing
Acquire
Hosting siteHosting site
IP AddressesIP Addresses
Campus authentication
Campus authentication
Metasearch/ Z39.50
Metasearch/ Z39.50
Durable URL Support
Durable URL Support
RegistrationRegistration
Subscription upgrades
Subscription upgrades
ClaimingClaiming
User IDsUser IDs
IP ChangesIP Changes
Title Lists for packages
Title Lists for packages
Enforce License terms
Enforce License terms
Title ChangesTitle Changes
Subscriptionproblems
Subscriptionproblems
Hardware problemsHardware problems
Software problemsSoftware problems
Customer Service
Customer Service
Technical Support
Technical Support
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essop
ps
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ps
ps
ejs
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ejs
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28
Is the total cost of a subscription really decreasing without an Agent?
• Increased number of tasks and complexity creates need for new and more skilled staff
• Cost of purchase vs. total cost of owning and managing a subscription– loss of economies of scale– Shift of work from publisher/agent to librarian– Still need for comprehensive title information
• Library traditional budgets decrease or shift away from library after intial e-resource experimentation phase – loss of budget control
29
Other things to consider in buying direct from publishers
• Central buying entities are comparable to small agents without systems and service infrastructure – the additional cost will impact libraries in the mid-term
• Most discounts provided to librarians are also provided to agents
• Despite what the publisher sales reps might say: publishers will allow agents to handle e-journal transactions if libraries wish to do so
30
A new paradigm is developing
• Focus and alignment of interests in License Negotiation
• Cost effective and systems based transaction handling and administration
• Keeps Library in control of its purchasing
E-License Negotiators(Consortia or Library)
Information ServicesAgents+